The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-01-21
MAPPING our STATE
HOOD LEGISLATION
Steering Committee Anxious
to Get TO a Result

Washington, D. c., Jan. 21.-The
steering committee of the senate will
hold meeting tomorrow at which an
: effort is to be made to map out legls-
lation which will receive considera-
tion during the remainder of the pres
ent session. The meeting has been
called by Senator Allison of Iowa,
chairman Of the committee. Three
days ago Senator Allison addressed
a letter 20 the chairman Of every COM
mittee of the senate. He asked them
to advise him what bills pending be-
fore their committees should meet
with action at the present session.
The replies we're not satisfactory to
the senate He found that in each
committee there were bills which, TO
the respective chairman seemed the
most important of the session. There
are now but six weeks remaining for
the work Of the session. This leaves
but forty working days and but few
Of the appropriation bills have been
acted upon Reference to the cal
endar of the present and past sessions
shows that both houses are farther
behind with the work than in any
previous corresponding session. IN
the house three of the thirteen big ap-
propriation bills have passed and six
have been reported In the senate
none but the urgent deficiency and
pension bills have passed. and none
have been reported, although the com
mittee has been at work on the legis-
lative bill for the past week. Two
years ago at this stage of the short
session six of the big bills had been
passed, and all had been reported.
Most of the delay at this session
has been due to the program pursued
with the statehood bill. Through the
unanimous agreement of last session
il has been kept before the senate to
the exclusion of almost everything
else. Senator Quay who heads the
forces insisting upon it's disposition
shows no sign of weakening. Some of
the strongest men in the senate have
opposed him and have thus far de-
clared that the bill shall not go to a
vote. They have done this under the
conviction that he had votes enough
to pass the omnibus bill, and they did
not propose to measure strength with
him. One of the members of the
steering committee stated today that
1t looked as though the senate lead
ers would be forced to let Quay have
vote, and that next week. His rep
utation is not that of a quitter. He
was approached yesterday to see II
he had changed his attitude in any
particular. and said positively that he
was determined to get a vote and be
lieved he had the votes to pass his
omnibus bill. When this was ques
toned Quay, without hesitation
reached inside his pocket and brought
forth poll of the senate, which he
had carefully checked over. He said
well as long as you are skeptica
about it, here is a list of the senators
who are pledged to vote for the bill
and l am only sorry that you are not
on Tue list
These open methods OF Quay have
Inspired confidence among the senat
ors who are standing with him. He
has secured another advantage by
claiming that the eastern senators are
combined against the bill and thai
they fear the balance of power IL
the senate will pars to the westward
1t will be the task of Senator Allison
and his colleagues on the steerinl
Z committee to get the senators oppos
ing statehood to agree that the tes
shall be made by a vote. No othei
course now seems possible. Severa
plans for shaking Quay from his po
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