Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-16
FIGHT ON NEW STATES
Converts Being Won to the
Presidents Policy.
ARIZONA AGAINST UNION
Prospects of Adopting a Referen-
dunn.
THE FORAKER AMENDMENT
Selection of Mr.. Griscom for Am
bassador to Brazil-New
Chinese Railway.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
| Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
1t looks very much as If the joint state
hood bill, making two states out of four
territories, would be passed by both houses,
but the opposition is evidently strong
enough and determined enough to secure
the adoption of what is known as the For
aker amendment, providing that in the case
of Arizona and New Mexico, the union OF
the two territories one state shall be
contingent upon the consent of the people
Without that provision the bill cannot pass
the Senate.
The advocates of joint statehood insist
that majority of the people of both terri
tories are favorable to their proposition.
They also repudiate the suggestion that
| they are forcing union upon an unwilling
community. Hence they cannot consistent
ly refuse the lad referendum amendment.
understand that even Senator Beverage
is willing to accept it. He told me that he
had no objections, but thus far has not
officially signified his assent. and 1t is ex-
pected that he will insist that majority on
| joint ballot, SO to speak, shall be accepted
as final. That, however will never be
agreed to by the opponents Of the joint
| statehood bill. The Foraker amendment
provides that unless majority of lawful
| voters in each of the territories shall ac-
| cept the constitution the action of Con-
| gress shall be null and void, and that the
two territories shall preserve their separate
| existence as at present until further legis-
| lation.
Influence of the President.
| Until recently no one, outside of Albu
querque which hopes to be the capital OF
| the joint state, and few scattering poll
| ticians in New Mexico, were in favor or
| joint statehood. but, since the President has
declared himself SO strongly in favor of the
| proposition, nearly all the office-holders, the
| republican central committee and other am
| bilious politicians have whired around,
| which shows how influential a man we have
| in the White House. And his determine
ton to do everything in his power to secure
| the passage of the joint statehood bill,
| recommended by his message, is indicated
| by the fact that he would not reappoint
| Gov. Otero because of his attitude on the
question, and would not announce the nom
| nation of young Mr.. Hageman as Gov.
| Oteros successor until that gentleman had
| climbed on the platform and declared him
| self. Since those declarations 1 understand
that public sentiment has been changing
| quite rapidly. The people are becoming
| convinced that their territory will never be
admitted to the Union except as part OF
| the state of Arizona, and that they must
| take advantage of this opportunity or
| main a territory forever. That argument
| is being used with good effect, and 1t Is
! predicted here that the office-hoders, the re-
| publican committee and other supporters OF
| the President will have sufficient influence
| to secure a majority of the voters for the
| Joint statehood constitution whenever that
1 question comes to the polls. 1t is assumed,
| therefore that If the Foraker amendment
| is adopted, New Mexico will vote in favor
| of the constitution provided by the Bever-
| idge bill.
Arizona Opposed to Union.
Arizona, however, cannot be persuaded
There have been some converts among the
| office holders, the rough riders and among
| small coterie of politicians at Tucson, but
| they have been able to make very little
| Roadway in creating public sentiment
Four newspapers in the-territory have final
ly declared for the Beveridge bill on the
| theory that half a loaf is better than no
! bread They accepted it a last resort
| and because they believe Arizona will not
| receive any attention from republican
| Congress for years unless she accepts what
| is offered now. The mass of the peo-
| pie the business interests, the miners and
| all who are concerned in the material well
fare Of the territory remain stubbornly OPP
| posed to union with New Mexico and it
| is believed that If vote is taken, the ma
| jority against joint statehood in Arizona
| will be very large. Mr.. Beverage has been
| assured from Tucson that 1t Will not be
| large enough to Offset the favorable ma
| jority in New Mexico, and there will be no
danger in accepting the Foraker amendment
are to be punched. But he is not willing to
| take any chances If the votes Of the two
| territories are to be counted separately.
The disposition of the Senate generally is
| against forcing joint statehood upon an
unwilling people, and there is a decided ma
| jority in favor Of a referendum. The op-
| position to the Beveridge bill includes some
| Of the strongest men on both sides. Sena-
i tor Foraker will as before, take the lead.
| He will be supported by Senator Spooner,
who has been Indifferent TO the question I'M
| til this session, and by Mr.. Flint, the new
| senator from California.
| The "Insurgent" Republicans.
| sixty-five republicans are counted against
| Joint statehood in the House, notwithstand-
| ing the Speakers admonitions and advice.
| Mr.. Tawney of Minnesota, whom Uncle
Joe has selected the republican leader
| on the floor, begins his career in that ca
| pacity by an act of mutiny and instead Of
leading the majority of his party will re-
sist the decision of the caucus and the
| committee on rules and, with Mr.. Babcock
of Wisconsin, will take command of the in
| surgents against the joint statehood bill.
| Mr. Tawney. like Senator Spooner, was in
different on this subject until he visited
New Mexico and Arizona last fall with sew
eraI other members of the House and made
| personal investigation. The entire party
were convinced: First, that neither Of the
territories were fit for admission to the
Union either jointly or separately; and
| second, that the population of both was al
most unanimously opposed to admission as
a single state. Mr.. Tawney says that In
about ten years we shall have enough good
| material down there for two strong states
and that they can afford to wait until they
are qualified for equal representation in the
Senate with the rest of the states. He adj
mits that there Is force in the argument OF
the President that two rotten boroughs are
better than four but he carries it q little
farther and declares that no rotten bor-
| ouehs are better than two. Mr. TaWney
and the other members who went to New
Mexico with him are decidedly opposed to
the admission Of either Arizona or New