Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-19
THE HAWAIIAN CONTROVERSY.
Republican Senators Employ Some
Sharp Tactics.

Sharp Tactics.
1t seemed to be demonstrated by the
running debate on the question of the read
ing of the instructions to Minister Willis
in the Senate yesterday that the republi-
cans have, If not a formal caucus organi-
zation, at least a strong understanding that
they are to present solid front to the
President as party at every chance. They
forced the fight in way yesterday that
left no doubt of their determination to back
up the preceding administration and to
embarrass the present one. 1t was appar-
ent at the beginning of the debate that
the republicans had a majority in the
chamber. or within call, and that the demo-
Gratis were really afraid Of vote. That
the republicans felt this was shown by
their anxiety to force the question Of read
ing the instructions to vote. Twice Mr..
Hoar demanded the yeas and nays. and on
both occasions one of the democratic Sena-
tors interposed some sort Of objection or
a speech to forestall this result. The demo-
Gratis were further embarrassed by the
knowledge that Mr.. Call would undoubtedly
vote to have the instructions read. and that
Mr.. Hill might be relied upon to support
the proposition to let all the light in upon
the darkness. The absence of these two
votes would have so weakened the admin
istration forces that they would undoubted-
ly have lost any vote that might have been
taken by at least or o.
Heavy Charges.
This state of things encouraged the re-
publicans to the most aggressive sort of
warfare, and they charged the lines again
and again, throwing their heaviest guns
into the breach and firing hot shot. Messrs.
Chandler and Hoar had command of the
column and they managed their battle most
skilfully. That they were watching every
point of the line was shown by the shrewd
stratagem of Senator Hoar. who, when
the chair was going to slip the message and
the accompanying documents through to
the committee on foreign relations without
a motion. instantly got to his feet with
the bland question: Has a motion been
made to that effect?'
democratic side of ''nor' The friends of the
administration were hoping that there
would be no need of a motion. But Mr.
Hoar was not to be hoodwinked. He beam
ed his most Pickwickian smile and moved
that the papers be referred to the commit
tee. This was very court ous in him, but
his succeeding words caused Mr. Faulkner
to toss his hands up and swing around in
his chair with an expression of dismay
And L DESIRE" Mr.. Hoar went on, 1.-THE
motion to go over under the rule until to-
The fat was all in the fire then and the
democratic Senators went to their luncheon
feeling that they had lost the first skirmish
of the fight over the Presidents policy.
The Fruits of Victory.
The substantial victory of the opponents
OF the administration lay in the fact that
they had forced the real or supposed friends
OF the President into the 'hole" of object
Ing TO the reading OF the only papers of
Importance in the whole batch-not except
Ing the message-and thus assuming the
attitude OF standing in the way of a full
knowledge Of the subject The republicans
deftly made the charge that the democrats
were Sc eking to railroad the papers through
to the committee without giving the Senate
an lnkling OF what they contained. Sena-
tor Allison drove this nail home by insinu-
atlng that the rules of the Senate REQUIRE
that document In the possession of the
Senators must be referred to a COMMITTEES
and ordered TO be printed without a Sena-
tor knowing what 1t contains.
The friends of the President NAV have
mad the better of the technical fight over
the rules, and as strict constructionists
they may have come of winners but they
went into position from which they were
forced to retreat, leaving the Republicans
champions OF the day, having secured their
object besides keeping the subject open for
a fight today.