The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-17
House Minority Will Have a Mea-
sure of Their Own, but Vote
for Hepburn's.
STATEHOOD Is MINOR
ISSUE, SAYS PRESIDENT
Roosevelt Willing, if Necessary,
That It Be Sacrificed for
Rate Law.
Nv w. w. Jermane.

Washington, Jan. lit is said to-
law ! ndemocratic circles that the dem.
iocratic members of the house Interstate
and foreign commerce committee VIII
not ioin the republicans in support OF
the Hepburn rate bill, which is now the
ADMINISTRATION measure, but that on
Friday, when the committee holds its
next meeting, they will announce their
purpose OF supporting radical Dill OF
their, own This bill, they say, they
viii report to the house and will debate
there until the time comes for toll
call, when they will vote for the Hep
burn HI. as the only bill which they
have chance to favor. This play will
be for record for use in the campaign:
Che Hepburn bill has been reprinted
as amended by the republicans OF the
house committee, and has now probably
assume: the form in which it will 60
thru that body. It is the most perfect
embodiment Of the presidents views
that has thus far been drafted, and he
supports it heartily. "
Fate in the Senate.
What its fate will be in the senate
neither the president nor any living
man knows with certainty. The most
that can be said with certainty is that
the bill has chance and that the presi-
dent will improve every opportunity
that offers of pressing it upon that
body. 1t will pass the senate if it can
be brought to a>rollcall.
If an effort should finally be made to
defeat the bill by delays and by push
ing other things ahead of it, this being
the usual procedure in the upper house,
in all probability congress will be kept
sitting all summer. The president is
in dead earnest, and will not submit to
trifing. He can hold congress here in
definitely, so long as he has the house
with him, and if he should lose that
body, he could call an extra session.
The effort to defeat the bill by delay
may therefore be doomed.
1t can be stated that the president
believes that he will get his railroad
rate legislation. He counts everything
else as of secondary importance and
interest and believes that the country
feels as he does ON this matter.
Statehood Situation.
Statehood, it is said, he regards as
being closed question, and also San
to Domingo. He wants his policy car
ried out as to both of these, and there
loses, he thinks that loss will not be
vital.
To lose railroad rate legislation,
however, would be vital, and so. in the
end, it is not improbable that he may
consent that other things be sacrificed
for it.
It is even possible that ultimately
the statehood program may be changed
and Oklahoma and Indian Territory
separated from Arizona and New Mex.
leo and admitted to the union. Such a
no Tot
difficulties, and perhaps pave the way
to better understanding, in the SEN
ate as to rates.
At present, of course, the speaker
would never consent to such a change
of program, but after a while, if the
present fight continues, it may be necess
sary. The president, it is rumored
would not oppose it. He is committed
to joint statehood for Arizona and New
Mexico as the result of a promise made
last summer to Senator Beveridge. That
promise put joint statehood into thu
December message to congress ant
caused the president to undertake re
corral the insurgent republicans.
1t is claimed that the president i
only half -heartedly enlisted in the join
statehood business. But he is dom,
what he can to help Speaker Cannon
along, and on the surface is standin.
pat.
AS to santo Domingo
AS to Santo Domingo, he feels tina
the ratification of the pending treat,
is important. He has done all that h
can. The country is familiar with tn
reasons which actuated him, and if tn
treaty fails, that failure will rest upo
the senate and not upon him. On thi
proposition, therefore, he feels that hi
personal record is clear and that tn
future will amply justify his position
There are indications that the stor1
which has been breaking about hi
head for almost a week is spending it
force. A grand rush was made on hi
position, but he seems to have bee
strong enough to maintain himself.
His friends now assert that the e1
fort to discredit him in the eyes c
the country has failed. Public sent
ment has not been changed. AS Ion
as the president has the backing c
the people his position is strong, an
that is why the recent assaults hav
been upon that position and not upo
the merits of the railroad-rate propt
sition, which is the real object of al
tack. -....---