Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1911-08-30
OTHERS LENT MUCH AID
BIRD S. coLER, PROMINENT DEM
oCRAT, HELPED LINE UP
STATESMEN.
ANDREWS ALWAYS ON The JOB
COMPROMISE RESOLUTION OF.
FERED THE ONLY CHANCE
FOR SUCCESS.

An Optic reporter called upor
Charles A. Spiess this morning fol-
the purpose of getting a statement
with reference to his work for state
hood for New Mexico. Mr.. Spiess
said:
"On this last statehood fight l was
in Washington and New York for al
most two months. You will remem.
Der the senate had agreed upon Aug.
ust as the day when vote would
be taken upon the statehood resolu.
tion. AS soon as l reached Washing
ton I became convinced that it would
be utterly impossible for the Nelson
amendment to the Flood resolution to
pass the senate. Everyone who knew
the facts was convinced that the in
surgent republican vote in the senate
would combine with the democratic
minority of the senate in opposing
the Nelson amendment, and would
cast solid vote for the Flood reso-
luton as it had been previously
amended by the senate committee.
The senate did not reach a vote un-
til August 8. when the Nelson amend |
ment was defeated by vote of about |
2 to /, and the Flood resolution. as
amended by the senate committee,
passed by vote of Sc to IS. The
resolution was then sent to the house,
which Immediately concurred in the
senate amendment, and it was then
sent to the president for his approval.
l was quite sure that the president
would never approve the resolution,
but, on. the contrary, would veto it.
This the president did, in strong
message, replete with logic and good,
common sense.
"The democrats and insurgents
then became very hot, declaring that
they would vindicate their position by
passing the resolution over the presi-
dents veto. In this determination,
however, they met with utter defeat.
The house committee, taking up the
question of statehood, attempted to
pass a resolution directing that the
house pass the Flood resolution. the
objections of the president thereto
notwithstanding, but the democrats,
in their own comittee, were signally
defeated in this move. Two demo-
cratic members from the eastern
states, voting with the republicans,
defeated any attempt to pass the res
olution over the presidents veto by
a vote of 76.
Congressman Widdemeyer OF
Michigan then made a speech, in
which he stated that he was for any
thing which would admit the two ter
ritories into the Union at this session
of congress, and made a motion that
the house committee on territories ap-
point a committee of three to meet
with a like number OF the senate com
mittee and agree upon statehood
resolution which would be accepta-
bic to the president and to the two
branches of congress. This motion
carried, the committee was appointed,
met with a similar committee of the
senate committee on territories and,
after much parleying, agreed upon a
resolution which was to be presented
in both the senate and the house, IN
der the title Of The Smith-Flood
Resolution
senator Smith of Michigan at
once took the lead in the fight for
statehood and enlisted the aid of the
president in the fight. He submitted
the resolution, as agreed upon, to the
president and received his approval
thereof Right here, let me tell you
that. in my opinion, New Mexico ewes
more TO Senator Smith in this state
hood iignt than to any other man in
congress. His sincere and unaba'ed