Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-15
.CAUCUSONSTATEHO0O
Future Action Considered by
House Republicans.
PLANS OF THE LEADERS
Final Acceptance of the Senate Bill
Favored.
HOUSE FIRST WILL N0N-CONGUR
Result of Conference Likely to Be the
Adoption of the Foraker
Referendum.
HOUSE FIRST WILL NoN-CoNeUR

So well assured does Il seem that there
is majority in the House favorable to the
Senate amendment to the statehood bill
providing for the Foraker referendum that
the question now is largely one of parlia-
mentary procedure. The conference of re-
publicans of the House which assembled
at o'clock this afternoon took that aues
ton under consideration.
The plans of the House leaders. If sus-
tanned by the caucus today, will direct
that the House non-concur In the Senate
amendments and send the bill to confer
ence between the House and Senate. The
understanding will be-although 1t may
not be expressed-that the ultimate dispo-
sition of the bill will be the acceptance by
the House of the Foraker referendum
amendment.
Views OF Some Republicans.
Some of the House republicans were dis
posed today to move a resolution In this
afternoons caucus, instructing the con-
ferees to stand by the original bill. There
was violent opposition to that plan from
other republicans on the ground that the
Senate has and again resented the send
ing OF bill into conference between the
two houses with instructions. They insist
that In such case full and free confer
6uC0 Ii ImpOSSlUle dS Ollc get VI SOI-
ferees are tied up in advance OF the meet
ing and thus the spirit of the conference Is
violated at the outset.
It Is a grave question, however, whether
a majority could be obtained for such q
motion. Sentiment has steadily been grow
ing in the House in favor Of the Foraker
amendment as an alternative to the entire
failure Of statehood for Oklahoma and In
dian Territory.
rvlo InI> r,,,1>,, fse
to the voters of Arizona and New Mexico
the question of whether they will come
into the Union one state Or remain
out of the Union indefinitely appeals to
administration in the original contest, and
1t Is thought to be certain that straight
away vote would show a majority OF re-
publicans In favor OF 1t.
Effect on the Elections.
The possible political effect in the impend-
ing congressional elections Of adopting a
policy which would deny statehood to Okla
homa, just when statehood was in that
territory's grasp, makes a great many re-
publicans uneasy, and they have communi-
Gated their fears to the House leaders.
II the bill is directed to be sent to con-
ference very odd situation will then arise.
The spectacle will be presented OF the
House conferees and the Senate conferees
being In accord and vet unable to impress
the majority in either body. That seeming
paradox will grow out of the fact that the
men who will be appointed on the confer
ence committee, on account OF their rank
in the committees on territories, VIII favor
the original House bill and yet will not be
abb to command backing in their respsc-
tive bodies.
The Insurgents Caucus.
The republican insurgents held meet
ing this afternoon and decided to go into
the republican conference at } O'Clock, ou-
with the express proviso that they would
not be bound by the result of the meeting
and with the understanding that they arc
attending a conference and not a party
caucus. About thirty-flve republicans were
In the insurgent meeting.
The insurgents were willing to agree to
thai Senate amendment which eliminates
Arizona and New Mexico from the bill,
and would consent to all other Senate
amendments going into conference.
One of the insurSent leaders said that
they would not consent to having all tho
Senate amendments go into conference as
that would mean failure of the entire state
hood bill. and they were not willing to take
the responsibility OF keeping out Oklahoma
and Indian Territory.
The insurgents claimed this afternoon
that no matter what the action OF the re-
noon, they would still have votes enough
in the House to provide for the admission
of Oklahoma and Indian Territory.