The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-02
DAVIS HOPES ARE HIGH
THE VOTES NEEDED FOR THE HAWAIIAN
TREATY IN VIEW

That the Required Sixty Senator's
Have Been Won Over-Pettigrevv
Argues Warmly Against the Pro-
! posed Union.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The condi-
ton in the senate respecting the Ha-
! Wa1lan annexation treaty has greatly
' improved and the friends of the treaty.
including Senator Davis, are confident
\ that sixty senators, whose votes are
I necessary for a two-t thirds majority,
/ viii vote for ratification. Confidence
3 In the changed condition is found in
{ the determination of the friends of rati-
/: fication to press forward the treaty to
4; final vote.
; This feeling was shown when the
: proceedings of the senate on the treaty
: IN executive session today were open
= ed. Senator Thurston made a motion
!. for the postponement of further CON
sideration of the treaty until the first
OF March. The motion was not dis
cussed at length, and was voted down
viva Voce.
Senator PIatt Comm opened the de-
bate with a carefully arranged argu-
ment in favor of annexation. He spoke
for about an hour and half and dwelt
particularly upon the Importance of
the acquisition Of the islands from a
commercial point Of view. 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, as by pur-
suing this course he would also extend
our institutions and ideas of govern
, ment.
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 gov
ernment of the islands and alleged that
they were using all the means at their
command to prevent the acquisition of
the islands by the United States He
said that money was being used to this
end.
Undue influence.
He did not charge, he said, that
there was any effort to corrupt con-
gress, but he thought that some in
terests had been unduly influenced
At the conclusion Of his address SEN
ator Platt was generally congratulated
upon the logical character of his argu-
ment.
Senator Pettigrew took the floor as
soon as Mr.. Platt had concluded, de-
voting himself especially to replying to
the Connecticut senator's remarks con-
cerning the present government of the
islands. He made a careful analysis
of the constitution under which the
Dole government exists, showing that
1t had been adopted by what he term
ed an alleged constitutional conven-
ton, composed, he said, of nineteen
members, one of whom was Mr. Dole
who had been members of the commit
tee of safety which played such a
prominent part during the revolution,
and of eighteen other delegates.
He argued that, while these latter
delegates had hapn elected hU
was called a popular vote such vas
not the case. OF $4,000 persons enti-
=. tied to suffrage, he asserted that only
1000 had voted for them. This con-
vention of thirty-seven persons thus
chosen had adopted the constitution,
and it had never been submitted to a
popular vote.
Mr.. Pettigrew dwelt upon the fact
that Mr.. Dole had been member of
this convention and said that gentle
man had had himself elected president
of the republic, and that, in doing so,
he had practically arranged the mat
ter so as to insure his Dermanence in
office. He read the constitution to
show that Mr.. Dole was named in it
for president and that 1t was provided
that he should remain in that office
until the year 1900 or until his success
sor should be elected. The successor
was to be chosen by the house and
to be no election of any one unless he
received a majority Of the vote of the
senate.
Dole n Dictator.
. He then attempted to show how the
matter was practically in the control
of Mr.. Dole and of the sugar growers.
According to the terms of the consti-
tuition senator must possess So, 900
worth of property or have an income
n T Any~
was not worth 81, 500 in taxable real
estate or had an income of $500 was
diSfranchiSed from voting for a SEN
ator. This qualification practically, he
said, shut out all persons except those
connected with the sugar industry
from ever becoming senators or from
voting for senators.
He held that in view of the facts he
mentioned, the present government
wa practically a monarchy.
Mr.. Pettigrew also took up the con-
tention that the sugar lands in the
islands were already practically appro-
priated and producing, and argued that
to annex the islands would mean the
inevitable destruction of the sugar beet
industry in the United States
Senator White (Cal) also spoke in
opposition to the ratification Of the
treaty. His argument was in the main
constitutional and intended to show
that the annexation of territory, which
would require a navy to defend it, had
been from the beginning opposed to
our theory of government.
Senator White had not concll1ed his
argument when the senate adjourned.
He took occasion to remark in reply
to Senator Platt's statement that the
sugar trust was opposed to the treaty.
that most of the senators who were
: popularity supposed to be interested in
the sugar trust were favorable to the