New-York tribune., 1903-01-30
THE STATEHOOD FIGHT.
QUAYS NOPE OPPOSED.
To Be Defeated EUen If 1t Causes
an ETtyd Session.
GBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNE.l


Washington Jan. 29.-That Senator Quay, by
his adroit move in introducing the Statehood Dill
as an amendment to two regular appropriation
bills and having the amendments referred to his
own committed secured temporary advantage
is evident to-day. What avail this advantage
will prove in the iraI contest is proDlenaticai'
The uncertain factor is Mr.. Quay aplhty ~
hold intact his present support IN the senate
That he can win ultimately is connoentiS ue
MED by the opponents of the Statenooo pii' WIN
assert that they are prepared 10 20 W aii'
lengths TO accomplish his defeat, even 10 'ne
ox+e,t of making necessary extra session Oh
Congress- Relief at least temporary, from the
,rotrarted debate on Statehood is expected sooi-
NJ ouav lost no time to-day in following up
his strategic move of yesterday. and secured the
authorization of his committee to report raVor-
ab1v the Statehood amendment to the Agrlcul'-
1raI Appropriation bill to the Agricui'ui a.
Committee which met in executive session 'hiS
e.rnoon When the routine business of the
committee was disposed of Mr. Quay moved tfle
adoption of his Statehood amendment shafP
debate in which Senators Quarles, DoiiiVer anu
proctor took part followed, it being declared
that such an amendment would be III Vloialioh
of two rules of the senate-first, that it would
he new legislation contained in an approprla-
tion bill and. second, that 1t was not gern1ane
to agriculture The supporters of the state
hood nroposftion maintained that both OF
tho ruIes cited were frequently violated,
that a Philippine bill had been passed as an
amendment to the Army Appropriation Dill anu
that the Platt amendment had been similarly
enacted Mr.. Quay alleged that the clrcum-
stances were unusual and called for unusual
procedure He said that personal notice had
been served on those Senators in favor of the
bill that it was the purpose of the minority to
talk it to death, and NewEngland Senator
had said: "I will drop in my tracks debating
this measure before will permit it to pass
It had been freely admitted. he said, that If this
were a long session such course would be I'M
possible but advantage was to be taken of the
fact that it was short session and appropr1a-
ton bills pressing, to flibuster against the
will of the majority In view of these facts,
Mr. Quay asserted that he was warranted In
going to any lengths to carry the Will Of the
majority into effect.
Finally Senator Proctor made personal ap-
peal to his committee not to weight down the
Agricultural bill with such an incubus.
When Mr. Proctor had finished speaking 1t
was agreed to adjourn the meeting until Satur-
day morning. with the understanding that the
Saturday session to be considered a part
of to-days meeting, and Senator Quay's motion
was to retain its position as the motion before
the Agricultural Committee, seven of whom are
committed to Statehood They are Senators
Hansbrough, Foster. of Washington; Quay.
Bate Money, Heitfeld and Simmons. They ex-
press their intention of voting for the amend
ment and it is expected that the amended bill
will be reported Monday. Under these
circumstances Mr.. Quay does not expect to
press the Statehood debate further the floor
of the Senate.
With the Statehood amendment attached to
the Agricultural bill, it will remain for Senator
Proctor to precipitate further debate. which will
be on the point of order certain to be made
that the Statehood amendment is not germane-
If this question is permitted to come 10 a vote
and Mr.. Quay manages to maintain his sup
port the Agricultural bill will be passed and
will go into the hands of conference COM
mittee composed of Senators Proctor, Hans
brough and Bate, the two latter favora bic to
Statehood. and Representatives. WadsWorth,
Henry. OF Connecticut, and Williams, of Mis-
Sissippi. the two former opposed to Statehood.
The Statehood contingent mintains that the
House would be certain to instruct its con-
ferrees to yield to the Senate and accept the
Statehood amendment, an assertion which the
opponents of the bill receive with derision.
The opponents of the Statehood bill assert
that Mr. Quay will gain nothing by his attempt
to attach his measure to an appropriation bill.
They are confident that his Democratic allies
will not remain steadfaSt. and intimate that q
few plums of proper size and attractiveneSS will
prove as effectual in reducing the Democratic
flank of the Quay forces the intimation that
there might be difficulties in the way of con-
firming DR.. Crum as collector of the port or
Charleston proved in inducing Senator Timan
to see a flaw in the Statehood propositions
At all events, say the Republican leaders, the
Omnibus Statehood bill will not be permitted to
become a law, even though It's defeat means the
loss of two appropriation bills and thus compels
"A session Congress.