The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-12-24


postofices az the present time,
Assistant Sergeant Pierce
Of Grand Rapids is located on Capitol
Hill, but he will not stay there long.
All of the Michigan congressman live
In what is known as 1.-The northwest,
. mile or more distant from the Capitol
but near the White House and execu-
tive departments.
Annexation OF Hawaii.
II is conceded in the senate today by
leaders of both political parties that the
treaty providing for the annexation OF
Hawaiian Islands will not be ratified by
the necessary two-thirds vote or the
senate. The majority of the committee
on foreign relations will continue to
keep the subject to the front, with a
hope that the pendulum of time may
swing backward, and cause a revolution
in public sentiment which will compel
the ratification of the treaty. The Re-
publican senators who have been re-
Gently opposing the treaty ratification
will receive the distinguished compli-
ments ofPresident Mckinley in the near
future.
Speaker Reed will also have reason to
give considerable thought to his polit-
ical future before his opposition to Ha-
waiian annexation Is carried to success.
The speaker and recalcitrant Republic
an senators will be given to officially
understand that the Republican party
platform adopted at ST. Louis in June,
1896, contained a declaration which
must not be ignored. The party plat
form contains the following language:
Our foreign policy should be at all
times firm. vigorous. dignified, and all
our interests in the western hemisphere
carefully watched and guarded. The
Hawaiian Islands should be controlled
by the United States, and no foreign
power should be permitted to interfere
with them; the Nicaragua canal should
be built, owned and operated by the
United States. and by purchase of the
Danish islands we should secure a
proper and much needed naval station
In the West Indies"
In Favor of the Monroe Doctrine.
Senator Burrows Of Michigan says:
1.-The declaration concerning Hawaiian
affairs was a declaration in favor of the
Monroe doctrine. If we fail to annex
Hawaii at this time, Japan or some
other country will proceed to take pos
session of these islands. Then, in main
tenance of the Monroe doctrine, it will
be necessary for US to fight some for
eign nation for the possession of
Hawaii. 1t would be much better to
take possession in a peaceable man.
ner."
Strange as 1t may appear, certain
senators are playing Cuba against Ha-
wall regardless of the merits of the
claims of the annexaionists. The Gu
ban synpathizeKs drep all idea of merit
and simply say that Cuba must be free,
or Hawaii will go to the Japanese or
to any other power. They will not
argue the point; but simply utter their
ultimatum The senators who believe
in annexation as a patriotic necessity,
view this element in the equation with
alarm. 1t is an element which pos
sesses and commands recognition. but
carries no argument beyond the argu-
ment of force and they hesitate to yield
to It,
Change of Public Sentiment.
The arrival of Japanese Envoy Hoshi
in this country is regarded as likely to
cause a change of public. sentiment in
favor of annexation. Our people are
mercurial as the French at times, and
contend for Hawaii, they are expected
to show their resentment by express
sions of public opinion which may af-
feet the views of their representatives
in the national capital. 1t is believed
and hoped by the friends of annexation
that this may be the result of Hoshi's
presence here.
In the meantime organized Hobbies are
4
nexation as we'll as for and against
Cuban independence. These are great
affairs and money is being expended
on both sides of both questions AS
is customary with the principal parties
in such large transactions, they are
employing eX-congressmen and eX-
senators as their attorneys, and they
might as we'll throw their money down
rat holes, for the discredited statesmen
are without votes and without infiu-
ence.
Correspondents in Havana.
The Spanish legation seems to have
man in Cuba who is writing daily let
tiers to a Washington newspaper, and
to other papers, trying to demonstrate
that autonomy is popular. The Cuban
legation seems to have another man
in Havana who writes syndicate let
tiers to papers in this country demon
strating that autonomy is a failure.
Congressman Hepburn of Iowa says:
IT take no stock in what l read in the
way of correspondence from Havana or
Honolulu. / am trying to ascertain
facts from official sources Consular
reports are the best sources of in
formation
One thing may be written down as
almost certain, and that u.s. that for
eign affairs will occupy a great deal of
attention during the present congress,
and little IL anything is likely to be
done. Speaker Reed will prevent Gu
ban recognition. In that he Is In ac-
cord with Mckinley. He will also pre-
vent Hawaiian annexation. In that he
is antagonistic to Mckinley. He is the
big factor in all political and interna-
tional questions.
There is an element of inharmony in
the deliberations in the committee on
foreign relations. Senator Morgan of
Alabama and Senator Turpie of In
diana, both Democrats, and both pos
a. H. 80