The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-15
SPEAKER CANNON BACKSDOWN
WILLING TO TALK COMPROMISE
on STATEHOOD QUESTION.


Every state Urging Him 10 Beat a Re-
treat-stPenGth Of the Insurgents Also
Influenced Uncle Joe to Turn About.
WARRINGTON, March 14.-Speaker Cannon
has pulled in his horns on the subject Of
Statehood and is nov willing to talk COM
promise. Word was passed around to-
night, presumably by authority OF the
Speaker, that he Is willing to consent to the
incorporation in the measure Of a provision
permitting the people Of Arizona and New
Mexico to express Themselves by vote on
the proposed jointure. This is the PROPOSE
ton that was embodied in the Foraker
amendment, which was adopted by the
Senate before IL struck from the Statehood
bill all reference to Arizona and New
Mexico.
1t became evident early In the day that the
critical stage had been reached on the State
hood question. There was some ugly talk
among House members over the determine
ton Of Speaker Cannon to enforce his will
against the Overwhelming sentiment in
favor OF the admission. OF Oklahoma and
Indian Territory, and the Speaker, it is
understood, was warned that il he persisted
in his course he might put the House organ
izatioR TO a test that 1t could not stand.
This sort Of talk came from the men who
worked with Mr.. Cannon TO beat the insur-
gents a few weeks ago, and back OF 1t came
al avalanche Of kilograms from nearly
every State in the Union urging the Speaker
to beat a retreat.
The Speaker has retreated to this extent:
He now favors the reference of the bill to a
conference committee, the House conferees
to be instructed to vote for a referendum
amendment. The Speaker has not reached
the frame of mind where he will consent
to the acceptance OF the bill as it came from
the Senate, providing only for the adj
mission OF Oklahoma and New Mexico.
The Speakers turn about on Statehood
was the only tangible development to-day
in the Statehood situation. The impression
prevails quite generally that at this time
the so-called insurgents have the upper
hand. A number OF Representatives who
supported the Omnibus bill when 1t came
up in the House in the first instance to-day
declared their purpose to vote for the adop-
tion OF the Senate bill.
The Republican Representatives will hold
a conference on Statehood tomorrow at 8
o'clock. Speaker Cannon and his lieu
tCIhLlJS arc SOHlOWlhdp COICsILCbo NOi AZ
outcome. Representative Babcook Of Wis
~consin, the leader OF the insurgents, dech!.es
to make known their exact strength. He
and those identified with him will not be
bound by the meeting tomorrow, even il
they attend 1t, and the indications are that
there will be many absentees.
Statehood for Oklahoma and Indian
Territory is not yet assured, although the
outlook is now more promising. If the
measure should go to conferences and the
conferees Of the House propose the refer
endum, there is no certainty that the Senate
would accept the proposition. Senator
Foraker of Ohio was quoted tonight as
having declared that the upper house would
stand by its own bill and would not now &C.
cept a provision leaving the question Of the
,~jointure Of Arizona and New Mexico to be
decided by the people of these two Terri
tories.
This was a busy day at the House end
Of the Capitol. Speaker cannon was busy
with his lieutenants, and he also talked
with some of the insurgents. He was
plainly told by many members that their
constituents were after them on the State
hood question, and that if they voted
against Oklahoma and Indian Territory
they feared they might be put on the de-
fensive in the next campaign. The Speaker
is understood to have been very much
astonished at certain telegrams,he received
to-day. They came from prominent men
and big business houses in New York,
Chicago, Kansas City and other cities.
All Of them urged the application Of the
square deal in legislating for the Southwest
Territories.
Mr.. Babcock and his brother insurgents
will finally decide at a meeting to be held
at / O'Clock tomorrow whether they will
participate in the party conference. Ifthey
find that the conference will not-bind those
who participate in it they will attend. Other
wise they will remain away and prepare for
a final rally against the House organiza-
fion.