Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-07-07
CONGRESSIONAL.
The Hawaiian Islands Now Belong to
the United States.

the United States.
WASHINGTON, July THE annex
alton of Hawaii is now accom-
plished 50 far as the Legislature branch
of the government Is concerned
Quite Unexpectedly the resolutions
providing for the annexation of the
islands. we're brought to vote in the
senate late yesterday afternoon and
they were passed by the decisive vote
of AZ to 81.
Early in the session of the senate
conferences of the leaders on both
sides Of the chamber we're held, aud a
tacit agreement was reached that a
vote would be taken today or to-
morrow at the latest. The opponents
Of annexation had practically con-
cluded their arguments, and as they
had 40 desire to keep the senate in
session by purely dilatory tactics, they
announced their willingness that a
vote should be taken as soon as White,
Pettigrew and Allen had finished
their speeches,
Neither White nor Pettigrew spoke
at great length, but Allen thought,
when he began, that his speech
might occupy the entire day and part
of tomorrow. However, he concluded
to eliminate part of the matter he
had prepared, and at AIS he COM
pleted his speech.
1t was evident, instantly, that a
vote was at hand. Word was passed
swIftlys through the corridors and
committee rooms, and In few min
utes every senator at the capitol was
in his seat. The galleries filled rap
idly, and the members of the house
of representatives, learning that a
vote was To be taken, came hurriedly
into the senate to witness the pro-
ceedings that will be historic.
A test vote came on an amend
menu offered by White, of California;
1T was offered with no expectancy that
it would be adopted, but merely to
place the ideas and opinions OF the
opponents to annexation on record. 1t
was rejected by vote of 40 to 20, in
dlcating that the annexationlsts were
strongly in the majority. Amend
ment after amendment was offered,
but the advocates of the resolutions
stood solidly together. gaining rather
than losing strength on the success
sive votes.
Finally at $50 p. M. the resolutions
themselves, in precisely the form in
which they were received from the
house of representatives, were reported
to the senate and the roll call began.
Not sound was heard in the cham.
ber except the call of the clerk and
the responses Of the senators. When
the vice-president announced the vote
by which the resolutions were passed
tremendous wave of applause swept
the galleries which the president
made no effort to check.
Morrill,, of Vermont, was the only
republican who voted against the res
olutions, although Thurston, of Ne
braska, and Spooner, Of Wisconsin,
were paired against them, Six demo-
Gratis German, of Maryland; Nc
Laurin, of South Carolina; Money, OF
Mississippi; Morgan, Of Alabama
Pettus, of Alabama, and Sullivan, OF
Mississippi, voted in favor of annex
alton. .....
In the face of the vote for the reso-
lutions, the treaty of annexation
might have been ratified, the resolu'
tions having two-thirds majority
but as twelve pairs would have been
arranged, on a basis OF two votes for
one, if the treaty had been under con-
sideration, the vote of the full senate
on the basis OF today's vote, would
have been So to 33, not sufficient
number of votes in favor OF the treaty
to have fulfilled it.