The herald., 1896-01-17

the Hawaiian flag. As to the influence of
the cable on the question of annexation,
the senator said he did not care whether it
would or would not expedite that
result. Annexation was an event sure
| to come in the near future,
and he did not want to precipitate it. OF
one thing he felt sure, that with this cable
| built all the world would take notice that
| the interests of the two governments and
| the two peoples would be so connected that
attempts at interference from the outside
world would forever cease. If we aban-
doned or were tagging in this project our
British rivals won d take the ground that
we had left and by hook or by crook get a
resting place on the Hawaiian islands for
great military and commercial British
oceanic cable.
Mr.. Allen, Popuist of Nebraska, fav-
ored cable to Hawaii, but opposed the
present bill on the ground that he feared
that the arrangement proposed would lead
to disagreeable complication. He said in
reply to question from Mr.. Chandler that
he did not think if the government owned
the lines it would be wise to lease them.
He saw no reason why the government
should not control all the telegraph lines in
tie country, or those extending from this
TO other countries. He was also opposed to
subsidies and said that the present scheme,
if execut ed, would open the doors to an ex-
pendture of probably $500. 100000. He
referred to the construction of the Pacific
railroads on a subsidy, saying that he
thought the government ought to have built
the road itself. He confessed that this was
paternalism.
Mr. Allen said the Pacific roads had been
looted and plundered, and the people were
now met by debt OF S60.000,000 which
this congress must provide for. 1t would
be the same with Pacific cable company.
Another corporation would be created to
send its several tools To congress to intiu-
Loo nla NJ. lfar. esnt1 70,
vored the Nicaragua canal and Pacific
cable if they were built ana operated by
the government.
At tie close of Mr.. Aliens speech the
cable bill was referred to the committee on
foreign relations.
Mr.. PETER then resum ed his speech, be-
gun yesterday, on the p'spding silver bond
bill, his argument being directed against
bond ISSUES and the gold standard.
Resolutions of respect to the memory of
the late Representative Coggswell of Mass
achusetts were adopted, and, as further
mark of respect, at 4 AS p. M, the senate
adjourned until Monday.
CoPPINGER's CASE
Senator Hale made an argument before
the senate committee on military affairs
today in favor of the confirmation of the
nomination of General Coppinger to be
brigadier-ganeral. He said that General
Coppinger had served through the war as
an officer, had fought in thirty-one battles
and had been wounded in two. He pro-
duced the original letter of recommended
ton to the governor of Connecticut written
by General Custer, and endorsed by Cen
eral Sheridan, recommending in strong
terms the promotion of Mr.. Coppinger,
then a captain, to the colonelcy of one of
the Connecticut regiments. Senator Hale
said TIE delay on the part of General Cop
pinger in taking out his naturalization pa
pers was due to the fact that he had an in
terest in the entail of an estate in Ireland,
which he was advised by prominent Amer
leans, including Mr.. Blaine, might be en-
dangered by his becoming citizen of this
country.
He called attention to the fact that Gen.
eral Coppinger had been commissioned
several times and had taken the oath of al
legiance on all such occasions. He ac-
counted for the generals participation in
in the civil conflict in Italy when young
man, by saying ne was professional SOL
der.
The committee adjourned without pass
ing upon the nomination, which is being
fought by the A. p A.