New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-12
FOR ACTION on HA WiU.

There Is good news from Washington. Inc
Government Is going 10 act with the courage
Of It's convictions. 1t is going TO vindicate liz
good faith and honor No longer will IL palter
with duty and Justice and balk the Nations WILL
No longer will IL ask n weaker friendly nation
to be In our behalf lawbreakng cats-paw.
Congress Will act upon Hawaiian annexation
The House after n few unnecessary days OF
delay thrown as sop to the obstructionisi
Cerherus will come to a vote on the measure on
Wednesday next OF the result OF that vote
there can be no question. II must he. ms me
Nation desires 1t to be. overwhelmingly for an
nexatlon, which means for the safety and
benefit Of our neighbOr and for the welfare and
honor Of the United States. The bill Will then
60 10 the Senate In that body a strong ma
iority IL known TO favor ii. and there is ground
for belief that vote can be secured with rea-
sonable promptness.
What Is perfectly evident Is that such vote
and a final settlement of the matter can be pre-
vented only by filibustering tactics Of nature
so reprehensibe az 10 be little short OF scan
dalous Let 1t be granted for the sake Of nrg'i-
ment that such tactics are sometimes Justh-
able even necessary. Let II be conceded that
when measure Of constitutional importance
Is suddenly sprung upon the Government the
minority has right, even n duty. To resist
action upon IT until proper discussion of II can
be had and the desire Of the Nation can
be ascertalnpd Let II be granted that when
an accidental ma jority tries TO pass some meas
ure VIGOROUSLY repugnant 10 the will Of III"
Nation II Is the right and duty Of the minority
10 Obstruct such action by all Legitimate means.
ON no such grounds could further resistance In
this case be Justified This Il no new scheme
suddenly raised 1t l. the contamination OF a
fixed and formally proclaimed National policy
of fifty years standing. and Of definite propo-
stion. publicly and officially made five years
ago. and since that time discussed from every
conceivable point Of view with n fulness few
controvertcd topics have enjoyed In all our his
tory. 1t Is advocated not by an accidental or
a temporary majority. but by a majority de-
llberately chosen by the Nation with the knowl-
edge that 1t favored the project and with the
expectation and desire that il should execute it,.
Beyond doubt there are Intelligent. honest
and patriotic men IN both houses Of Congress
who are sincerely opposed 10 annexation. But
they are In hopeless minority. nd are
doomed to remain there; for it Is unques-
tionable that popular opinion in favor OF IN
nexatlon Is steadily increasing. fnd that In n
new Congress elected on that suc the major
ity for annexation would DO still larger than in
the present one. Mr.. Speaker Reed is one Of
those opponents Of the measure. We may say
he Is the chief Of them. for while others may
be more strenuous in their opposition he stands
foremost in ability. patriotism and the author
ity Of popular support. To all the rest he sets
an honorable and most cOmmen1able example.
He Is unalterably opposed 10 annexation. but he
will not oppose nor seek to Obstruct what he
clearly recognizes TO he the Nations will. He
will put himself on record against annexation,
but will not flibuster against II nor use against
il his unrivalled mastery Of parliamentary pro-
cedure. That Is the manly course 10 pursue.
Let us have done with the baby net and the
og-in-the-manger business. For five years the
opponents of this great National policy have
been offering every possible argument against
it and rallying all their forces to defeat it. Now
let them stand up and be counted