Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-09
HAWAII NOT WANTED
STRONG PROBABILITY THAT THE
TREATY WILL FAIL.
MANY DEMOCRATS AGAINST IT.
ANNEXATION REGARDED AS a RE-
PUBLICAN SCHEME.
Likely to He Necessary to Abandon
the Treaty and Annex the Ial-
ands by LeEislntiOn-Native
Women Opposed to An
nexntiOn.
MANY DEMOCRATS AGAINST IT.

Washington, Dec. SIT is stated by those
in a position to know that the reason the
Hawaiian treaty is not pushed in the SEN
ate is because the friends of the measure
have grave doubts as to their ability to Sc
cure the necessary two-thirds vote to pass
it. The impression prevails that 1t may be
necessary to pass joint resolution and an
mex the islands by legislation. 1t has been
found that a number of senators who We're
confidently counted for the treaty are
against it, while others have expressed
doubts about the hasty action.
Many of the Southern senators oppose
it because it is distinctively a Republican
measure advocated by Presidents Harrison
and Mckinley, and opposed by President
Cleveland. These senators fear that the
Republicans will ultimately secure political
advantage by the annexation of the Islands.
and say that a territorial form of govern
ment will be maintained only until such a
time as the Republicans can secure abso-
Lutte control, when they will at once create
another state. OF the Republicans In the
senate by far the greater proportion accept
| Hawaiian annexation as an established
Republican doctrine. There are, however,
quite a number, especially from New En-
| gland, who are opposed to annexation of
! any more territory by the United States.
1t Is understood that the little clique of
| New England senators, including Hoar OF
Massachusetts,, Hale of Maine. Morrell of
Vermont and Wetmore of Rhode Island,
| who were opposed to action in the Cuban
case, are now put down In opposition to the
| treaty.
| The full membership of the senate Is
ninety. 1t therefore requires sixty votes to
pass the treaty as a treaty and without re-
| sorting to the subterfuge of joint resolu-
| ton. Thirty-one senators can defeat the
| treaty entirely, and much smaller num-
ber. If sufficiently belligerent, can prevent
| action for a long enough time to tire out
every one concerned. The opponents of an
| nexation say that at the present time they
can count on twenty-five Democratic sem
ators, seven Republicans and three inde-
| pendents. making a total of thirty-tive, or
| more than enough to defeat the treaty.
The warm friends of Hawaii admit that
| they could not secure favorable vote at
the present time but are satisfied that the
debate will result largely in their favor.
There are many senators who. like Ma
| son, of Illinois. are quite willing to annex
| Hawaii, but are embarrassed in doing so
because they feel that this country can
| Hawaiians for protection against the vague
threats Of the Japanese while at the same
time the calamity Of the Cubans, with its
present condition of starvation and slaugh-
ter. is ignored entirely and passed over for
future settlement. 1t is an undoubted fact
that the Cuban question is operating at
the present time adversely to the Ha-
waiian annexation scheme, and although
they are not really connected at all there
| are many senators who believe that by
Withholding their votes on Hawaii, in
which the administration is directly con-
cerned, they may be able to force the
president and his advisers to do something
for Cuba.
Representative Tawney, of Minnesota.
who visited Hawaii in company with Uncle
Joe Cannon, says it is the women among
the natives who are opposing annexation.
The reason is, he says: "They have an
eye to future social prestige. The native
women are now recognized as the equals
of the white women and are classed in the
same social set. There is disposition on
tho part Of the white women, however, to
class the native females as negroes, and
the natives believe that annexation will
increase the number of white women in
the islands to such an extent that eventu-
ally they will be relegated to the negro
class entirely. The native women are do
ing everything in their power to arouse
sentiment against annexation, but their eff
forts have thus far not met with much
success"
Senator Davis. chairman of the foreign
to proceed with the Hawaiian annexation
treaty, and cannot now fix a time when it
will be taken up. although he thought 1t
would be considered before the holidays.