The Press., 1897-06-24
Washington Letter.
Washington, May 18th, isg1

Secretary Sherman, In order to justify his own turn around towards annexation, made diplomatic break and gave away e state secret. He said that under ordi- nary circumstances he was opposed to annexation, but that when he learned that a scheme was on for to put Hawaii in possession of Japan, he favored annexa- ton. Thereby hangs the whole story of the hurrying up of the treaty for the an- nexRtion of Hawaii, which President Mo- KInley sent to the senate last week. It would have come in time anyway, but the administration recently learned of a plot on the part of Japanese on the island and the friends of the ex-queen, who Is in Washington, and who made an opera bouffe protest against the ratification of the treaty, to overthrow the present. government of Hawaii and set up one of their own, with the ultimate design of turning the islands over to Japan, and that caused the treaty to go to the senate much earlier than 1t would otherwise have gone. The Japanese government has all along denied that 1t had any grabbing in- tention towards Hawaii, and It's denial may have been perfectly honest and 1t may have been entirely ignorant of the plot to overturn the Hawaiian government As the information concerning that plot was secret and was not mentioned in the treaty, diplomats regard 1t as bad break on the part of Secretary Sherman to have publicy mentioned if, and the Japanese minister regards his having done so as almost an insult to his country and Is con- sequently somewhat disgruntled. There isn't opposition enough to the treaty in the senate to prevent it's ratification, but there Is enough to make the debate quite lengthy, so 1t Is intended to allow it to go over to regular session.
 No stronger plea for some action on the part of this government that will restore peace to Cuba has been put forth than is contained in an official report prepared by the agricultural department, showing our trade with Cuba for a period of years. For tho fiscal year 1898, our commerce with Cuba amounted to $1O2 ,s64 ,204 for the fiscal year 1906 it had dropped to$47,- b49, ,B10, and estimates for the fiscal year 1897 place 1t at less than $20, 1000, ,O00.
 The administration is moving very lelsurely towards the inauguration of It's Cuban policy. Con. Woodford, of N. Y, has been nominated minister of Spain ,and the official statement made that Ex-C Con- gressman Aldrich, of Ills., will shortly be nominated consul-general of Cuba. But there ia little probability that either of them will be at thelr post inside of a month, and the new policy is not to be started until Gen. Woodford gets to Mad rid. Report says the policy will be to re- quest Spain to withdraw it's troops and al- low Cuba to have home rule under a system similar to that in vogue in Canada, and that Spain is willing, provided that this government can persuade the rebel lious Cubans 10 accept and to agree to as- sumo the debt of Cuba.
 Senator Morgan called attention to the failure of the tariff bill to provide for the repeal of the income tax, imposed by the Wilson tariH bill and declared to be un. constitutional by the supreme court. He said he wAs glad that the bill did not pro- vide for It's repeal, because if 1t were lefI upon the statue book, n change in the court might cause 1t to be sustained.
 Quite a number of senators who helped to knock out the Pettigrsw antitrust amendment to the tariff bill, have offered amendments of their own. especially aim cd at the sugar trust, with which they appear to have dread of being considered friendly. One of these, offered by Senator Pettus, prohibits the importation of raw sugar trust, and another, offered by. Sena tor Nelson, provides that any attempt tc monopolize the trade In tho raw or rein cd sugar among the states or with othei nations shall be punishable, upon convic ton by ilne of not less than 5000, mol more than &10, ,0O0, or by Imprisonment a hard labor not less than six months nol more than two years, or by both salt punishments in the discretion of the court This amendment is very carefully drawI and goes into particulars as to how in dlctments are to be drawn and what shal be accepted as evidence of the exlstenc' of a trust. Notwithstanding all thii activity on the part of individual senatorl there is no probability that the tariff bill as it finally passes and goes to the presI dent will contain any antitrust amend ments.