Arizona republican., 1905-01-02
PHOENIX, ARIz, JANUARY ?, 1905.
Predictions and Predictions.

lic SldlSLlOOO SillAttlAOtA OuiAllS llilS HUI iday recess is that nobody knows what the outcome will be. There are pre- dictions and predictions one contra dieting the other, and all from sources usually worthy of confidence.
 Delegate-elect Mark Smith is said to have written privately to friends in Phoenix that he has some hopes that the bill will be defeated. He is quot ed as saying that an opposition is be- ing organized among the democratic senators, and that it is hoped that most of them can be lined up against the bill. although 1t is known that some will favor it. According to MT. Smith, eight republican senators are against the bill. Among these are Bard of California. Alger of Michigan, Foraker of Ohio. and Gallinger of New Hampshire. all men of large influence. Senator Shoot is also mentioned as one of the opponents of the bill. But with a republican majority of 20 in the senate, and a few democrats voting with the majority. more than repub- icans must be enlisted against the measure if it is to be beaten when a vote is reached.
 Mir. F. NJ. Murphy, telegraphing pri- vately, also expresses a belief that joint statehood will be beaten. MT Murphy's close business and social re- lations with some of the senators give him a good opportunity to size up the situation.
 Governor Brodie, who was recently on the ground, and had exceptional facilities for learning the trend of things, believes that there is a good fighting chance to beat the bill, al- though he does not minimize the dan ger.
 Former Governor Murphy and Mir B. A. Fowler, both of whom are in Washington fighting the scheme, have reached no conclusions as to the out come, so far as we have been informed
 As showing how opinions differ, here is prophecy from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. which has the best of means for ascertaining all the facts:
 Several things are being told by some of the Washington gossips about the statehood bill which may safely be disregarded. One of these is that the bill will be defeated Another is that a provision will be inserted in it cut ing as many offices as possible. The tory apart when either or both attain q certain population. Still another is that the republicans will be frighten- ed into allowing Arizona and New Mexico to come in as separate states
 The passage of the statehood bill by the senate in the present session is just as certain as any political thing can be which is several weeks in the distance. The measure passed the house last spring. It has been report ed to the senate with a few changes and will be brought up soon after the holiday recess. The committee hay ing 1t in charge is determined to push it to immediate enactment The diff ferences between the bill before the senate and the one which passed the house are so few that there will be no difficulty in getting an agreement be- tween the two branches. President Roosevelt's signature will be attached to the statehood bill before congress steps down on March 4.
 50 far as can be learned, the op- position in Oklahoma and the Indian Territory to their union in one state is slight It is confined chiefly to the politicians. who are interested in hay ing as man yoffices as possible. The people of the two territories want union The whole theory under which congress has been working for fifteen years in setting off parts of the Indian Territory to Oklahoma has been that the entire tract would be admitted some day as a single community. The republican party will carry out this idea this winter. Nor is there the faintest reason for the story that the republicans are going to be bulIdozed into admitting Arizona and New Mex ico as separate states. They will re- main united in the bill. as they were when that measure passed the house and if they refuse to accept those terms that will be their own affair. The bill will pass congress It will provide for the consolidation of the four territories into two states. The president will promptly sign it. This prophecy will be history before the present congress expires
 Clearly. much depends upon the point of view. If a man is working against the bill in Washington, 1t is natural for his hopes to color his be- liefs, more or less, It is the same with the advocates of the measure When senators find that they are being in terviewed by a partisan of one side or another, they are generally diplomatic enough to leave the impression that they are at least in mood to be con- verted. Many senators are averse to giving out a tip as to their attitude on a pending bill. because they do not wish to detract from popular interest