Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-15
CHANCES OF SUCCESS
Presidents Recommendations
Made to Congress.
SANT0 DOMINGO TREATY
May Have to Resort to Joint Reso-
luton.
INsISTENT UPON STATEHOOD
Bill is in as Bad Shape Today as Ever
Other Measures Also
Begged. d.
UPON STATEHOOD

Answering first the last clause of the
question will show that nearly every propo-
sltion the President hopes to drive through
Congress Is at this time begged, and that
there are yet several deep fords with quick-
sand bottoms ahead: furthermore that q
democratic relay will have to be inspanned
to haul them out of the ruts.
The President is determined to put
through his recommendations upon the
Santo Domingo treaty. 1t viii require
four more votes than the republicans can
muster to ratify that treaty. 1t is COM
pletely deadlocked at present. The sdmin-
istration leaders hope to find four demos
Gratis who will vote for the treaty.
If the democrats stand solidly against
the treaty, the administration. as a last
resort, will be compelled to accomplish th9
end proposed by the treaty through tho
means of a joint resolution. 1t will be re-
called that the annexation of Hawaii was
brought about in that way. A joint reso-
luton would require only majority vote.
which is easily obtainable in both houses.
Philippines Tariff.
The President recommended, with respect
to the Philippines that the tariff now inI-
posed by the Dingley act upon the products
of the islands be entirely removed, except
the tariff on sugar and tobacco. and that
on those articles the tariff be reduced to
% per cent of the Dingley rates until 1909,
when free trade shall set in.
The Philippines tariff bill, framed in ac-
cord with his recommendations, Is now
pending In the House and will pass that
body this week by the aid of democratic
votes. 1t will go to the Senate, and the
prospect is that it win be held up there.
The opposition to reduction of the duty
on sugar is declared by prominent sena-
tors to be so determined as to leave but
little hope of the btll becoming a law
The Presidents railway-rate and corr
poration- n-control recommendations are be-
ing mulIed over by committees of the two
houses. The Presidents friends say that
action OF some kind upon a railway rate
bill will be positively insisted upon.
The best Judgment In Congress is that
there will be a law. But there the prophets
part company; what character of law Will
result is the subject of more kinds of spec
ulation than any other question now under
consideration. Probably q majority think
that there will be some pretty broad COM
promises of the Presidents contentious.
The President wants regulation and con-
troll OF insurance companies. Congress Is
badly split up on that question, and there
is small prospect of an agreement upon q
bill, although Senator Dryden, president of
one of the largest insurance corporations,
is vigorously urging action.
The President recommended currency leg.
islation; provision for more elastic cur
rency. Representative Hill of Connecticut,
one of the financial experts of the House.
stated in an interview IN The Star the
other day that no agreement on currency
reform was likely to be reached until the
country goes through panic and the west
wtthdraws its support from democratic
resistance to amendment OF the national
banking laws demanded by the east.
Insistent Upon Statehood.
The President is insistent upon state-
hood for the territories, and in his annual
message to Congress showed his impa-
thence of congressional dilatoriness by
saying: There is no justification for
further delay, and the advisability of maxi
ing the four territories into two states has
been clearly established
The statehood bill was in as bad case
today as it has been for week past. The
insurgent republicans were standing as
solidly as ever, but II anything they were
more irritable and enraged than last week.
Criticism alleged TO emanate from admin
istration sources has goaded them to re-
sentiment. Among some of them the feel
ing prevails that they are outiaWed alfeaoy
''and might well be hung for an olo
sheep as for a lamb" So they. were not In
a very yielding frame of mind today.
Considerable comment was occasioned
around the Capitol by the publication this
morning in a New York paper or the alie-
CATION that President Roosevelt remarked
to one of the Missouri delegation that cor
rupt influences and money were being useu
against the statehood bill, and that the
delegation could take that word back 10
the insurgents. The Missouri representa-
tiyes today declined to discuss the pub
lished report. One of them said TO a Star
man: ''If any one is interested in the re-
mort doubtless he can receive vefification
or refutal by applying to the President. L
do not feel that can talk about it,
The statehood bill is still in committee.
The Arizona single-state delegation has
been invited to come before the commit
tee tomorrow, having expressed desire tor
a hearing. 1t was said today that the lead
ers are very willing 10 give II audience,
as a hearing means that there can be ques-
tioning and crosS-questioning and the
statehood bills defenders desire to make a
few queries. They VIII go at some length
into the taxation system of the territory,
the relation of the railroads and big min
ing corporations to that system. the plan
of licensing gambling and who is the boss
gambler of Arizona, and a few other ques-
tions of like import
If the statehood bill passes the House the
chances are declared TO be against its
passage by the Senate. The fight lis more
obstinate this session than II was when the
bill was last under consideration IN Con-
Intention OF going to the last ditch to de-
feat 1t.
Maximum and Minimum Tarih.
There is one proposition which was not
dwelt upon by the President that seems
likely to receive affirmative action. and that
is the plan for a maximum and minimum
tariff. He is in favor Of 1t. however. and
viii push 1t along. The Star stated last
week that the sentiment In the ways and
means committee was very favorable.
Senator Aldrich has intimated TO the
House leaders that the finance committee Is
ready to take up the bill whenever the
House sends it over. and there is good rea-
son to believe that law of that kind viii
be passed before March /.