Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-02
HAWAIIAN TREATY.
Friends of the Measure Conf
dent of It's Passage.
The Chances for Annexation Thought to
be Increasing-A Dull Day in
the House.


the senate respecting the Hawaiian an
neXation treaty has greatly improved,
and the friends of the treaty, including
Senator Davis, chairman of the foreign
relations committee, are confident that
so senators whose votes are necessary
for two-thirds majority, will vote for
ratification. Confidence in the changed
condition is found in the determination
of the friends of ratification to press
forward the treaty to final vote.
This feeling was shown when the pro-
ceedings in executive session today were
opened. Senator Thurston made a mo-
ton for the postponement of further
consideration of the treaty until the
first of March. The motion was not
discussed at length, and was voted
down.
Senator Plat of Connecticut opened
the debate with carefully arranged ar
gument in favor of annexation. He
spoke for about an hour and a half and
dwelt particularly upon the Importance
of the acquisition of the islands from
a commercial standpoint. He contend
ed that our commerce would in all cases
follow our civilization, and urged that
we should use every legitimate method
to extend our trade with outside ma
tionS, as by pursuing this course, we
would also extend our institutions and
ideas of government. The Hawaiian
Islands he regarded as essential to the
command of the traffic on the Pacific
ocean.
Senator Platt charged that the sugar
trust was opposed to annexation. He
said there were certain parties, whom
he did not name, who were supposed
TO be Identified with the trust, who had
a grievance against the present govern
ment Of the islands, and alleged that
they were using all the means at their
command to prevent the acquisition of
TINS country by the United States. He
said that money was being used to this
end.
Senator Platt urged upon the senate
the Importance of not giving ear to the
representations of the trust and said
uhat the United States should extend the
hand of brotherhood to this sister re-
public of the Pacific, which was so anx-
ious to join its fortunes with our own.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Platt's ad-
dreSS, Senator Pettigrew spoke at con-
siderable length against the treaty.
No business of Importance was tran
sacted by the senate in open session to-
OdS' ne feature the snort session
was d statement made by Mr. Clark
(rep., Wyo.) as a matter Of personal
privilege, concerning his vote in favor
of the Teller resolution. He maintained
that his vote was in no way inconSiSt-
ent with his republicanisnn, and declared
that he would not permit anybody to
read him out of the party, as he was
satisfied the masses of the party would
not convict him of heresy.
ATnpl fr1r T1AIN / 1,
voted most of the session today to the
District of Columbia appropriation bill,
but had not completed it at the time of
adjournment. Some politics were in
jected into the debate just at the close,
the feature of which was a bitter de-
nunciation of Mr.. W. A. Stone of Penn
sylvania, by Mr. Mahany Qep., N. W,
for the formers position in favor of the
immigration bill. Mr.. Stone did not
see fit to reply. Before the District bill
was taken up several bills and resolu-
tions of minor Importance were taken
up and passed.
PROPOSED NEW DEPARTMENT.
Washington, Feb 1.-The house com
mittee on interstate and foreign com
merce entered into rather extended
discussion of the subject for the crea-
ton of a department of industry and
commerce, today. Most of the members
gafici1aed in the interchange Of views
and su Eestions and There seemed tc
be gov raj desire for some measure OF
this lcter. The bill now being con-
5-dg..4 ~ tine committee. however, is
not satisfactory in several particulars
to some of the members, and a sub
stitute is likely to be presented. There
is a strong opposition to the erection OF
such an office of cabinet rank Legis-
lation, if drafted at all, judged by to-
days proceedings, will have in view
making the office of a relatively lower
grade, with perhaps the same status as
the department of labor.