The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-02
THE REMARKS YESTERDAY
SENATOR WHITE READS FROM
SHERMAN'S BOOK.
SECRETARY DISTINCTLY AGAINST IT
Mr.. Platts Advocacy of Annexation is Met by
Speeches Of Senators Petiigrew and
White Sugar Senators FaVora-
Bile TO the Treaty.


Washington, d. c., Feb. 1.-The con-
ditiOn in the Senate respecting the Ha-
waiian annexation treaty has greatly
improved and the friends of the treaty,
including Senator Davis, Chairman of
the Foreign Relations Committee, are
confident that sixty Senators, whose
votes are necessary for Il twO-thirds ma
jority. will vote for ratification. Con
fidence i'm the changed condition is found
in the determination of the friends of
ratification to press forward the treaty
to a final vote. This feeling was shown
when the proceedings of the Senate of
the treaty in executive session to-day
We're opened. Senator ThurstOn made
II motion for the postponement Of furth-
er consideration of the treaty until the
last of March The motion waes not
discussed ant length, and was voted
down viva vOce.
senator platt. of Connecticut, opened
the debate with IL carefully arranged
argument in favor of annexation. lie
spoke for about an hour and a half and
dwelt particularly upon the Importance
Of the acquisition of the islands from
the commercial point of view. He con
tended THAT our commerce would in all
cases follow cur civilization and urged
that we should use every legitimate
method 10 extend our trade with out
side nations, as by pursuing this course
we would also extend our institutions
and IDEAS of government. The Ha-
waiia Islands he regarded as essential
~ 4sae cBmnaud Of the traffic on the
Pacific ocean, No nation in the worlds
history had ever become prosperous or
really great that had not asSlduOusly
built up its foreign commerce.
Senator Platt charged that the sugar
trust was opposed to annexation. He
said that unCney was being used to de-
feat annexation. He did not charge,
he Said THAT there was any effort to
corrupt Congress, but he thought that
some interests had been unduly intiu-
enced. Mr.. Platt spoke at some length
upon the overthrow of the monarchy
and the establishment of the republican
form of government.
Senator Pettigrew took the floor as
soon as Mr.. PIatt had concluded, de-
voting himself especially to replying to
the Connecticut Senator's remarks con-
cerning the present government of the
islands. He made q careful analysis Of
the constitution under which the Dole
government exists, showing that it had
been adopted by what he termed am al
eyed constitutional convention COM
posed, he said, of nineteen members. one
Of whom was Mr.. Dole. who had been
members of the committee on Safety.
which played such a prominent part dur
ing the revolution and of eighteen other
delegates. He argued that while these
latter delegates had been elected by
what was called u popular vote, such
was not the case. OF 14,000 persons en-.
titled to suffrage, he asserted that only
1000 had voted for them. This con
ventiOn of thirty-seven PERSONS thus
chosen had adopted the constitution, and
it had never been submitted to Il popular
vote. Mr.. Pettigrew dwelt upon the
fact that Mr.. Dole mad been a member
of this convention and said that gen
tleman had himself elected President of
the Republic and in doing so he prac,
tically arranged the matter so as to in
sure his permanence in office.
He then attempted to show how the
matter was practically in the control
of Mr. Dole and of the Sugar growers.
Senator White. of California, also
spoke in opposition to the ratification of
the treaty. His was in the main a
constitutional argument intended to show
that the annexation of territory which
would require a navy to defend it had
been from the beginning opposed to
our theory of government. Mr.. White
read liberal extracts from Secretary
ShermanS book i'm which the Secretary
lwells upon the unwisdom of making the
Stands a part of the United States. He
aid especial stress upon the Secretary 5
remarks in the latter part of his book
TO the effect that he hoped there would
be no further effort to annex the is.
lands during his hfe time.
Senator White had not concluded his
arguments when the Senate adjourned.
He took occasion to remark in reply to
Senator Platts statement that the sugar
TRUST was opposed to the treaty, that the
most of the Senators who were popular
lv believed to be interested in the sugar
trust. were favorable to the treaty.