The Dickinson press., 1905-02-11
Conference Committee.

NOUHSTSVC0 NOIOUuktC0s
Washington, Feb. S.-After a con-
tinuous sitting of almost nine hours
the senate at S:45 o'clock Tuesday
night passed the joint statehood bill.
AS passed the bill provides for the ad-
mission Of the states Of Oklahoma, to
be composed of Oklahoma and Indian
Territory. and New MEXICO, according
to the present boundaries, with Ari-
zona eliminated.
The long session was characterized
by exciting incidents and many sur
prises. Beginning promptly upon the
convening at IL o'clock the senate
proceeded to consider the various
amendments which had been suggest
ed by the committee on territories and
which had been passed over. One of
the first of these taken up was the
amendment prohibiting the sale of in
toxicating liquors in what is now In
dian Territory for the next ten years,
and this was displaced by a substitute
offered by Mr.. Gallinger which ex-
tended the amendment to the entire
state for a period of twenty-one years,
and this was adopted.
First Surprise Of the Day.
The first surprise of the day came
when the committee accepted Mr..
Foraker's amendment providing for a
separate vote by each of the terrific
ries of New Mexico and Arizona on the
constitution to be adopted by the pro-
posed state of Arizona.
That provision had scarcely been
made part Of the bill when Mr.. Bard
presented his amendment, originally.
offered by Mr.. Patterson, which pro-
vided for the admission Of New Mex
leo as state without the admission Of
Arizona. This amendment proved to
be the point around which all the sub
sequent proceedings of importance re-
volyed. It was at first adopted by the
close vote of AZ to 40. This vote was
taken while the senate was sitting In
committee of the whole and was re-
versed in the senate proper by the tie
vote Of 38 to 3S.
Arizona Eliminated.
Subsequently the senate decided by
a vote of 80 to 36 to entirely eliminate
New Mexico and Arizona from the bill
and this result had hardly been an
nounced when Mr.. Bard, in slightly
changed form, renewed his PROPOSE
ton for the admission of New Mexico
as state and this time the amend
ment prevailed by the vote of 40 to 81.
One Of the affirmative votes, was, how
ever, cast by Mr.. Beveridge. 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 upon the table by
a vote of 80 to SO. The effect was to
eliminate Arizona from the bill and to
make one state out of New Mexico
and another out Of Oklahoma and In
dian Territory. In this form the bill
passed. s2
Gave Rise to Interesting Incidents.
The defeat of the Bard amendment
in the senate after it had been adopt
ed in the committee of the whole gave
rise to interesting incidents. Mr..
Bailey intimated that there had been
trade" regarding the adoption Of an
amendment, adding portion Of Arizo-
ma to Utah.
The Mormon question also received
an airing during the day. Mr.. Bur-
rows announced his opposition to the
provision for the separate admission
of New Mexico and stated 1t was due
to the practice Of polygamy In that
territory to such an extent that he con-
sidered 1t unwise to take the admins.