The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-12-07
Review Of the Outlook at Nation
al Capital.
ACCEPTANCE OF PHILIPPINES
Sharp Battle in the Sc nate is Anti
neutrality-suspicious. Issue.
Extra Session.

w =
29-The plans of the Administration
for avoiding an extra session OF both
Houses OF Congress next spring are
gradually assuming a definite form 1t
is already apparent that the treaty of
peace with Spain cannot be delivered
TO the Senate until late in December at
the earlist possible date. 1t will then
require some days for the completion
of the conferences now going on, will
then require another week to put the
treaty in proper language, inscribe 1t
on parchment and secure the sigma
lures of the Commissioners, and VIII
then require ten days for the Commits
sioners OF the United States to return
with it to this country. These events
cannot be consummated before the
middle of December, and it is probable
that the President will then require
few days for consultation with the
Commissioners and the preparation of
his message before sending the treaty
to the Senate 1t will hardly be possible
to make much progress with the con-
sideration of the treaty until after the
holiday recess.
a vigorous fight will be made against
retention of the Philippine Islands,
and it will be difficult TO secure the
ratification of the treaty by the present
Senate The Administration is already
preparing for this contingency. 1t will
be ascertained during the debate IN the
Senate whether the treaty can be ratl-
fed If ratification cannot be accom-
plished by the necessary vote OF two
thirds, the Administration will prob
ably prefer to lay the document aside
rather than encounter an adverse vote.
An extra session of the new Senate Will
then be summoned for the considera-
ton of the treaty Favorable action is
considered certain in the new Senate.
The Republicans will then have fifty
four Senators, where they now nave
forty-four and will need only six votes
to make the necessary two-thirdS.
These can be obtained from the silver
Republicans who supported Bryan and
from a few Democrats who favor ma
'tional expansion. 1t is anticipated that
lin the present Senate nearly all the
democrats will vote against the treaty
and make more than a third OF the
|Senate in opposition.
President Mckinley believed during
the summer that an extra session OF
both Houses of Congress would be re
uuired in the spring to provide for the
government of Cuba and any territory
which might fall to the United States
! as the result of the Spanish war. He
laoes not believe that Congress will be
READY so soon to legislate intelligently
upon the many questions which VIII
tarise regarding the civil adminlstra-
ltion, internal and external taxation,
land currency and banking. Congress
lean do practically nothing for any OF
the new dependencies until the treaty
has been ratified. 1t cannot be assumed
Iofficially before that time that Congress
has any authority over any OF the ISL
land taken from Spain except the au-
lthoritv derived from military occupa-
ltion. 1t will, therefore, be impossible
Ito proceed with legislation on a COM
lprehensive scale at the coming session
THE President appears to have learned
la lesson from the results Of Algerism
lin staff appointments. He is satisfied
THAT a government administered by
military officers will be more honest
land efficient for a time than one made
Iup of American civilians highly in
|dorsed by Platt, Quay and Alger. Il
1.-THE earlier ratification of the treaty
permits any legislation, provision may
be made for imposing certain limits o.
lcivil law upon the exercise of military
authority, but the graduates of Wes
Point and Annapolis will be the repre-
sentatives of the United States in thu
lnew dependencies rather than the
graduates of New York and Philadel
phia ward politics.
The plan which will be proposed t.
Congress for dealing with the depend
Iencies will be the appointment of spe
lcial commissions to study conditions il
each important island and report in thu
autumn the best plan of government
and fiscal administration. Provision
for such commissions can be made il
1.-The annual appropriation bills, ant
careful selections made by the Presi
ldent after the adjournment OF Con
gress It is possible that special Sc.
sion will be called in September or DC
ltober to act upon these and other mat
tiers before the country is in the tur
moil of a Presidential election. Thi
lis still an open question, in view Of tn
lmany contingencies which may affeo
1.-THE decision of the President. One cor