Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-07
House May Pass the Bill Be-
fore the Holidays.
VIEWS AT THE CAPITOL
CLAIMED THAT IT WILL GO
THROUGH THE SENATE.
Measure Drawn by Representative
Hamilton in Line With the Recon-
mendations Of the President.

1t is quite generally expected at the Capt.
toll that before the holidays the Hamilton
bill for the admission of the territories Of
the southwest as states into the Union will
be passed by the House of Representatives
and will be referred to the committee on
territories of the Senate. 1t seems quite
certain at this time that the bill to become
a law in this Congress in relation to the
new states will bear the name of Represen-
tative Hamilton.
The bill is in line with the recommended
tons of the Presidents message, and makes
two states out of the four territories that
have long been seeking admission.
The House has been insistent that all of
these territories shall be provided for In a
bill where any of them is to be cared for.
In the last Congress the Senate was in
clined to cut down this broad scope of the
bill, but the friends of the measure now
claim that there Is an ample number in the
Senate to pass bill in line with the recon-
mendations Of the President This bill will
provide that Indian Territory and Okla
homa shall be admitted as one state and
New Mexico and Arizona as another.
Prospects In the Senate.
The bill before the Senate last year was
lost by lack of a single vote, resulting
from the absence of Senator AIdrich abroad
and the illness of Senator Knox Not only
are both of these senators likely to be on
hand when vote is taken, but the new
senators are understood to be- without ex-
ception, favorable to a speedy settlement
of statehood claims
The friends of the bill do not expect that
any considerable fight will be made on 1t
In the Senate. The fact that the committee
on rules will agree to have the bill given
right of way in the Senate will depend upon
that committee being satisfied that the
measure has clear road and that 1t will
not consume a great amount of time with a
doubtful prospect of passage. All the
friends of statehood in the Senate speak
extremely hopeful Of the outcome and they
are anxious to have the Hamilton bin be-
fore them In order that the active work of
securing It's passage may be begun.
Opposition to Prohibition Clause.
Capt Frank Frantz, who Is to become
territorial governor of Oklahoma about
January 10. came out today in opposition
to the insertion by Congress of a prohibl-
ton clause in the bill that will admit Ok
lahoma and Indian Territory to statehood
as one state 1t is claimed that the pressure
from prominent men OF the territory Will
be too heavy for Congress to withstand
and that the question of regulating the
sale OF liquors in the new state will be left
to the people themselves, that being the
demand OF the principal newspapers and
the leading men.
There are a great many men In the
territory who favor prohibition" said Capt
frantz, who was Rough Rider officer In
the regiment with President Roosevelt.
who are strongly opposed to its being re-
CURED by the statehood bill
I he majority of the people of the two
territories appear to be largely In favor Of
to the people for settlement that being
right they think ought to be theirs.
strong argument now being used by a good
many prohibitionists is that If Congress
forces this upon the people 1t will have the
effect of prejudicing them against prohibit
ton, and they VIII repudiate it at the first
opportunity"
The republican national committeeman
ard the republican state chairman of the
Indian Territory and many other prominent
men of both territories have in the last few
weeks informed the President and members
of Congress that the people are utterly OPP
posed 10 having prohibition forced upon
them by Congress. They have heretofore
hoped that this question might not come
up in the statehood bin at all, and they still
hope so, not desiring to see any question in
jeeted that might interfere with their cher
ished desires, but they have come to the
conclusion that 1t is now time to speak up
and express themselves.
The prohibition element of the state has
been going ahead securing signatures to pc
ttions asking that prohibition be required
by Congress. 1t Is stated that some of
those who signed the petitions have now
changed their minds, fearing that If Con-
gress does require prohibition it will have
the effect of making 1t obnoxious. 1t Is
the opinion of some constitutional lawyers
that the new state would have right to
disregard any requirement of this kind and
license the sale of whisky IL It desired, and
prohibitionistS fear that this Is Just what
would happen.
Senator Beveridge introduced today a bill
providing joint statehood for Oklahoma and
Indian Ter Dry and for New Mexico and
Arizona. AL Is identical with the one
introduced the house by Representative
Hamilton of Michigan.