The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-11
WHY TAWNEY QUIT
STATEHOOD FIGHT.
New Story Of Agreement with
Speaker, Coupled with Tangle
Of Amendments.
Ry W. w. Jermane.


Washington, March 1O.-An interest
ing bit of the unwritten history on the
statehood fight in the house Of repre-
sentatives early in the winter is just
now being told. During the earlier
stages of that fight it will be remem-
bered that Representative Tawney Of
Minnesota, chairman of the committee
on appropriations, was counted as one
Of the insurgents. Some time later an
authoritative announcement was made
to the effect that he was at heart OPP
posed to the bill, but would support it
because he felt that the insurgents in
attacking it were attacking the house
organization and, as he was part of
that organization by virtue of his chair
manship, he felt he could not permit
his personal inclinations to outweigh
his larger duty in the other direction.
Death Blow to Insurgents.
This announcement came as death
blow to the insurgent movement, for it
was everywhere admitted that if Taw-
ney could have been secured to lead
that movement, the statehood bill could
have been ingloriously defeated. 1t
will be recalled that when the statehood
bill came up for vote in the house, Mr..
Tawney addressed himself to it for not
to exceed a minute and a half. He
said in brief that he opposed the bill.
but would vote for it because it had
been made a party measure. The COM
mands of the party, he said, always
overshadowed the likes or dislikes of an
individual member of the party, and
so he bowed in submission.
1t is now said that before Mr.. Taw.
ney could be brought to this frame of
mind he had several conferences, either
with the speaker, or with some one
representing him and that at these con.
ferences it was expressly arranged that
If the senate should adopt the Foraker
referendum amendment to the state
hood bill, the house leadership would
accept it.
The Burrows Amendment.
The senate yesterday did adopt the
Foraker amendment, and then it turned
around and adopted the Burrows
amendment, and this, from a parlia-
mentary point Of view, has resulted in
something Of tangle The effect of
the Burrows amendment apparently has
been to destroy the Foraker amendment
and SO, that amendment not being in
the bill as the senate finally passed it.
the house will not be able to con.
slider it. , -... 49, .. =,
The house is therefore confronted
with the question of whether it will
accept the senate bill, providing solely
for the admission of Oklahoma and In
dlan Ierrltory-or permit statehood leg
, islation to fail. - <es,vs . -, .
All day today the statehood situation
has been one Of great interest here.
All of the house leaders have been to
see the president, and there have been
frequent other conferences. Just what
the outcome will be nobody yet knows
The. Tawney Agreement.
It is becoming clear that the alleged
agreement between the speaker and
Mi: Tawney did not contemplate such
SITUATION as is presented by the SEN
ate's action. The most that it WAS
/ belleved the senate would do was TO
adopt the Foraker amendment.
Speaker Cannon was one of the call
ers at the White House today, and he
discussed statehood with the president.
but with what result has not been an
nounced. 1t is probable that the SEN
ate bill, which will 60 to the speaker s
desk, will be called up early next week.
Final action on it, however, may not
be taken for some time.
There is widespread feeling here
that the senate's action is along the
line Of what is fair and right, and the
tears that have been shed over the fail
ure OF this. particular part of the adj
mlnlstration program are few and far
between. Even the close friends of the
president express the hope that the
house will concur in the senate IS action,
| thus 1disposing of the question. The
president himself is understood not to
be much troubled over the outlook. He
made statehood a part of his policy at
the personal request of Senator Bever-
1dge, and has not regarded it as of
paramount interest or Importance.