Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1905-12-15
NgorOus|yChampiONS Double
BarPcI|Gd Statehood.
WATSON SUCCEEDS TAWNEY
AS REPUBLICAN WHIP
Hamilton Bill Will Be Passed in a
Walk by the House Of
Representatives,

Washington, Dec. 14.-The republi-
can members of the house in caucus
today unanimously declared in favor
of admitting Oklahoma and Indian
Territory as one state, and by a vote
of 110 to 65 declared in favor of ad-
mitting Arizona and New Mexico as
one state. Both statehood questions
are to be contained in one bill The
conference which resulted in this ac-
tlon took place Immediately at the
conclusion of the session of the house
and occupied an hour and a half. The
only opposition to the program was
directed against joining Arizona and
New Mexico and 1t is understood that
Mr.. Adams, of Wisconsin, and Mr.
Tawney, of Minnesota, were the only
speakers ON this side.
The program of the leaders was
presented at the ousset BY Air. Ham,
ilton. chairman OF the committee on
territories, In a resolution which he
offered. 1t declared II to be the sense
of the conference that one state be
made out of Oklahoma and Indian
Territory and one state out of Arizona
and New Mexico. and that the COM
mittee on territories be requested to
formulate this plan in one bill.
Hamilton Bill To BE Measure.
The Hamilton bill, already intro
duced. contains the necessary provi-
sions to meet this resolution and will
undoubtedly be the measure reported
by the committee. Hearings on this
bill, on the question of embodying a
constitutional amendment prohibiting
the sale of liquor in the two territor-
les were begun today Aside from
this question. the bin Is practically in
shape to report The liquor hearings
will not be hurried. and the plan now
seems TO be to delay reporting the bill
until after the holiday recess When
1t is reported a rule will be brought
in for its immediate consideration by
the house.
The conference had not proceeded
long when the debate was limited to
five-minute sneeches. and this action
caused complaint by those opposing
the admission of New Mexico and Arl-
zona.
Speaker Cannon took the floor and
spoke vigorously for the two-state
plan. After Mr. Adams and Mr.. Taw-
ney had opposed 1t, Mr.. Grosvenor. Of
Ohio, took the opportunity to read Il
number of newspaper clippings giving
an account Of what he termed jun
ket." which a number of members of
the house had taken through the ter
ritories last summer at which time
they had publicly stated they would
oppose the admission jointly Of Ari-
zona and New Mexico
Caucus Was Binding.
Questions were asked as to the
binding character OF the conference,
and replies emphatically indicated
that a conference of republican mem
bers of the house had been considered
as binding on the members participat-
ing In II.
Joint statehood was favored by Rep
resentatives Smith. Of Iowa, Powers
and Littlefield. of Maine. and others.
Mr., Lacey secured the division of the
resolution, and when both its parts
had been adopted. Chairman Hep
burn. on being requested to rule ON
the result stated that the resolution
must be taken to have been adopted
In its entirety; that one bill must con-
tain one statehood measure for the
two states and that there could be no
division Of the question.
Representative James II. Watson,
Of Indiana. was chosen by the confer
enee as the republican whip" to sue
ceed Mr.. TawneY, of Minnesota.