The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-11-21
STATEHOOD ONLY A
QUESTION Of TINE

Washington, Nov. 20.-There are
strong indications that President Taft
will sign the bills admitting the ter
ritories of Arizona and New Mexico to
statehood before the close of the COM
ing. session Of congress. He took oc-
casion while in the west recently to
let the people know he Favored state
hood for the territories.
representative Hamilton OF Michf-
gan, chairman Of the suse committee
on territories, said recently that he
would do his best to have the bill ad-
hitting the territories reported to the
house before the holiday recess; and
as the sentiment in the house is al
most unanimous 1t is not improbable
that the popular branch of congress
Will pass the bill, so that II will be
In the nature Of a Christmas gift TO
the people of Arizona and New Mexico.
While 1t Is understood there is some
opposition in the senate to the admis-
sion of the territories, At is believed
President Taft will be able to over
come 1t, and thus have added the first
half OF his administration two stars
to the flag.
Friends of the territories say they
could have been admitted to the Union
IN the last congress but for the Oppo-
sition of Senator Beveridge OF Indiana.
chairman OF the committee on terri
tories. 1t Is known that the majority
of the senate committee on territories
is In favor of statehood. This fact
gives encouragement TO those who adj
Yocate the admission of Arizona and
New Mexico to the sisterhood, of the
states,
The automobiles authorized at the
last session of congress for the use of
the vice president and the speaker of
the mouse OF representatives have not
yet been purchased. According to the
| provision of the act auth orizing the
purchase of automobiles, Sc ,OOG was APP
propriated TO pay for the machine and
| for Its maintenance for the use of the
speaker. The same provision applied
70 the machine for the vice president
| To keep the machines in order. which
includes maintenance, requires some
thing like $4,000 a year This is ex-
elusive Of the wages paid the chauf-
feurs.
Perhaps this may explain why the
automobiles for the vice president and
the speaker have not been purchased
as machine in keeping with the dig
nifty of the office and the expenses at
tached thereto would require consider
able more than the amount appro-
priated by congress for this purpose.
senate charged with the responsibility
of purchasing the automobiles have
been besieged by represents tives from
leading automobile manufacturers,
many of whom, 1t is said, have offered
special inducements because OF the
value of the advertisement. It Is be-
lieved Vice President Sherman and
Speaker Cannon will finally agree on
the machines they favor about the time
congress convenes.
The story is again revived that Sec
rotary Wilson of the agricultural de-
partment is soon TO retire. He has
completed a longer torn as cabinet
minister than any other cabinet officer
in the history of the government.
Last spring the story was first given
currency that the friend of the farm
ers, as he is called, was soon to retire
from President Taft's cabinet but
Secretary Wilson lost no time in deny
ing the report, which has at intervals
appeared since in the newspapers.
It is charged that Secretary wilson's
department is a most expensive one,
and 1t Is growing at such rate that
IT seems impossible to economic in
any of its many bureaus. . Whether
this fact has anything to do with the
rumor Of a change is not known, but
the understanding is that President
Taft feels the time has come when a
new hand might be placed in charge
of the agricultural department with
good results.
Secretary Wilson is over f5 years old.
and is the oldest member in the cab
| met. He shows this age, and this
might have a bearing on the case.
Representative Scott of Kansas Is most
| prominently mentioned as Secretary
! wilson's possible successor.