Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-03
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION WILL
NOT BE KILLED.
DEBATE TO BEGIN WEDNESDAY.
HAWAIIAN ANNEXATION TREATY To
BE PUSHED.
Ratification Improbable. hut Annexa-
tfon by Resolution Likely to Car
ry-Frce Silver Advocates
in Senate Anxious for
Currency Debate.

day. will probably be entirely devoted to
the debate on the civil service question.
BY general consent, the appropriation in
the legislative, executive and judicial bill
for the maintenance of the commission,
upon which the debate will be based, went
over until after the holidays. 1t is in
tended by the opponents of the civil serv-
ice law that the debate shall cover the
whole question. and they expect to devel-
op and exploit some very interesting facts.
The defenders of the law have made elab-
crate preparations to meet these assaults,
and some highly. If not sensational. Incl
dents are expected. The records of indi-
viduals are likely to be very much in evil
dence. 1t is not expected that the debate
will be concluded this week. as Saturday
has been set aside for paying tribute to
the memory of the late Representative
Wright. of Massachusetts,.
Grosvenor Wants n Shot at 1t.
General Grosvenor. of Ohio. who has
been one of the mainstays of the opposi-
ton to the law. is very desirous of partici-
pating in the debate. but. owing to the
senatorial fight now in progress in Ohio.
he will probably not be able to return un-
til next week. 1t is not believed that
there will be any attempt to close the de-
bate before he has had an opportunity
to make the elaborate speech which he has
prepared.
No one seriously believes. however. that
the upshot of the present debate will be
the striking out of the appropriation for
the commission. This proposition cannot
by any means command the full strength
of the opposition. the leaders of which
think direct legislation should be enacted
to repeal or radically amend the law. The
debate, therefore. will simply be in the
nature of a general airing of views of the
members of the house. the only practical
effect of which will be to place them on
record for the future.
No Work in Senate This Week.
The prevailing opinion among senators is
that very little legislation will be attempt
ed during the present week. The fact that
congress will not reconvene until Wednes-
day will probably be taken by the alb
sentees to mean that nothing will be at
tempted until the following week. and as
a consequence 1t is doubtful whether there
will be quorum present in the senate on
Wednesday, in which event there will prob
ably be early adjournment until the
following day. and then an adjournment
until Monday. In any event, 1t is not prob
able that any important questions will be
raised during the present week.
The general understanding is, however.
that the work of the session will begin in
real earnest after this week, and that
henceforth there will be no justification of
the complaint of dullness of the proceed
ings. Among the questions which will en-
gage early attention are: The Ha-
waiian annexation question. the claim of
Mr.. Corbett 10 seat in the senate from
Oregon; the immigration bill. and the finan-
cial question.
In all probability the committee on priv
ileges and elections will meet during the
present week. and the chances are that an
early report on the Corbett case will be
ordered, even though it may not be favor
able. The Republican side of the chamber
will not be a unit in Mr.. CorbettS inter-
est.
1t is not believed that there will be any
serious antagonism to the immigration bill,
but there may be considerable time con-
sumed in speeches upon the subject.
The Annexation Question.
1t is probable that Senator Davis. chair
man of the committee on foreign relations,
will make effort during the present
week TO get day fixed for taking up the
annexation treaty, and there is no ap-
prehension of any objection TO naming
"a lay in tho eDrlv ha ,lIor of
the supporters of the treaty is to take
the question up in executive session on a
resolution of ratification and to debate the
treaty for a few days in executive session,
pursuing this course long enough to de-
termine their strength and commit those
who profess to be with them. IL they
find that they have the necessary two
thirds TO secure ratification, they will press
on TO the end. but if they discover them
selves TO be deficient in voting strength,
they will change their policy and take up
the question of annexation on Senator
Morgan's resolution to that end. There Is
no doubt that a ma ajority of affirmative
votes can he secured. and that n resolution
OF this character can be passed If a vote
can be reached.
Treaty Likely to Fail.
The present indications are that the
treaty, as such. will fail of ratification hy
from two 10 SIX votes. but friends of the
agreement have by no means lost hope that
they will succeed in securing the entire
sixty votes necessary to ratify. They claim
that they have been making Roadway in
securing votes during the recess and are
hopeful of still adding TO the number
They now assert that solid vote may he
expected from the Republican side of the
chamber. and that several Democrats who
have been claimed by the opposition are
on the fence and liable to come TO them.
The circumstance which has done most TO
Improve the chances of the treaty is the
conduct of the European powers in ap-
parently preparing for the partition of
China. Many senators feel that this is an
event which calls for prompt action the
part of this country in the Hawaiian ms,-
ter. and there no denying that this view
has made some impression upon the scna-
tors who have heretofore been classed as
doubtful.
senator WOIcott's Explanation
The promised explanation by Senator
Wolcott of the result of his bimetallic
mission to Europe is expected. when made
10 open up the discussion of the attitude of
the administration on the silver question.
and the debate may even be sprung in adj
vance of his speech. The pronounced free
silver advocates are determined to secure
a test vote during the session on the silver
question, and Senator Teller has decided to
introduce the Stanley Matthews resolution
of the Forty-ffth congress. declaring for
the payment of bonds in silver. with this
end in view.
Senator Wolcott will, in all probability.
make a simple. straightforward statement
avoiding all controverted points as far as
hnf