The Anaconda standard., 1898-02-02
Confident OF 60 VOTES
The Annexionists Figure Out a
Two-Thirds Majority.
A BIG SPEECH BY PLAT
Pettigrew Replies, Arguing That Dole Is
aUsurper, a Faker and an All-Around
Political Adventurer- Sugar Trust
said to Be Plunking Up Dough.

Washington. Feb. 1.-The condition in
the senate respecting the Hawaiian
annexation treaty has greatly I'M
proved, and the friends Of the treaty,
including Senator Davis chairman OF
the foreign relations committee, are
confident that 60 senators, whose votes
are necessary for a two-thirds major
ity. will vote for ratification.
Confidence in the changed condition Is
found in the determination of the
friends of ratification 10 press forward
the treaty for a final vote. This feel-
ing was shown when the proceedings
on the treaty in executive session TO-
dav were opened. Senator Thurston
made a motion for the postponeinent
of further consideration of the treaty
until the first of March. The motion
was not discussed al length and was
/ voted down viva voce.
Senator Platt of Connecticut opened
| the debate with carefully arranged
| argument in favor of annexation. lie
| smoke for more than an hour ana a nan
/ and dwelt particularly upon the I'M
portance Of the acquisition OF the ISL
! ands from a commercial point OF view;
| He contended that our commerce Nould
i'm all cases follow our civilization ana
urged that we should use every iegiti-
mate method to extend our trade Win
outside nations, as by pursuing TINS
| course we would also extend our lnst1-
| tutions and ideas of government.
The Hawaiian islands he regarded as
essential to the command of the traffic
| on the Pacific ocean. No nation IN the
worlds history had ever become pros
porous, or really great. that had nol
assiduously built up its foreign com
merce He commented faNorably upon
the present tendency in this country
towards an extension of our trade WIFI
the outside world. and said THIS tend
ency should be encouraged BY the gov,
ernment. The nation that eohtrolie.
the Sandwich islands would comlnan nc
the key to the Pacific. and he Woule
take them and if necessary fortity then
for the purpose of making sure OF ou
position in this important trade.
Senator Platt said the sugar tlus
was opposed to annexation. he san
there was certain parties whom he dl'
not name who We're supposed 10 ID
identified with the trust VINO had
, grievance against the present govern
} ment of the islands and alleged Una
they were using all the means al thei
I command 10 prevent the acquisition =
this country by the United States. II
said that money was being used to TN
: | end. He did not charge, however, ina
5 | there was any effort to corrupt con
t gress but he thought that some inter
E ests had been unduly influenced II
. | urged upon the senate tHe liiiPoi 'oii
$ of not giving ear to the req
- reservations of the trust, ana sal
q that on the contrary the Unite
t states should extend the nan
l. of brotherhood to the sister republi
V of the Pacific. which was so anxious |
Il ioin it's fortunes With our own. II
f smoke also of the character of the me
II constituting the present HaWallan gov
d eminent. and said it was such that
= took no risk whatever in entering upo
% an alliance with them. AT the cohcl'
It sion of his address. Senator Platt Wa
generally congratulated upon the log
cal character of his argument
l. Senator Pettigrew took the floof
soon as Mr. Platt had concluded. deNo
l. ing himself especially in replying TO 4
IS Connecticut senator's remarks concefi
ing the present government OF the l.
IN ands. He made a careful analysis
al the constitution under when the pe
Is government exists. showed that II III
been adopted by what he termed an
legal constitutional convention, cor
ne nosed he said, of. 10 members, one
re whom was Mr.. Dole. who had been
re member of the committee OF safel
ey which played such prominent pa
is during the revolution, and OF Is OFT
ee delegates. He argued that while the
IN latter delegates had been elected
ry what was called a popular vote su
,e- was not the case OF 14.Ooo perso
Id entitled to suffrage, he asserted q
mt only 1000 had voted for them II