The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-06-24

Gus the Republicans decided to take nc
action on the reciprocity treaty, as
there was expressed so much belief
that an annexation treaty was in prep
aration that il was not wise TO en-
barass the Administration at this stage
With this subject out of the way,
there was not much work for the eau
Gus. but what was TO be done was ac-
complisEed in short order. 1t was de-
cided that should be no bounty on beet
sugar, as Perkins was contending that
Spooner's amendment providing entry
at 81 25- per hundred for foreign sugar
for six months was not practicable,
and that Pettigrew's plan for free en-
try OF articles controlled by trust was
crude, and should be voted down. and
the Senate judiciary Committee should
be empowered TO draw up a new
amendment.
This means that the Hawaiian trea-
~ will stand as IL is now until there
shall be something definite from the
Administration on annexation, and as
the Cabinet officers today admitted
there was a treaty in writing and only
waiting signature, there is no doubt
that there will be a speedy settlement
Of what is now the uppermost question
in the Senate.
Several Senators have received def
mite information concerning the ex-
istence OF the treaty and are well ac-
quainted with it's terms, though they
refuse to discuss the matter. The
knowledge OF the existence of the trea-
ty has been communicated to the mem
bers of the Foreign Relations Commit
tee and to the Finance Committee.
It is known that the approval of the
NIT &c
sured. as eight members of the commit
tee have approved it's terms. This will
enable the committee to speedily re-
port the treaty to the Senate so that
IL may be taken up Immediately after
the tariff bill is disposed of. The Sen
ate has been canvassed to a certain ex-
tent by Senators favoring annexation,
and while there are some Senators
who are non-committal the supporters
OF the proposition say they believe they
can count up the two-thirds vote ne
cessary to insure ratification.
The especial friends of the President
about the Senate say that the treaty
has been made in accordance with his
views, and that it would have been
sent in some time ago but for his ex-
actions as to details.
The officials at the State Department
TtluSc any
ment as to the negotiation of a treaty,
and at the Hawaiian Legation the
same silence is observed.
The present condition in Hawaii, it
is said, has had much to do with the
favorable consideration Of the treaty.
The present Government OF Hawaii and
the people who support it are much |
about the Japanese situa-
ton. Private information received by |
Hawaiians in this city is to the effect |
that the Japanese may at any time take |
some action looking to the acquisition |
of the islands. The advices officially |
received are of much the same tenor. |
The sentiment in the Senate seems to |
be that Japan in no way should control |
the islands or get foothold there. |
This argument has been used to pre-
vent even notice of the abrogation OF
the present treaty in the tariff bill. 1t !
is said that such notice might be fol-
lowed by Japanese occupation and the
islands could not be regained by the |
United States without a struggle.