The record-union., 1898-02-21

F~>N>9~0
during the week. There will be more
or less debate in the executive session
of the Hawaiian annexation treaty and
speeches will be made on the claims OF
Mr.. Corbett to seat in the Senate on
the appointment of the Governor Of
Oregon. The Corbett matter will not
be pressed, except to the end of having
the speeches so far disposed of as to
make sure of getting vote at the time
fixed, a week from tomorrow. The
expectation is that the bill making an
appropriation for the consular and di-
plomatic service will be made the basis
for considerable debate. 1t is under
stood to be Senator Aliens intention to
make an effort to secure the incorpor-
alton in the bill as an amendment Of
his provision for the recognition of Gu
ban belligereHcy, and if he should make
this effort the result might be a general
discussion of the Cuban question.
While, however, this is among the pos
sibilities, it does not appear probable
that the Senate is now in a mood for
the opening of this question pending
the Maine investigation, so therefore,
should it be taken up this week there
would have to be quite radical change
in sentiment There are some Sena-
tors, however, who are desirous of hav-
ing the subject debated and they may
force the issue.
Aliens amendment was adversely re-
ported to the Committee on Foreign
Relations and Senator Hale will raise a
point of order against it. This the
Vice-President will sustain and Allen
will, of course, appeal. There will be
stubborn opposition to such an amend
ment if offered and the contest may be
an animated one If Allen persists in his
purpose. Independently of the Cuban
amendment the diplomatic bill is likely
to cause debate on other questions. 1t
seldom gets through the Senate without
being made the basis of more or less
general discussion of the country's for
eign policy.
The advisa bility of amending this ap-
preparation bill with a provision for
the annexation Of Hawaii which was
at one time considered by the support
ers Of the Hawaiian treaty appears to
have been abandoned. The treaty will,
however, receive independent attention
during the week if the appropriation
bills and the Corbett case do not crowd
1t out. Senator Davis, who, as Chair
man Of the Committee on Foreign Re
lations, has charge OF the treaty, will
be absent from the Senate during the
entire first half Of the week but Sena-
tor Frye, who is acting Chairman, will
move an executive session for the con-
sideration of the treaty If there should
be an opening.
There is general impression that the
treaty will not be further debated at
great length. There are several Sem
atorS who desire to be heard upon it,
but none Of these are liable to make
long speeches. The present intention
Of the friends of the treaty is to secure
a test vote as soon as it can be conve-
niently done and for this purpose Ba-
cons amendment providing for SUBJ
mitting the treaty to a vote Of the peo-
pie Of Hawaii will be utilized If they
find upon this vote that the treaty cam
not command the support OF two-thirds
of the Senators, the number necessary
to secure this ratification, they will
move to recommit to the Committee
on Foreign Relations and then take up
Morgan's bill for annexation which
was fayorably reported to the Senate
during, the extra session This is the
present plan, but details may Of course
be changed.
The friends Of the treaty regard the
Bacon amendment as entirely unfriend-
ly, and they would regard as antag-
onistic to the treaty any Senator who
would cast his vote for It, hence they
think they can use it as a foil and by
its use secure the equivalent Of vote
on the treaty without imperiling that
document. If the vote on the amend
ments should show that the treaty
commands the sixty votes necessary to
it's ratification II would then be
pressed to final vote as speedily as
possible
Unless the Cuban question or some
phase Of the Maine disaster should
come before the House this week, the
time, with the exception OF tomorrow
which, under an arrangement made last
week, will be given up to the consid-
GRAFTON of private bills, will be devoted
nominaaly at least to the civil appro-
priation bnl This bill will be report
ed to the House tomorrow. It Is a
very voluninous measure. containing
all the odds and ends of appropriations,
as it's name indicates, and is usually
productive Of more protracted contests
than any Of the other appropriation
bills.
1t is understood that the information
regarding the situation in Cuba, asked
for last week by the House, has been
prepared by the State Department and
is ready for transmission. Some Of
the consular reports. bearing upon the
situation have been edited in some
places, but it is said the situation as
presented probably will call for some
action before the information goes to
the House this week An effort may
be made to get in this matter On ac-
count OF the condition Of public senti-
ment pending the result OF the inves-
tigation into the cause of the disaster
to the Maine, 1t Is considered probable
that the answer OF the State Depart
ment will be withheld for several days
In the face of the catastrophe which
has occurred, the members of the
House who have usually been to the
fore on the occasion Of any sensational
development in foreign or domestic af-
fairs were ominously silent last week.
The extreme gravity Of the situation
and the far-reaching consequences Of