The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-16
FIGHT OVER STATEHOOD BILL.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTE no
SEND 1T TO CONFERENCE.

WASHINGTON, March 15.-The House
Republicans wrengled for two hours this
afternoon In conference over the State-
hood bill and finally, by q vote OF l2o 10
IS, agreed to send 1t to q conference COM
mittee without instructions. As the HOUSE
oonfeeres will be two TO one for the Hamil
ton bill, this means, II the action OF to-day's
conference is approved by q vote OF the
House, that the House will, for q time at
least, insist upon the double barrelied
Statehood bill, with Arizona and New Mex
loo 40 ono State.
- In view Of what seems TO DO q certainty
that the Senate will not Yield to this propo-
sition and win not accept the Hamilton
bill, there 10 a strong belief among mem-
bers OF the House that Speaker Cannon
will. In the end, recede from the position he
has taken and agree to, the Foraker amend
ment, thus permitting Arizona and New
Mexico to vote separately on the question
Of jointure.
Strong argument is being used with tho
Speaker to induce him to Yield 10 h
seems to be the unanimous sentiment OF
both houses Of Congress, that Oklahoma
and Indian Territory should be admitted
to Statehood. Thus far Mr.. Cannon pub
lioly has insisted upon including the other
two Territories In the measure and letting
all four Territories stand or fall together,
but In private he Is said to have expressed
a willingness to accept tho Foraker amend
ment as a compromise.
Preceding the regular conference, which
was held at 8 O'Clock, the House having
adjourned early for this purpose, a con-
ference Of the insurgents was held. Their
. 1901 a.ra a.atnat tNintnTA
for Arizona and New Mexico. They agreed
to urge in the major conference and to vote
in the House for a motion to concur In the
Senate amendment striking out Arizona
and New Mexico from the bill, and falling
in this to agree to accept the FORAKER
amendment; which was their original con-
tention when the bill was In the House.
The Senate, in striking out ell reference to
these two Territories, went further than the
insurgents had at any time expected.
There were present at the MAJOR con-
ference ia Republicans. The wrangle was
begun by Representative Hamilton, the
chairman Of the Committee on Territories
who moved that 1t was the sense OF the
conference that the Statehood bill be sent
to q conference committee OF the House
and Senate without instructions to the
oonferees.
To this Representative Mondell Of Wyom-
ing offered a substitute that the House
agree to the Senate amendment striking
out Arizona and New Mexico and ask for
a conference with the Senate on the thirty
nine other amendments, which affect only
Oklahoma and Indian Territory.
Speaker Cannon took the floor and earn
estly pleaded for the Hamilton motion,
contending that the House should stand
up for it's own bill. He made the declare
ton that there were twenty residents OF
Oklahoma and Indian Territory opposed
to the union of these two Territories where
there was one resident Of Arizona and New
Mexico a~ntagonlstio to the ~jointure OF the
two latter Territories. Several insurgents
cha llenged this statement. and while ad-
m lifting that when j~ointure was first pro-
pose d there was strong opposition to 1t
they co ntended that now there Is little or
no objection to the proposition.
Representative Overstreet Of Indiana, the
originator Of the Arizona n New Mexico
~jointure scheme four or dve years ago,
Representative Waldo of New York and
Senate amendment. Mr.. MondelPs con-
tention was supported by Messrs. Steener-
son Of Minnesota, Campbell, Reeder and
Murdoch OF Kansas and Davidson, Adams
and OF Wlecone1n-
Much Of the time at the meeting was
spent In O discussion az to whether the
action OF the conference should be con-
sidered a. binding upon those present.
The insurgents took the ground that the
conference did not obligate them to sup
port the plan of the majority.
Irrigation Bill" Reeder declared that
a conference was merely an exchange Of
views, and proved 1t by h dictionary:
Conference.-The act Of conversing seri-
ously; formal consultation; earnest con-
versation; interchange Of views Mr..
Reeder preferred to accept Webster's def
milton rather than that OF the House leaders,
who would bind him by the action Of the
conference. -
The matter ended by. the declaration
conference. They will accordingly vote
with the Democrats in favor Of %oouourring
IN the Senate amendment respecting Arr
zona and New Mexico.
After hours debate Mr. Mr.: MondelIs
motion was lost. 1875 to a.; h Hamilton T
insurgents say that ten Of their number
were not present, but even f~ifty-three in
sursents 70 not q sufficient number to over
ride the leaders. As a matter OF fact not
the insurgents will vote with them In the
House; there are several who consider 1t
their duty now to 60 with the majority.
Ex-Speaker Refer Is one OF these. After
the conference he said that having fought
the matter out In Republican conference
and lost, IL was now his duty to stand with
the Republican organization.
The Statehood matter will moi be brought
up In ths House until some time next week.
and may be deferred even longer, awaiting
the return OF absentees. There were in
the neighborhood OF seventy-flve Repub-
licans not present at the conference, and
the insurgents intend working among them
to induce them to vote for concurrence.
They fear, however, that even should
they win q sufficient number to put through
a motion to concur, tho Speaker will fore
stall such action by arbitrarily sending the
bill to the Committee OF Territories without
giving the House a chance to vote upon it,
and then, when 1t comes out Of the oom-
mittee, send it to conference without in
structions to concur. While the insurgents
feel that to-day's action stacked the cards
against them, they nevertheless entertain
the hope that finally the Speaker will be
HOraaI fn xyiall