The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-17
New Mexico and Arizona
Will Be Admitted Into
the United States
HOUSE IS EXPECTED TO
AGREE IN CONFERENCE
Territories May he Admitted as States
Next Year IL the Desire of House
Members LIS Carried Out
In Conference

Washington, June 1G.-After remaining
on the Senate calendar for almost threS
rlonths in a state of uncertainty as t.
i;s fate, the bill providing for the ad
mission of the territories of New Mex.
leo and Arizona to separate statehood
was taken up by tine Senate today and
passed after a debate consuming little
more than two hours.
The measure was called up by Senator
Beveridge, chairman of the committee
or territories, at the conclusion of the
routine business of the day, at o'clock
and was passed after speeches by SEN
ators Beveridge. Frazier, Nelson. Hughes
and Smoot. All the speeches were favor
aple to the creation of the two states,
but the democrats favored the House
bill. When the vote was reached there
was a division on the Senate substitute
for the House bill, but with that amend
ment accepted. the Senate voted solidly
for the passage of the bill. The Senate
substitute was adopted as an amendment
to the House measure by strict party
vote, the ballot standing 42 to 10.
AS passed the bill would provide for
the admission as states of the two ter
ritories, but not until after a constitu-
tlon had been adopted by each of them,
approved by the President, and ratified
BY Congress.
Much apprehension has been felt that
the bill would be tied up in conference,
but in todays discussion much was said
to dissipate that fear 1t came in con-
nection with a speech by Senator Nell
son and in response by democratic SEN
atcrs. The Minnesota senator declared
he would do all he could to bring about
an agreement with the House during the
present session..
'1'll do all I can to bring it about"
he said. "and 1 think we can do it, we
ought to dispose of the matter in two
Of three days.
Senators Carter and Borah concurred
In this view. There are two reasons
why We should reach an agreement" said
Mr.. Borah. "One is that we won't go
home until We get it, and the other is
that it is getting too hot to stay here
long"
Saying he would prefer the Senate bill
to no statehood legislation, Senator Ball
ey declared 1t would be some time be-
fore Congress adjourned If the confer
ence committee did not report an agree
ment.
Representative Hamilton of Michigan,
chairman of the House committee on ter
ritories, said he had no doubt now of the
enactment of the statehood bill into law
at this session of Congress. He had con-
fidence that the House would adopt the
conference report when made. He said
there were some good features in the bill,
put in by the Senate for instance; the ed
ucational requirement provision; but there
were some features that could be i'm
proved on, the part relating to the time
when statehood is to take effect being
among them.
Under the bill as amended by the Sem
ate it might be two and half years be-
fore the statehood law would become op-
erative and the House conferees want to
shorten the time to the f,pring of 1911.
Speaking for the democratic minority
of the committee on territories. Senator
Frazier contended that under all the re-
quirements both Arizona and New Mexico
were prepared for statehood He said
that there was estimated to be u, 900. 900 600
tons of coal in New Mexico Mr.. Frazer
advocated the House bill In preference to
the Senate measure. He found fault with
the latter, especially because, he said, 1t
undertook to fix ,the qualifications of
voters In Arizona. Senator Nelson favor
ed the Senate bill, but said he was not
strongly partial to 1t. On the other hand,
Mr.. Hughes favored the House bill, be-
cause, he said, the Senate bill compelled
the proposed states to tie their own hands
50 as to deprive them of the equality
which should be accorded to all states.
Advocating the BILL Senator Smoot de-
clared that even IL both states were to be
democratic they should be admitted. He
believed that ultimately at any rate Ari-
zona would be republican
The vote being ordered on the substitute
of the committee on territories, the first
bill was agreed to by 42 to 10. strict
party vote should be followed by the sue
ceeding division vote. The bill as amend
ed was passed by a unanimous vote upon
q roll call.