The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-28
Hawaiian Annexation Question VIII
Be staved OF If the OpposI-
ton Have Its Way.
BUSINESS WELL ADVANCED
REMAINING BILLS TO BE HANDLED
AFTER LITTLE DEBATE.
Under Certain Contingencies Two
New Battle Ships Will he
Provided For.

| leaders have been Straining all their ener-
| gies to expedite the appropriation bills with
a view to an early final adjournment, and
they are succeeding beyond their most
sanguine expectations. Not in a quarter of
a centtfy have the appropriation bills been
so far advanced in the long session as they
are at this time. Only three of the thirteen
regular bills remain in committee. The
| other ten have gone through one or more
legislative stages, and one-the military
academy-is in the hands Of the President
awaiting his signature The condition of the
other nine bills is follows The pension
bill has passed both houses and the differ
ences have been agreed on in conference;
the legislative, executive and judicial the
army, the Notifications and the agricultural
bills have passed both houses, and the diff
ferences are being adjusted in conference:
the Senate amendments to the diplomatic
and consular bill have been agreed on by
the House committee on foreign affairs and
the bill only awaits confirmation of this
action by the House before going to the
PRESIDENT; the Indian bill has passed the
senate, and the amendments placed on the
Dill there are being considered by the House
committee; the District of Columbia bill,
winch has passed the House, is still in the
senate committee, and the sundry civil bill
VIII probably pass the House tomorrow. OF
the three bills still unreported to the House
both the naval and postoffice await con-
tingent developments before they can be
completed. The naval bill is practically
complete save for the provisions for dry
docks and new ships. On both these prop
ositions the developments of the next few
days are expected to control the action of
the committee. If the board of inquiry into
the Maine disaster should render a finding
which portends strained relations with
Spain the most liberal provision will be
made both for dry docks and ships. If the
disaster was not due to accidental causes
aboard ship it is almost certain that two
new battle ships will be provided for, one
recommended by the secretary of the navy
and one to replace the Maine, and that at
least one Of the new dry docks recon-
mended will be authorized. In case the
Maine disaster is found to have been caused
by accident it is probable no provision for
pattle ships will be made In the new bill.
WILL DODGE ANNEXATION.
The completion of the postoffice bill de-
Ponds on the action of the House on the
Loud bill relating to second-class mail mat
ter. which is to be acted on this week The
general deficiency bill is always the last of
~--~
deficiencies and other items as must be pro-
vided for at the close of every session. With
the appropriation bill and the immigration
bill, the consideration of which has been
set for March Is, out of the way, nothing
remains to prolong this session of Congress
save the question of the annexation of
Hawaii or war. The leaders of both sides
looking ahead, eliminating both these SUBJ
JectS as probabilities or possibilities of de-
lay, agree that the appropriation bills
should be passed and that Congress should
be ready to adjourn early in May. If such
contingency war should arise it would
be necessary for Congress to act both in
the formal declaration of war and in fur
nishing ways and means for it's prosecution.
With regard to Hawaiian annexation, there
is no doubt that IL the present treaty is
abandoned in the Senate no move for an
nexation by legislative enactment will be
initiated in the House. The sentiment both
among the friends and opponents of annex
alton in the House believe that after the
long contest at the other end of the Capitol
the Senate should retain Jurisdiction of the
subject. Action by the Senate on a resolu-
ton of annexation would therefore precede
any action by the House, and it is this
which gives color to the general impression
III lll0 IlOuSS ludl StSllCll cIl d
the Senate can be delayed until both houses
have completed their other work. and that
then effort will be made to adjourn and
leave the question suspended.
Speaker Reed makes no concealment of his
personal opposition to annexation, and sew
eral other very prominent Republican MEM
bers, like Cannon of Illinois, Walker of
Massachusetts and Johnson of Indiana, are
outspoken. Some of the others, like Chair
man Dingley, of the ways and means COM
mittee, have made no public declarations on
SllhiaRt believed a
pathy with the opponents of annexation.
A large majority of the Republicans,
however, are, of course, in favor of the adj
ministration'S policy, many of them enthuS-
iastically so. Chairman Hit, of the foreign
affairs committee, Is placed among the. sup
that the real brunt of the battle If the
test is transferred to the House at this ses-
sion, will be borne by General Grosvenor,
of Ohio, and General Henderson, of Iowa,
both of whom are enthusiastic in their sup
port of it.
AS stated the indications all point to a
concerted plan on the part of the enemies
of annexation at both ends Of the Capitol
to hurry through the appropriation bills
and adjourn before action can be had on
the joint resolution in the Senate This, it
is pointed out, would be the easier way to
defeat or at least postpone action as once
the resolution got into the House the di-
vision in the Republican ranks would be I'M
covered and the leaders would be forced on
opposite sides Some Of the Republicans
who are opposed to annexation do not care
to be forced into a position of public an
IL
be avoided. They would, of course, prefer
to see the question postponed rather than
have it brought to an issue in the House
The Democrats with comparatively few
exceptions, are hostile 10 annexation.
The programme tor the House for the
coming week includes the completion of
the sundry civil bill, which has been under
considerat ton since last Wednesday, action
on the bill for the relief of the victims
and survivors of the Maine disaster the
Senate bill authorizing the enlistment of
two additional regiments of artillery and
the Loud bill, relating to second-class mail
matter. The latter bill has been made the
special order for Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday A spirited contest is anticipated
but Mr.. Loud, the author of the bin and
the chairman of the postotfice and post-road
committee. is confident that it will pass
The bill takes all complete books printed
as in serial form out of the second-clasS
rate Il cent a pound), and places them in
the regular book rate class, which pays
cents per pound. 1t also prohibits the trans
mission of sample copies at pound rates
If the bill should pass and be executed ac-
cording to its spirit Mr.. Loud estimates the
annual saving TO the government effected
by il during the next four years would
approximate 81. 600. o01. Many publishers and
newspapers are very hostile 10 the measure,
but thus far the opposition has not been
active as it was during the last Congress.
Tomorrow under the rules is District OF
Columbia day, but Chairman Cannon, in
charge of the sundry civil, will probably
insist on going ahead with his bill He re-
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