San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-02-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
Washington, Feb'y 6, 1898

official proposition made by the
commissioners from the new pro-
visional government of Hawaii for
the annexation of that country to
the United States, and is now, with
his usual thoroughness and care,
studying the question, in all its
bearings, in order to make up his
mind whether he will take any
steps towards annexation, make
any recommendations to Congress,
or leave the whole matter for the
incoming administration and Con-
gress. Before the commissioners
arrived it was thought probable,
indeed it was informally agreed
that treaty by which the United
States took the republican govern
ment of Hawaii under its protection
would be about the proper thing
for the present, leaving annexation
to follow, as it unquestionably
would have done in a few years.
But when the ultimatum of the
commissioners -. annexation or
nothing-was received the situation
was changed. The President and
all of his Cabinet are favorable to
annexation, but as it would have
to be preceded by Congressional
legislation, and the life of the pres
ent administration and Congress
is so nearly spent it may be deem
ed advisably by the administration
not to begin what would probably
have to be ended by the new Con-
gress and administration. A de-
cision will probably be reached in
few days. The Hawaiian flag
red, white and blue stripes, with
red cross in the corner-is flying
from the top of the hotel at which
the Hawaiian commissioners are
quartered. There is nothing foreign
looking about the members of this
commission.
A determined effort is being
made to secure some silver legisla-
ton on compromise basis before
session closes. Dan Lamont and
Don Dickinson are here in the in
terest of the new administration,
and to submit to the silver men
several propositions for comprom-
Use, all of them involving a sus
pension of the purchase of silver by
the government. they say that if
their efforts are not successful an
extra session of Congress will GER
tainly be called.
The bill authorizing the eXpen-
diture of $50, 900 in the prepara-
ttion of an exhibit for the Worlds
Fair showing the progress ofthe col
ored race since 1868, has been favor
ably reported to the House, and the
favorable manner in which it is
spoken Of by members indicates
that it may pass, but, owing to
the crowded condition of the calen-
der, action no measure is certain.
Probably no single action Of the
President during his entire term
/ has been more talked about than
the nomination of Judge Howell E.
Jackson, of Tennessee, an able
jurist, but an unCOmpromising
democrat, to succeed the late JUS
tice Lamar on the bench of the U.
S. Supreme Court. The President
had stated to number of gentle
men his intention to nominate re-
publican, and such was his inten-
ton until the day before he nomin-
ated Judge Jackson, and the cause
of his change of mind was Motif
cation he received to the effect
that twelve republican Senators
would vote with the democrats
against the confirmation of any re-
publican he might nominate. The
reason given by most of these re-
publiCans was that an attempt to
force the confirmation of a republic
can would result in either. tieing up
the Senate for the rest of the session,
or the adoption of a cloture rule,
and that they would not take any
chances of either. Contrary to
precedent Judge Jackson's nomina-
ton has been referred to a COM
mittee. 1t has been customary to
confirm the nomination of ex-Sena-
tors without referring them to
committees. Judge Jackson al