The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-02-02
TO PUSH ANNEXATION
Friends Of Hawaii Anxious for a
Vote on the Treaty,
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST.

Ilatt. OF C|OunectiCuts Urges
Annexation for Commercial Reasons.
a Pettigrew Denounces the
Methods ofthe Existing Government
Washington, Feb. mo business of
Importance was transacted by the SEN
ate in open session yesterday. The
feature of the short session was a state
ment made by Mr.. Clark, Wyoming
Republican. as a matter of privilege,
concerning his vote in favor of the Tel
Ter resolution. He maintained that his
vote was in no way Inconsistent with
his Republicanism, and declared that
he would not permit anybody to read
him out Of the party, as he was sat
isiied the masses of the party would
not convict him of political heresy.
The condition in the senate respect
ing the Hawaiian annexation treaty
has greatly improved, n the friends
of the treaty, including Senator Davis,
chairman Of the foreign relations COM
mittee, are confident that 60 senators,
whose votes are necessary for a two
thirds majority, will vote for ratiflca-
ton. Confidence in the changed con-
dition is found in the determination of
the friends of ratification to press for
" 4 liz Al'oAg " q 10 NpAVs
This feeling was shown when the pro-
ceedings of the senate on the treaty in
executive session yesterday were open
ed. Senator Thurston made a motion
for the p"ostponement Of further con-
s%ideration of the treaty until March 1.
The motion was not discussed at length,
and was voted down.
Senator Plat, of Connecticut, opened
the debate with a carefully arranged
argument 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 point of view. He con-
tended that our would in all
cases follow our civilization, and urged
hat we should use every legitimate
method to extend our trade with out
side nations, as by pursuing this course
we would also extend our institutions
and ideas of government. The nation
hat controlled the Sandwich Islands,
he said, would command the key to the
Pacific, and we should take thine, and
If necessary fortify them for the pur-
pose of making sure of our position in
this most important trade. Senator
Plat charged that the sugar trust was
opposed to annexation. He said there
were certain parties who had a grieV-
ance against the present government of
the islands, and alleged that they were
using money to prevent the acquisition
of that country by the United States.
He did not. charge, he said, that there
was any effort to corrupt congress, but
he thought that some interests had
been unduly influenced.
Senator Pettigrew devoted himself
especially to replying to the Connect
cut senator's remarks concerning the
present government of Hawaii. He
made a careful analysis of the consti-
tuition under which the Dole govern
ment exists, showing that it had been
adopted by what he termed an alleged
constitutional convention composed, he
said, of 10 members, one of whom was
| Mr.. Dole, who had been members of the
committee of safety, which played such
a prominent part during the revolution.
He urged that while these latter dele
gates had been elected by what was
called a popular vote, such was not the
case. OF IA, 900 persons entitled to stuff
rage, he asserted that only 1000 had
voted for them. This convention of 35
persons thus chosen had adopted the
constitution, and it had never been
submitted to a popular vote. Mr.. Pet
tigrew said that Mr.. Dole had had him
self elected president of the republic,
and that in doing so he had practi-
cally arranged the matter so as to in
sure his permancnCe in office. 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 constitution a sem
ator must possess 50, 1000 worth of prop
erty or have an income of 1,200 per
year, n a person not worth 81 500 in
taxable real estate or had an income of
5000 was disfranchised from voting for
a senator. This qualification practi-
cally, he said, shut Out all persons eX-
cept those connected with the sugar in
dustry from either becoming senators
or from voting for senator's. He held
that in view of the facts he mentioned
the government was practically a mon
archy.
Senator White, of California, spoke in
opposition to the ratification of the
treaty. His was in the main a consti-
%tutional argument intended to show
that the annexation of the territory,
which would require a nav to defend
it, had been from the beginning OPP
posed to our theory of government. He
asserted tnat most OF the senators VINO
were popularity believed to be inter
ested in the sugar trust were favorable
to the treaty.
The house devoted most of the ses-
sion yesterday to the district of Co
lumbia appropriation bill, but had not
completed it at the time of ADJOURN
ment. SOME politics We're injected into
the debate just az the close, the fea-
ture of which was a bitter ]denuncia-
ton of Mr.. w. A. Stone, of Pennsyl-
vania, by Mr.. Mahany, New York Re
publican, 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 resolutions of minor import
ance were passed.
Miss Allie Hughes, Norfolk, Va, was
frightfully burned on the face aud neck
NJ - WHH--