The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-05-27
WAS PREMATURE
Under House RulGS Time Not
Ripe for Hawaiian Matters.
INDICATIONS OF COMPROMISE
Opinion of Eastern Pa
pers Changed.
Vote On Pearl Harbor Amend
Vote On Pearl Harbor Amend
ment Not an Index to Fate
of Annexation.

WASHINGTON, May 12.-The con-
dition of the tariff bill increases the
anger of Republican legislators. Be
tween a waiting nation and angry con-
stituents, Congressman are between
the devil and the deep sea. The policy
of the leaders is to compromise and
fix up the tariff rates, if it can be done,
and let members go home.
Mr. King, Democrats from Utah, a
very able young man, introduced an
annexation measure in the House. 1t
was rejected with derisive cheers. 1t
was his own measure, and was done of
his own motion. The impatient mem
bers are anxious to present bills, i'm
pOrtant to their own constituents, but
Speaker Reed, with majority behind
him, utterly refuses to permit it. He
will not even, in accordance with the
rules, appoint the usual committees.
To present the Hawaiian matter, I'M
der such circumstances, invites anger
and opposition. Let it take it's time,
they say. If the Hawaiian interest is
impOrtunate there will be hostility.
The preservation of the reciprocity
clause in the treaty is in regular order,
and has its place. The dispatch to the
New York Sun of May 9th, stating that
the planters generally are looking into
white labor eXciteS interest among
those who have time to Inform them
selves on the subject. Had the move
ment been made some years ago it
would greatly assist in maintaining the
reciprocity treaty.
1t is now well understood that the
action of the Senate Committee, in
striking out the reciprocity clause in
the tariff bill, was not a deliberate act
At the same time, it seems to be evil
dent that, while the planting interest
has been quietly nodding during the
last three years, the opposition has
been quietly working and organizing
1t has at its fingers ends all the facts
figures and condition of the sugar in
tereSt.
The argument which this opposition
rather avoid is the political argument
It, therefore, says little on this point,
and confines itself to the statement
that Hawaii has the best of the bar
gain.
There are indication that the Spreck-
les interest and the sugar beet interest
of California would prefer a compro-
mise, the decrease of the benefits to
Hawaii, not the absolute abrogation
of the treaty. The opposition, so far
as California is concerned, does not
dare to injure the f1ourishing trade
with Hawaii, but would modify it.
The Western Senators and members
of the House seem to be free from the
{ic,on % fIooI
have lived at distance from Wash
ington City, and do not show as much
respect for the traditional policy as
the men in the East, who inherit very
conservative ideas regarding the ter
ritoria1 limits of the United States.
The discussions in the Eastern pa
pers of the tariff bill indicate great
change of opinion regarding the rate
of duties. The manufacturers of Penn
| sylvania are decidedly in favor of mod
crate tariffs, as it permits foreign
trade. Large quantities of foreign
| chemicals are used in manufacturing.
| If the price of these is increased
| through an increased tariff rate, it
will enhance cost and limit export. The
! tariff bills of the future will be the
| outcome of practical experience. and
not the result of speculations and
guesses by legislators and laymen.
| The immediate demand Of revenue,
however, will result in a crude and I'M
| satisfactory law.
The debate in the House, yesterday,
on the appropriation for Pearl Harbor
may or may not be significant The
! Republicans who spoke in favor Of it,
spoke with some earnestness, but when
the vote was taken, some of them step
| ped out into the lobby and did not
vote. The impression seemed to be
that the making of the appropriation