Arizona republican., 1904-03-18
The Senators Play it Be-
 hind Closed Doors
THEY FIND II FASCINATING
They Also Find That it is Not Essen tially Sinful and Therefore it Does Not Bar the Way of General Wood to nsjOr-Generalship.

Washington, March 17.-With the paraphernalia for playing Jai Alai, a game which figures conspicuously in the contest against the confirmation of General Leonard Wood to be majcr general, the members of the senate amused themselves for more than an hour this afternoon, protected from the gaze of the public by closed doors of an executive session. A lively in- terest was manifested in the game.
 It was stated by members of the committee that the game will be in troduced at the St. Louis exposition. Senators Proctor, Cockrell Quarles, Foraker, Teller, Scott, Pettus, Black burn and others, who participated in the hearings before the military af fairs committee, where the game was explained by experts, were the eX- pcnents of Jai Alai. Senators Cock rell and Foraker, who have paid ex tensive visits to Cuba while the ''pe- lota" season was at it's height, explain ed that the gambling features of the game are not essential to it's adoption by the Cubans, while Senators Black burn, Scott and Teller contended that without the betting privileges the Jai Alai company would not have made applications to General Wood for con cessIons to erect a building as head quarters for the game.
 The demonstration of Jai Alai came in the last hour of the session and through it all ran a discussion of the game in which many senators parti- cipated. General Woods defenders scored a point when Senator Patter- son admitted that he had spent a day studying the testimony in regard to the game and had come to the conclu- sion that it contained nothing detri- mental to General Woods conduct and no reason for opposition to his 0on- firma ton. The senator said he had expected to oppose the confirmation on the strength of the testimony, but that more urgent reason than had been presented must be advanced.
 In regard to Jai Alai the principal speakers were Senator Culberson, Pat i terson. Teller, Hoar, Proctor and Blackburn. Senator Proctor, the act ing chairman of the committee on military affairs, had made requisitiOn on the war department for the appur- i tenances for the game and when hear | ngs had been concluded he decided to keep the articles at his office to use in the event the members of the senate were interested. In addition to the equipment for the game he had a pie ! ture of a ''pelota" court, showing Gen ! eral Wood and three companions en- i toying the game.
 Senator Quarles resumed his speech 1 in support of the nomination when the senate went into executive session. Ii had been expected that Senator Teller
 would follow, but on account cf the late hour a general discussion was had ! instead. Senator Foraker will speak
 tomorrow in defense of General Wood and will occupy most of the day This
 will carry the case over until Saturday
 night at least, as Senators Teller and | Alger both are scheduled for speeches
 Senator Alger is armed with a letter
 written to General Wood by Senator Teller on February 15, 1901, compli- menting him for his deserved promo ! tion,' on the occasion of Woods con- | firmation as brigadier general. Sena-
 tor Alger intends to use this letter
 against Senator Teller when the lat
 ter makes his speech in opposition tc
 Woods confirmation to be major gen. | eral.