Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-04-06
slim CHANCE
FOR STATEHOOD
Jsini Measure Likely to Be Held
Up In the Senate and Die
Naturally
MAY DELAY A YEAR
Democrats Certain 10 FiglltTwO-
State Proposition IN Both
Houses

The washington correspondent Of the
81. Louis GiobeD Democrat takes q
somewhat gloomy view Of the state
hood situation. Under date Of April ,
be says;
Statehood Legislation at the present
session Of congress may well be mum.
bered among the things loft over I'M
III the short session. That the omni.
bus bill prepared BY the republican
majority OF the subcommittee may
pass the house sitter i fight BY the
democratic minority Il among the
probabilities. ThAt II will be possible
TO pass the measure in the senate,
however. with 4 prospect Of early ad-
3ournmsnt. Ii not entertained BY any
one. The indications arc that the
statehood bill will. as usual. be passed
up to the senate. where Il will die
! natsrAi death. 70 far u the present
session II concerned. II may be taken
Up nszt December and considered and
passed before the nexi congress comes
il on March 4. 1906.
Friends Of statehood In the house
are making . canvass d tho member.
ship with q view TO discovering wheth.
u Of not there Il sufficient strength
TO pass . bin. Many republicans who
have no interest In tho legislation 9th.
er than the general interest IN all leg.
islation affecting the state Of the
union. have been asked AZ 10 whether
or not they will join IN asking for 4
formal petition that tho republican
leaders call ! caucus TO decide upon
party action In relation 10 statehood
II Is barely possible that II the state
hood bills show sufficient strength on
! canvass the programme In this con
nection will be changed and tho bill
permitted to pass the house at THU
long session of the congress. II car
not pass tho senate.
No Chance 70 Pass senate.
Senator Beveridge is chairman O
tho senate committee on territories
A such he has charge Of all suci
legislation. An such no led the fighl
against the veteran Quay at the lasI
session. when Quay was pushing bill
omnibus statehood bill. Beverldg,
was asked a. 10 tho possibility Of state
hood legislation, and said. without he's
itation. Absolutely no prospect what
v why. ] said to You weeks ne,
that there would be no legislation q
tho sort at this session"
II was suggested that the situation
might have changed III that timc an,
the acceptance of two states by Sen
ator Quay would probably have a yer,
great effect upon the possibility o
such legislation. Bcyerldge answered.
this suggestion: mo change In III,
situation whatever. There IL not on,
chance In a hundred for statehood leg
islation by the senate. We are MAXIM
good progress or the appropriation
measures and you will see the session
close about April 20. With conference
reports to come In and the balance o
the supply measures 10 be agreed upon
and the democratic campaign speeche
TO be made. there viii be quite enough
10 occupy the senate until tho cIoslnI
day Or the session"
Uncle Jos Cannon has consultc,
with the president frequently of lat,
and he is understood to take the pc
sition that there win be little or no 10
llticai advantage In admitting the ney
states. II the sentiment ~ strona
enough In the house TO demand actioi
ri this session tho bill creating N
two new states can 80 through an
with the assurance that the sena,,
win take similar action at the mex
and short session OF congress all IN
~terests. It Is believed, viii he salts
fled.
This arrangement II II fully appre
cIated. can In no way affect either IN,
coming general election or the cor
gressional elections two years henc,
as II viii be impossible for the necci
sary formalities 10 be complied Wit
and the constitutional conventions 7
complete their work and elections I
be held. The very terms 81 the bill
when passed viii preclude the poss
biIify Of statehood before 1906.
The democrats had tbe better Of n
republicans In the house committe
on territories Friday morning. Tn
committee was evenly divided betweel
republicans and democrats. The lal
ter could have tied up every vote ha'
any been attempted, but they agree