The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-17
Committee Not Sustained
by the Senate.
HANNA MAKES A DENIAL.
Commissioners Views on Finance
Matters In the Past.
NUMEROUS MATTERS DISCUSSED

washington, March 1I-The nominh-
tion of T.. ". Powderly TO be commits
soner Of immigration was confirmed
by the senate in executive session yes
terday by the vote OF 43 to 20. Senator
Chandler was the only Republican who
voted against confirmation. while a
large number of Democrats voted for
Mr.. Powderly. The vote was preceded
by a rather sharp debate, in which the
question whether Mr.. Powderly had
made n trade with the Republicans in
the last campaign was discussed quite
freely.
Senators Teller and Stewart attacked
Mr.. Powderly's record on the financial
from Mr.. Powderly written during the
campaign of 1892. In which he declared
his adherence to the cause of bimetal-
lism and denounced those Of the labor
element who had aligned themselves on
the Reupblsean side as rendering them
selves liable to the charge OF being made
the subjects of bribery. Mr.. Stewart
contended that Mr.. Powderly had placed
himself In exactly the category In which
he had previously sought to place others
Senator Hanna made a brief speech in
which he asserted that Mr.. Powderiy's
support OF the Republican ticket in the
late campaign was not the result OF any
collusion or bargain. "Mr. Powderly,"
he said came to us OF his own accord,
and without any solicitation on our part
We did not go after him and we did not
promise him anything" Furthermore,
40 ha a.t lers, 81
ly a supporter OF Powderly for the posi-
tion OF commissioner OF immigration,
having another candidate for the office.
This fact ought TO be sufficient evidence,
Mr.. Hanna thought, to convince the most
sceptical that there had been no bar
gain that Mr. Powderly should have the
office as the result of his services in the
campaign.
Mr. Chandler made a speech In op-
position, reading protests from labor or
Sanizations and declaring that the Re-
publican party could not afford to ap-
point to so important an office man so
distasteful TO the labor element
Mr.. Fairbanks closed the debate in Mr..
Powderly's behalf, defending his record
in ofiice and his character as a man.
He said that Mr.. Powderly had demon
strated by several months Of service his
fitness for the Office He asserted that
the only charges made against him were
OF political nature and contended that
these were not of character to in any
way reflect upon him or to justify op-
position 20 his confirmation
Business In legislative session was con-
fined to the passage of few bills largely
OF local character. The national quar-
antine bill was not considered.
Senator Davis submitted with the Joint
resolution for the annexation of Hawaii
an extended report of the committee,
which states: mo exercise of power
could be more supreme than that under
which Texas was annexed to the United
States either as to its scope or the man
ner of the annexation or the choice of
conditions upon which congress would
merge the sovereignty of an indepen-
dent republic into the supremacy Of the
United States. This important, clear
and far-reaching precedent Is a suffici-
ent guide for the action of congress In the
passage of the joint resolution herewith
reported. If. in the Judgment of con-
gress, such measure is supported by n
safe and wise policy, or is based upon n
national duty that we owe to the people
of Hawaii, or is necessary for our ma
tional development and security. that
Is enough to justify annexation with the
consent of the recognized government of
the country to be annexed"