West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-02-16
Congress Preparing 10 Add New
Stars 10 the Flag.
ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONVENED
February 9Th and Formally Elected
Roosevelt and Fairbanks Presi-
dent and Vice President Of
The United States.
From Our Regular Correspondent

of few Republicans, administered
a signal defeat to the Republican
leaders in the upper House this
week and passed statehood bill
which, if accepted by the House,
will admit two new States TO the
Union and leave Arizona in po-
sition TO apply for statehood later
on. The final fight over the state
hood bill lasted nine hours, during
which every tactical advantage was
seized upon by both sides, the re-
suit being a contest such as has
seldom been Witnessed IN the Senate.
With the Republican leaders defeat
ed and Senator Beveridge in the
depths of despair, what Senator
Bailey declared to be trade" was
affected and the tables turned, only
to be turned again by the departure
of the decrepit Senator from New
York, Mr.. Platt. The "rrade" re-
ferred to by Senator Bailey consist
ed of the adoption of previously
rejected amendment offered by
Senator Kearns Of Utah, whereby
1000 square miles of Arizona are
annexed to Utah, despite the solemn
pledge contained in the enabling
act of the former territory guaran-
teeing that the territory should
never be increased or diminished
without consent of majority of its
population. In return for 1000
square miles, Mr.. Kearns changed
his allegiance and voted with the
Beveridge faction, but the depart
ure of Senator Platt later made it
possible for the Forake' phalanx to
win out.
Despite the spacious arguments
advanced in the Senate against
granting separate to Arizoua and
New Mexico, the real rca son for its
being opposed by the Republican
leaders was the fear that the pro-
posed States might increase Demo
cratic representation in the Senate.
Intense interest now prevails re-
garding the fate Of ihe amended
measure in the House. There is a
clear majority in favor of the bill
as passed by the Senate in the lower
chamber but it is made up of the
entire Democratic minority and a
number of Republicans, and under
the autocratic powers granted to the
Speaker il is altogether possible
that the measure may fail, despite
the fact that majority favors its
adoption. The measure, which
contains an appropriation, will have
10 60 TO a committee before the
Senate amendments can be agreed
TO and the possibility Of its being
left in committee is not remote,
while the fact that the Speaker can
refuse to recognize any member
WHO desires to make a motion un-
acceptable to the Republican lead
ers makes the fate of the measure
especially dubious.
The House has determined to
pass the Towsend Esch railway rate
bill and a vote will be taken today
at which the success Of the bill is
assured, but il is almost certain that
no action will be taken by the Sen
ate. That this is the situation is
regarded by earnest advocates Of
railroad legislation as not altogether
an unmixed evil and even the Presi-
dent appears 90 be resigned to the
! prospect Of the Senators failure to
act. The reason for this is that the
House bill has been demonstrated
TO be entirely inadequate TO correct
existing evils and in view Of the
crowded condition Of the Senate
calsnder it would be a physical inn
possibility properly to amend the
bill at this session. That this is the
case is largely due TO the fact that
certain Republican Senator'S, closely
allied to railway interests, would
persist in killing time we're amend
ments calculated to make the bill
more effective offered, but the
/ President believe that by letting
the matter go over until next fall
he will secure a ally efficient and
comprehensive remedy for the evils
to which he has directed the aucn-
ton Of Congress and Of the country.
There are those who believe that
the President is making a grave mis-
take not TO insist on Congress either
] enacting some railway legislation a,