The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-01-24

! The Philadelphia Record is opposed
to annexation. 1t says in its issue of
January 9th:
But the present outlook is that Con-
greSs Will talk until hot weather. and
nave nothing of first Importance to
show at the end for its long session
but the annexation of Hawaii. That
does seem to be certain to come. 1t
IS by no means certain that the annex
alton treaty will be ratified. but even
that is probable, for there has been
great change in the attitude of Sena-
tors toward it during the holiday re-
cess, thanks TO the skillful use which
the anneXationists have made of the
threatesings OF the European powers
against China, and to the persuasive
cOunsels Of President Mckinley, who
has lost no opportunity to impress his
views on the Wavering statesmen. 1t
is fact, as the anneXationists claim,
that those conservative Republican
Senators who were either opposed to
annexation or doubtful about it's pro-
priety before Christmas, are now all
in line for the treaty, so that it has the
solid support of all the regular Re-
publlcans, and it is also true, as they
assert, that Senator Teller has been
taken into the Administration coun-
ellis on this question, and as the leader
of the silver Republicans has drawn
to the support of the treaty every one
of them except Pettigrew, who is al
ways fond of focking by himself
GORMAN FOR ANNEXATION.
Their claims of four Democrats are
equally correct, for, besides that ORR
ginal anneXationist, the venerable
Morgan, and his peculiar old colleague,
Pettus, they have captured the re-
doubtful German and Rawlins, who,
with Cannon, represents the State of
Utah, which with its peculiar popula-
ton is thus solidly represented as in
favor of admitting the queer popula-
tons Of Hawaii to what will be ulti-
mate Statehood in spite of all present
DISCUSSES. The Populists are notori-
Ously the political mercenaries of the
Senate, and the Republican anneXa-
tionists are probably quite warranted
in claiming that they will get all the
votes they need from them. 1t is not
strange that the Republican managers
of this treaty believe that, although
they have not the tWo-thirds vote ne
cessary actually in hand they will
have it by the time the debate is over,
and are talking of this great departure
from our traditions and presidents as
though it were already accomplished.
Senator Lodge goes farther and says:
he
whole country will be wondering why
any objection was raised to it,.
If Senator German were leading the
| opposition to it the treaty might yet
| be beaten, for he has lost none of his
| power and none of his skill because
of his defeat last fall, and by his clever
| tactics he could stave off a vote until
| he wore the anneXationists out. But
| they have captured him, and there is
no one on the Democratic side to take
| his place in such fight, as there will
| be no one to succeed him as a parlia-
mentary leader when he goes out a
year from March. Senator Gray and
| Senator White, of California, and 9TH
er able lawyers and good debaters will
say all that can be said against the
new and dangerous policy, but they will
not have united party behind them,
and they could not manage it success
| fully for the present purpose If they
had. Unless the unexpected happens,
as Lord Beaconsfeld said it always
did in politics, the treaty will be rati-
fed without amendment after the Sen
| ate is talked out on the subject, or
rather the opposition for the advocates
of the treaty have practically agreed
among themselves that they will not
consume much time in speech-making.
And if they should fail to get the ne
cessary two-thirds vote for the rat1-
fication of the treaty they can fall back
upon the bill or joint resolution, for
they easily command n large majority
in both Houses, and that would be al
that would be needed to pass either g
bill or a joint resolution. 1t would
probably not be the Morgan bill, how
ever, that would be taken up, because
if recites the text Of the Hawaiian
treaty, and the obvious and fatal OBJ
lection has been raised that to pas:
that bill would violate the COnstitu
ton by practically ratifying a treaty
by a majority vote instead of by the
Constitutional two-tbirds vote. The
Senate would not set such preceden
as that. and if it did the House would
not follow 1t.
But the precedent Of annexation by
a simple declaration Of joint resolu
ton has already been set in the case
of Texas. and could be and would bt
followed in case the treaty failed, I'M
less it was thought preferable to make
the terms of the annexation measure
a purchase of the Islands for the 81,
100000 debt.