Evening star., 1898-06-22
The Session May Close at the End Of
Next Week.
HAWAIIAN RESOLUTIONS ALONE WAIT
Agreement on Other Matters Can
Be Speedily Effected.
DEMOCRATIC DIFFERENCES

Congress is looking forward to an early
adjournment. The opinion is very general
ly expressed at the Capitol that the ses-
sion will close by the end of next week.
This opinion is based on the belief that the
fight over the Hawaiian resolutions Will not
extend beyond the first part of next week.
There is scarcely anything besides the Ha-
waiian resolutions to occupy Congress, and
not more than two or three days would
be necessary to clear UP everything else.
All the important war measures have been
disposed of and the few minor matters
remaining can either be got out Of the
way without any material consumption of
time or be left without action. The con-
ference report en- the Indian appropria-
ton bill has been agreed upon by the con-
ferees Of the two houses and requires only
the formal approval Of Congress On the
District OF Columbia and the sundry civil
appropriation bills there have been par
tial agreements. and the remaining differ
ences can be disposed of any time in one
day. This leaves only the general deficiency
Dill, over which there is no controversy
and which can be passed by the Senate in
lew hours, IL an adjournment is in sight,
ana agreed on without delay in conference.
The Hawaiian Question.
The general situation of the public busi-
ness thus focuses attention upon the Ha-
waiian question as the only thing in the
way of adjournment. No opportunity is
offered for the resistance of annexation to
be put in the form of the consumption OF
time on other matters, and there is no
other question which the Hawaiian resolu-
tions are standing in the way of. The
held Is clear. SO that the fight must be
maintained In the open as long II lasts,
with no opportunity for avoidance II be.
Ing settled thing that a vote must be
mad before Congress can get away, the re-
sponsibility for every day of prolongation
of the session will rest on the minority,
VINO without any hope of accomplishing
anything are trying TO delay the inevitable
action OF the Senate Aside from the dis
comfort which long debate involves,
there are many considerations which lead
to a desire that the session should be
shortened. 1t is being made very apparent
that ths democrats are not going TO gain
anything by keeping up the fight and pro-
longing the session. fractional divisions
are appearing in their ranks and they are
daily being carried further away from the
Issues which they had determined to mako
the next great political fight on, and Civ
ing prominence to issues on which they
are divided They are becoming badly in
volved and some of thu wisest men in the
party are greatly alarmed at the situation
Tor them and are anxious that the fight
over Hawaii should speedily be brought TO
a close and the adjournment of Congress
be hastened
Democrats Not in Agreement
They are not in agreement on any ques-
uon now occupying public attention. and
their efforts to get together by the force
of caucus order threatens incurable divI-
sions and the general falling apart of the
organization which has composed the DEM
ocratic party since the adoption of thu
chicago platform. The persistent efforts
of few leaders to anticipate the future
and to commit the party in advance
against any development of our foreign
policy are weaving a tangled web around
them. The wiser men among them advise
that they at least avoid raising an issue
until the situation has fully developed, and
fern no hasty conclusion as to the uues-
ton of the retention OF the Philippines.
Men who have made no study of any ques.
tion of foreign policy are showing an
eager disposition to chatter about what
should be done in the case of the Phillip
pines and TO criticise what they assume 10
gclng to be the course OF the adminstra-
ton IL is feared, without respect to The
effect upon the party made responsible
for such chatter, that it may result i'm em-
barrassment to this government if later On
any foreign power should undertake to in
terfere in our settlement with Spain at the
close of the war.
To Cut the Fight short.
Consideration of this situation leads
any who are not favorable to the an.
nexation of Hawaii or who are Indifferent
to desire that the night should be cut short,
and that a filibIster should be avoided
The report that Germany wants to buy
from Spain an interest in the Philippines
is not credited, any more than were other
reports as to Germany's intentions which
have been circulated from time to line,
but it is foreseen that the sort of fight
over the question of territorial possessions
which some want to enter into might very
easily appear to some foreign power as an
invitation to interfere with any plans this
government might decide upon.