The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-06-17
ON HAWAIIAN RECIPROCITY
REPUBLICAN, SENATORS CAUCUS TO
AGREE UPON A LINE OF
ACTION THEREON.
CONSIDERABLE AAEZAI|0A TALK
From Inference 1t Might He Pre-
sumed That President Mckinley
Was Favorable to Annexa-
ton of Hawaii.

Washington, June 1.-THE republicans
were IL caucus for two hours today, and
devoted the entire time to an effort to
agree upon course Of action to. be purr-
sued with regard to the Hawaiian reci-
procity treaty in connection with the
sugar schedule of the tariff bill. The
meeting of the senate at IL o'clock forced
an adjournment before there was time to
reach conclusion. and the caucus dis
persed to meet again at 4 80 o'clock in
the afternoon. There were a half dozen
different propositions submitted to the
caucus. at..sfe
Senator Nelson of Minnesota led the
hight in favor of the abrogation of the
treaty. In support of his proposition
MIR. Nelson presented many figures show
ing that the imports from Hawaii to
this country were much greater than the
exports to Hawaii. He claimed that the
reciprocity was in favor of the Ha-
waiians. Senator Nelson said that an at
tempt had been made to show that the
sugar trust was trying to have the, treaty
labrogated. This was contradicted by
the fact that the senator from Maine
Fryel, the most earnest advocate, of the
retention of the treaty in the previous
caucus, had moved that the differential
in favor of refined sugar be made one
fourth of a cent. the highest differential
advocated by any one.
Senator Frye emphatically resented the
inference of the Minnesota senator and
said the subject could in no way be
coupled together in that way. r,}f ef
Senators Chandler. Hoar and others
spoke for the maintenance of the treaty.
There were frequent references in the
caucus to the probability of a new treaty
for the annexation of Hawaii, and It
seemed to be quite generally understood
that such a treaty was included among
the possibilities for the near future.
There appeared, however. to be no def
mite information as to the details, and
the references were very general in char
acter. No one assumed to speak for
the president on this point, but, so far as
anything was said. it was apparently
based upon the supposition that the presi-
dent was prepared to enter into negotia-
tons looking to placing the islands under
the protection of the stars and stripes
as a part of the United States.
Senator Frye referred once or twice to
the possibility of annexation, and Sena-
tors Thurston and Nelson, who strenu-
ously oppose the continuance of the pres
ent treaty in effect announced them
selves as prepared to consider favorably
the question of annexation, on the theory
that an arrangement for consolidation of
the basis would be reciprocal whereas
they contended that the present treaty
is entirely one-sided in its advantages.
Senator Thurston commended that the
best way to insure annexation would be
through abrogation of the existing treaty.
After considering the Hawaiian reel
lprocity resolution for an hour, Mt its sec
ond session, the caucus decided to refer
the matter, together with the various
propositions which had been submitted, to
the republican members Of the committee
on finance TO formulate proposition
(which should be submitted to future
caucus, to be satisfactory to all.