The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-02-10
ARIZONA
statehood Bill After
hiding Provisions.
a CITE ne ARI LHAML
NJ STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
q By Merging Oklahoma and Indian
errltory-Salc Of Liquor In lndian Terri
tory Is Forbidden For n Years -Mormonlsm
Eaters Into Debate As Serious Question
A Day Of Surprises 10 the Senate.


continuous sitting Of almost nine
hours the Senate passed the Joint State
hood bill. As passed, the bill provides
for the admission of the State of Okla
lhoma, to be composed of Oklahoma and
Indian Territory, and New Mexico, ac-
cording to the present boundaries, with
Arizona eliminated.
The long session was characterized
by exciting incidents and many sur
prises. Beginning promptly upon the
converting at IL o'clock, the Senate pro-
ceeded to consider the various amend
ments which had been suggested by the
Committee on Territories and which
had been passed over.
The first surprise Of the day came
when the committee accepted Mr.. For
aker's amendment providing for sepa-
rate vote by each of the Territories of
Arizona and New Mexico on the con-
stitution to be adopted by the proposed
State of Arizona. That provision had
scarcely been made a part of the bill
when Mr.. Bard (Rep. Cal.) presented
his amendment, which had been orig
inally offered by Mr.. Patterson (Dem.,
COLI, providing for the admission of
New Mexico as State without the
addition of Arizona. This amendment
proved to be the point around which all
the subsequent proceedings OF impor-
tancc revolved. 1t was at first adopted
by the close vote of AZ to 40. This vote
was taken while the Senate was sit
ting in committee of the whole, and
was reversed in the Senate proper by
the tie vote of SO to SO.
Subsequently the Senate decided by a
vote Of 50 to sc to entirely eliminate
New Mexico and Arizona from the bill.
and this result had scarcely been an
nounced when Mr.. Bard, in slightly
changed form, renewed his proposition
for the admission of New Mexico as a
State, and this time the amendment pre-
vailed by the vote of 40 to 81. One OF
the affirmative votes was. however, cast
by Mr.. Beverage (Rep., Ind.), in charge
of the bill, for the purpose OF moving the
reconsideration of the vote. He was
prompt in entering this motion as soon
as the result was announced, but the
motion was laid on the table by vote
of SO to SO. The effect was to eliminate
Arizona from the bill and to establish
a State of New Mexico and another of
Oklahoma and Indian Territory. In this
form the bill passed.
The defeat of the Bard amendment in
the Senate after it had been adopted in
committee of the whole gave rise to
some interesting incidents. Mr. Bailey
(Dem., Texas) intimated that there had
been trade" regarding the adoption
of an amendment adding portion of
Arizona to Utah.
The Mormon question also received
an airing during the day. While the
provision for the separate admission
of New Mexico was under considera-
tion Mr.. Burrows (Rep Mich.), chair
man of the Committee on Privileges
and Elections. announced his opposi-
fion to the bill, and stated that it was
due to the practice OF polygamy in that
Territory to such an extent that he con-
sidered it unwise to take the admins
tration away from the Federal author
tiles. Mr.. Dubois (Dem.. Idaho), Mr.
McComas (Rep., Md and Mr. Plat
(Rep., Comm referred to the question
of polygamy and to the revelations be-
fore the committee.
The bill originated in the House and
will now go to conference