Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-13
Close Vote on Amendment.

1t is declared that as accurate poll
rs can be made shows that the Fora
ker amendment will fail by only one
vote, and that the committee bill
(Which is the house billy will carry.
by one vote. OF ceArse there car ,e
), Beside.hcy with such nev5 ar.
ings this. A dozen contfhe encies
tenaIise to increase or wipe out en-
-.ha-sasts margin Of one vote. The
Iowa senators will probably vote for
the committee bill. 1t is believed that
personally they would favor the ex-
clusion altogether at this time, New
Mexico and Arizona, deferring action
on these territories until future
time when objections now raised shall
have been overcome. AS 1t is per-
fectly clear, however, that 1t is impos-
sible to segregate the territories and
vote on Oklahoma and Indian terri
tory alone, the Iowa senator's will fa-
vor the committee bill.
House Is Against 1t.
1t has been said that the house will
never agree to the Foraker amendment
and that if this lshould carry in the
senate that the bill will perish in con-
ference as it did a year ago. This Is
not so certain. The information comes
pretty straight that the house, while
vigorously opposing the Foraker
amendment, would not permit the bill
to die, although the house leaders will
not acknowledge this. The fact of the
matter is that congress is desperately
sick Of the statehood question. 1t Is
worse than a certain ghost that would
not remain down. Each succeeding
hos
rosy, although with some scars and
each adjournm ent finds it lying bat
tered and mangled outside the breast
works. 1t has served its purpose many
sessions as a buffer but 1t is no longer
needed for that purpose and there is a
feeling which is very general that this
is the time to close the incident and
wipe off the territorial slate There.
fore it is the calm judgment of the
best informed men in congress that
both sides will resort to the list ditch
in the effort to get the particular thing
that is desired, compromising in the
end and passing the bill in some shape
The house is In fine shape. 1t has
passed the Philippine bill, the state.
hood bill, the railroad rate bill and has
several appropriation bills ready for
consideration. The house can wind up
all matters of Importance within two
months and pass all the appropriation
bills. 1t is understood that Speaker
Cannon proposed to do this very thing
and focus public attention on the sen
ate.
Senate Will be Busy.
The senate has plenty of business or
hand; the statehood bill, railroad bill
Philippine bill, canal legislation, pure
food bill, Santo Domingo treaty, appro
priation bills, to say nothing of resolu
tons galore that may or may not oc
cupy time.
This week, however, the senate com
mittee will report rate. bill and thai
question will then be out in the open
It is not unlikely that as soon as the
statehood measure is out of the way
the railroad bill will be made the I'm
finished business. What the program
z of the opponents to the rate bill is tx
be when the bill is before the senate
nobody appears to know. Senator Dol
liver who will be in charge, practically
of the rate bill, only knows that thu
friends Of the measure will be ready t.
vote on the bill at any time, although
they concede that 1t should be fully de
bated. When the time comes to vot'
the bill will pass; the votes ar,
pledged to carry it through.
May Delay Rate Law.
Ait has been previously remarked