The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-21
SHOW DOWN IN THE SENATE.
FRIENDS OF ANNEXATION WIN BY
A VOTE OF Al TO 10.

Test Came on a motAOh 10 AuJOuEhs
Showed the Numerical Weakness
of the OppOsitiOn-PrOceed of
the Day Indicate the Determine
ton of the Friends of Annexation
to Waste No Tine in Speech-MaI<-
ing-RncOn of Georgia Makes the
principal Speech of the Day.
washington, June 2O.-Discussion by the
Senate of the question of Hawaiian an
nexation was begun to-day in open session.
At the very opening of the question the
opponents of annexation quite unexpected
" scored a point by preventing yea and
nay vote on taking up the resolutions.
When Mr. Davis, chairman of the COM
mittee on foreign relations called up the
resolutions, the Vice President, as usual
announced that without objection the res
olutions would be considered. No objec-
ton being entered, he declared the reso-
lutions to be before the Senate.
A minute or two later, Mr.. Frye of
Maine demanded the yeas and nays upon
the request to take up the resolutions.
Mr. White of California instantly made
the point of order that yea and nay vote
could not be had on a dead issue-that the
resolutions were already before the Senate
by unanimous consent. OF course the
point was sustained.
The opponents of annexation were decid-
edly pleased at preventing a show of
strength, but at 4:3O this afternoon, Mr.
White afforded the friends of annexation
the opportunity they had been waiting
He moved to adjourn, and, like flash
Mr. Davis demanded the yeas and nays
The motion to vote Upon, which was a
test of strength between the friends and
opponents of annexation, was decisive-4
to 10.
The detailed vote was as follows:
Yeas - Messrs. Bacon, Bate,
Berry, Butler, Chiffon, Clay,
CockreH, Jones of Arkansas.
Mallory. Pasco, Pettigrew, Roach, Turley,
Turner and Whites.
Nays-Messrs. Aldrich, Allison, Baker.
Burrows, Cannon, Carter, Clark, Cullom,
Davis, Elkins Fairbanks Foraker, Frye
Gallinger, German Hale, Hanna Hans
brough, Harris, Hawley, Heitfield, Hoar,
Kyle, Lindsay Lodge McLaurin McAIil-
Ian, Money, Morgan, Penrose, Perkins,
Pettus, Plat of Connecticut Pritchard,
Rawling, Sewell, Shoupe, Spooner. Stew
art Teller, Warren, Wellington, Wetmore
and Wilson-A
Having gained his point in developing
the numerical weakness of the opposition,
Mr. Davis readily agreed to enter a mo
ton for an executive session.
clearly that there is to be no debate upon
the Hawaiian question in the ordinary
acceptation of that term. 1t is not the
purpose of the friends of annexation to
consume time in making speeches. Be
lieving that the Senate has already in
executive session thoroughly discussed
the question they will permit the oppon-
ents of the project to occupy all of the
time.
This plan of campaign is not satisfac-
tory to the latter, and during the session
to-day considerable bitterness was mani
Tested at times
The speakers to-day were Mr. Morrill,,
the venerable senator of Vermont, and one
of the Republican opponents of annexation,
and Mr.. Bacon, Dem, of Georgia.
Mr.. Morrill, covered the general question,
While Mr.. Bacon discussed the power of
Congress to annex territory by legislative
act maintaining tnat such annexation was
unconstitutional.
No more important question than this"
said he in beginning, has been brought
recently TO the attention of Congress. 1t is
not simply the question of the annexation
of very small territory but il is one
which involves an utter revolution of the
practice OF our government and of the OBJ
hSauons the government lays upon the
people
The proposition which I intend to dis
cuss is that measure which provides for
the annexation of territory is necessarily
and essentially the subject matter of a
treaty, and the assumption of the House
that the Senate viii pass upon il in this
way Is without constitutional ground"
MT. Teller spoke briefly on the parlia-
mehtary situation. lie asserted that no
senator had the right TO farm out the time
OF the Senate, saying that the consent of
no senator making speech was necessary.
Tor interrupting him when that speaker
mas taken his seat. AS for himself he was
prepared now TO vote for the Hawaiian an
neXation resolution, but he recognized the
1iSht OF all to be heard on the subject and
ne pleaded for a proper regard for the
amenities of the Senate in considering the
question.
Resuming, Mr.. Bacon addressed himself
to the legal and constitutional questions
at issue. He contended that the Joint
resolution now before the Senate was a
nlrect blow at prerogative of the SEN
ate IN that the only proper method of an
heXing foreign territory was by means
Oh treaty He urged the importance OF
maintaining the constitutional method III
so important an undertaking.
IN this connection he deprecated the sug-
gestton that the President could seize the
hawaiian Islands without the concurrence
OF the Senate. The President would have
no more right thus TO seize Hawaii than
ne would have to seize jamaica Sun
such seizure would be as legal as would
annexation by joint resolution
Mr.. Bacon contended that a statute Of
one country could not be made obligatory
upon another country; hence the necessity
OF treaty in annexation proceedings, as
treaty only can bind both countries
Inc effort in the present proceedings was
10 make a treaty by statute. and this he
cohtended was irregular. He maintained
mat lnasmuch as the annexation of Ha-
wan coulQ be accomplished only by the
consent of two governments, ii was neces-
sariy contamination to be attained only
oy treaty. The executive action of the
United States alone would not be sufficient
legal and constitutional authority for an
neNatlon. In the course of his remarks,
Mr.. Bacon was frequently interrupted by
senator's with questions bearing upon the
constitutional point he was arguing.
IN concluding his speech Mr. Bacon said
tnat II the Senate passed the pending res
oiution, Congress would enter upon rev.
Gtuuon which would raise the flag of the
united states over a country whose PEG,
PIE We're entirely and essentially different
from our own people, revolution, too IN
which the Senate. because the majority