Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-12-12
ON SLIPPERY GROUND
President Advised TO Get
on Terra Firma.
SENATE is SEEKING LIGHT.
Hill is Said TO Be Preparing an Attack
on the Chief Executive.

WAsHNGToN, Dec. 12.-The unexpected
happened In the senate yesterday and the
expected failed to materialize. The ex-
pected political debate on the federal
elections law repeal was averted by Mr..
Hill acquiescing in the suggestion Of Mr..
Hoar that the bill should be referred to
the committee on privileges and elections.
On the other hand no one expected debate
on the Hawaiian question until the reso-
luton calling for information agreed to
by the senate last week had been complied
with by the executive. Mr.. Hoar. how
ever, submitted another resolution calling
upon the president for specific answers to
questions which, IL literally complied
with, would lay before the senate and the
country the history Of the actions of the
present administration on the Haw allan
matter.
In speaking on his resolution Mr. Hoar
commented upon the fact that the in
formation communicated by the president
to certain senators under the seal Of conf
dence had been freely given out to the
representatives Of four newspapers known
to be Jealous, thorough-going, almost I'M
sfrupulous supporters of the administra-
lon.
The appointment Of a commissioner with
paramount" authority as representa-
tive of the Uuited States In those islands
Mr.. Hoar regarded as being as gross a
violation of the constitution of the United
States AZ was ever charged upon or i'm
puted TO any public official.
Mr.. Hoar, in the course of his speech.
said that he wanted the matter to be
separated from all questions of annexa-
tion or protectorate; and that if it were
true that the President of the United
States, the senate being in session, author
lied an officer to exercise paramount
diplomatic authority and to withdraw at
his discretion or TO land the forces of the
United States, he was standing on very
slippery ground and had better step on to
terra frma rapidly and at once.
On Thin Ice.
III such an official entered on that duty
and established correspondence with
private persons about the public affairs Of
the government to which he was COM
missioned, and IL his conduct was ap-
proved by the president, and the president
made himself an accomplice after the
fact, he the president) was standing on
Ice not only very slippery, but very thin.
Mr.. Gray replied briefly to what he called
Mr.. Hoar's "scolding," and then the reso-
luton went over till today.
Senator Hoar's resolution caused quite
sensation on both sides of the cham ber.
The senator's arraignment of the president
was very severe.
Senator Hill Is preparing himself to
make the president the target Of fearful
QQgQnlf in
overthrow the provisional government in
Hawaii and restore the monarchy. If he
employs the language in his speech in the
senate which he uses in conversation to-
wards the president, it will give rise to an
animated scene in that body.
1t Is understood that in the first move IL
proposed thorough investigation by the
foreign affairs committee of the whole
Hawaiian affair. The senate is deter
mined, If possible, TO get at the bottom Of
this matter, and before it proceeds 1t de-
sires to get all the information in posses
sion OF the government concerning it.
In the House.
Mr. Culberson tried in the house to call
up the bill relative to captured and aban-
doned property claims. This reopens
claims rejected on the score of disloyalty.
Mr.. Reed insisted that the bill was too
important to be considered in the morn
ing hour. After Mr.. Culberson had vain
ly striverfto have date set for consider
ing the bill, the reports were ordered to
be printed and the bill went over.
The bill establishing light and fog
station at the entrance to New Bedford,
Mass, barbor was passed.
Mr.. Mallory Dem, Fla.) called up his
bill requiring all steam vessels of more
than 1000 tons, under steam for 10 hours a
day, to carry two licensed engineers.
After some inquiries by Mr.. Dingley had
been satisfactorily answered the bill
passed.