The herald., 1898-02-15

lion requiring the preSiueht " Aui iiio'
the senate with certain Information rel
ative to Cuba, said it was his desire SIM
ply to ascertain the situation in Cuba at
the present time.
1T JIG important" said he, that be-
fore any action is taken by the senate
upon this matter we know whether the
government has recognized the auton-
omous government in Cuba in advance
of its perfection. and whether an agent
has come here to discuss reciprocity
with the United States. The informa-
tion asked for will clear the atmosphere
and prevent us from stumbling or max
ing any naisstep IN any consideration we
may give the matter.
The resolution was passed. 1t is as
follows:
"Resolved That the president is re-
quired. if in his opinion it is not incom-
patible with the public service to sanG
10 the senate copies of the reports Of the
consul-gcneral and of the consuls of The
United States in Cuba, written or re-
ceived since March l. 1897. which relate
TO the state OF war in that island, and
the condition of the people there or that
he will send such parts of said reports
as will inform the senate as to these
facts,
Second. Tha; the president inform
the senate whether any agent Of gov
ernment in Cuba has been accredited to
this government or the president of the
United States with a view TO negoia-
ting a treaty Of reciprocity with the
United States or any diplomatic or COM
mereial agreement with the United
States; and whether such person has
been recognized and received as the
representative OF such government i'll
Cuba"
The senate then, at 1:25 p. m, on mo-
tion of Mr.. Davis, went into executive
session, and at $40 p. m. adjourned.
COMBINATIONS
The senate today confirmed these
nominations: George NJ. Bowers of
West Virginia to be fish commissioner.
Postmaster-New Mexico: J. a. Car
ruthe, East Las Vegas.
IN EXECUTIVE SESSION
The senate devoted almost four hours
in executive session TO the considera-
tion of the Hawaiian treaty. The prin
clpal speech was made by Senator Petit
grew, this being the third installment of
his remarks upon the subject
Senator Pettigrew devoted himself to-
day largely to the administration of
President Dole showing how the gov
ernment of Queen Liliuokalani had been
overthrown. and TO presentation of his
views of this governments participa-
tion in the revolution.
He contended that the downfall of the
queens government was due to con-
spiracy on the part of Minister Stevens,
representing the United States, and a
few citizens of Honolulu, of whom Pres
\ident Dole was one, who were backed
by marines from a United States bat
tleship. Pettigrew also contended that
the passages of the Mckinley tariff law
had been the direct cause Of the revolu-
tion by which the queens government
was overthrowl, the motive 70 be TO
secure the bounty of 2 cents per pound
on domestic sugar which that law pro-
vided. He quoted a letter from Minister
Stevens saying that the provision for
this sugar bounty had ruined the sugar
business of the islands unless they could
be annexed TO the United States and
cited other authorities to maintain this
contention.
Summing up Pettigrew said that the
opponents of annexation claimed 70
have established four points They had,
llt SstiNi, siipN u, iiiot' tiie'S TN Ao''S 49,
the Orient via the Aeutian islands was
1000 miles shorter than that via Homo
lulu. Second. that no battleshp coal
ing on the Hawaiian islands could reach
the United States in condition to fight
and that on this account the possession
of the islands would he an element of
weakness rather than of strength which
was in opposition to the theory that the
islands were necessary to defense.
Third that the commerce of the islands,
which had been claimed to be an i'm
portant reason for annexation, was con-
stantly declining and was less than that
of an ordinary county of the United
States. Fourth. that one of the Aleutian
islands would afford Il more secure foot
ing and Il shorter route for n cable to
Asia than would the route via Honolulu.
Teller made = brief statement calling
pettigreW's attention to the fact that
tho United States minister was not the
only representative of foreign govern
ment who had recognized the Dole gov
ernment. I'ottiSreW replied that this
WAS true, but the recognition of the
other governments had not come until
the day following the queens abdica-
tion, whereas Minister Stevens recogni-
tion had been before that time
Senator Proctor of Vermont followed
with a brief speech in favor of anneXa-
ton. He devoted himself exclusively to
the military phase of The question. He
cited the fact that England has strongly
fortified posts all along our Atlantic
seaboard, beginning With Halifax and
taking in the Berlnudas and the West
Indies. He also called attention to the
strong fortress at Esquimalt, and said
that if England should possess the Ha-
Waiian islands, as she might easily do
in case we let this opportunity TO ac-
quire them pass by, her drum beats
would be heard almost entirely around
the United States, and that she would be
able to attack US from her OWE territory
in any direction.
He also contended that it would he a
comparatively easy matter for the Jap
anese to acquire the islands by populat-
ing them, as they were apparently very
strongly inclined to do. He said that the
United States, failing to make the ISL
ands a part Of this country could not
regard their seizure by some other pow
er as an offense against this country. We
could not play the dog in the manger
refusing to accept the territory our
selves or to allow others t. take it. He
attempted to contrOVcT the statement
of Senator PettigTeW that Warships
could not carry sufficient fuel from Ha-
Wai to make them effective either for or
against the United States in case Of hos
tilitics, ana quoted statistics to show