The Washington times., 1906-01-07
TARIFF TOURNEY
IN LOWER HOUSE
Payne Bill Given Right OF
Way Over Statehood.
FORENSIC 0RAT0RY GALORE
Water Wagon Forces Bound for Wash
ington to Participate in
Politics.
FORENSIC ORAT0RY GALORE

When the House adjourned last even
ing 1t was the general opinion that the
isayne tariff measure viii occupy most
Of its time next week. The Statehood
DIN. to which the right OF way had been
promised. was not ready for reporting,
and the Committee on Territories had
determined to grant further hearings.
There's whole lot OF these people
who have tariff b. in their systems,
and they've got TO be given a chance
10 work it or" explained prominent
Republican, who leans toward the
'standpat" idea. Now. I've got little
of it myself and may talk some; but
my case isn't critical. Some Of these
people have just got to make speeches.
They know it's the only real chance
they'll get at the tariff this session, and
they'll take advantage of il 10 the limit,
This was the commOnest explanation
Of the situation. There VIII be no effort
TO adopt rule and force The Payne
bill through to passage. The leaders, as
one of them said. had determined that
while a little time might be saved in the
consideration the Payne measure by
this means. it would be more than
made up by the loss of time. later in
The session. when members insisted on
working off their tariff speeches.
Grand Tariff Tourney.
So there will be a grand tariff tourney;
a debating society conducted ON purely
academic lines; a free-for-an IN which
anybody with a speech on his person Will
be entered and permitted 10 take all
the time he wants in getting over the
stretch
The Territories subcommittee, COM
posed OF Hamilton, Powers. Brick,
Moon and Lloyd was in session long
time during the afternoon. Various
fhases were discussed but the question
OF prohibition in the new State of Okla
homa was the sticking point once more.
There Is no doubt that the Hamilton
joint Statehood measure will be reported
But there is still much uncertainty as
10 the terms OF the restriction OF liquor
traffic in Oklahoma. The temperance ad-
vocates want the Gal1nger-Stone clause
on this subject. of last session. That
provision involved prohibition fol
twenty-one years. The temperance people
express confidence that no community
which had accumulated a thirst OF
twenty-one years would ever care To
drink again.
Water Forces Coming.
But The committee framed new and
tentative draft of q clause on this sub
ject, and then decided TO wait and lister
10 the views Of the representative. o1
temperance organizations, who viii be
here next week. There viii be a goodly
delegation of them. and they propose 4
make their views felt. There is a de
cided opposition in the committee I,
the Gallinger-Stone draft, and again
there is dissatisfaction with the clause
as contained in the Hamilton measure
prohibiting sales TO Indians forever
Between the two the committees com
promise is understood to provide 70
something which will protect the In
dian. and at the same time not tak'
the entire matter out of the control o
the State for so long a period.
Its Fate Uncertain.
The fate of the bill after it gets on
of committee is still rather uncertain
II cannot be denied that Arizona an,
New Mexico have vigorous opponents
and their elements of purely politica
support are not so strongly as in tn
last Congress The suggestion that thi
State could wait a time without seriou
injustice is heard from all quarters.
How vigorous this opposition will be
however, when the matter actually
reaches the House. Is very uncertain
Some effort has been to raise up
sectional feeling. and make it appea
that the East was opposing the neV
States out of jealousy inspired by IN
realization of the added strength IN
West would secure in the upper house
But this argument lost much force whe
investigation proved that many mem
bers from Western districts are doubt
full about whether any other State tina
Oklahoma should be taken in now.