The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-20
ANNEXATION IS NOT CERTAIN
SOME DOUBT ABOUT RESULT IN
THE SENATE.
Each Side Is Confident of Victory
Many Republicans Lukewarm, But
Administration Influence May Win

Washington, June 19.-The Hawaiian
question comes to the front again in
the senate during the present week,
but under somewhat different circum-
stances from those which attended its
presentation at the beginning OF the
session. The purpose was then, as II
! is now, to secure the annexation OF the
! islands to the United States. but the
effort at that time was to secure TINS
result by means of a treaty, whereas
/ the present course was through the
! fundamentally of a joint resolution.
! On the first occasion the matter was
| considered in executive session, WIth
the public excluded, while now tl9
doors are to be thrown open and TIC
world invited. What the outcome OF
the question may be, or when a vote
may be reached, no one will undertake
to say positively. The leaders on beth
sides are full of prophecy, but there is
so much discrepancy between the'-
opinions as to render it necessary to
discard one in order to accept the
other. The friends of annexation as
sert that there is no possible doubt OF
their ability to pass the resolution,
and say they have IS senator's, or one
more than a quorum, pledged to re-
main in the senate until the que;-i IN
can he decided while the opposing
leaders declare that As senators have
assured them they will vote to All
journ III preference to remaining IL
session indefinitely for the consider a.
ton of the Hawaiian question. The
supporters of the proposition express
confidence that action will be secured
within ten days, while the oppo iition
contend that it will be found to De i'm
possible to secure vote during the
present session of congress. The adj
Voc&tes of annexation declare that they
will not make any speeches, leaving
the CDR OnentS to occupy all the time
to be consumed by this means. The
opposition say they are willing to make
the speeches. if compelled to do so,
but that if forced to do this, they will
insist that the friends of the measure
shall maintain a constant quorum in
the chamber. They also predict that
the annexationistS will find themselves
compelled TO participate in the proceed
ings, as they expect to advance points
which will demand refutation, or at
least reply.
In view Of this generally contradic-
tory condition, one can only base pre-
diction upon general conditions. There
is no doubt in the first place, that the
annexationists have a majority in the
senate, if a vote can be reached If
a vote could be gotten now the result
would be about "a for annexation to 35
against in a full senate. OF these 81
senators there are, however, quite a
number who are not jealous and in
whose mind all doubts as to the ac-
QUESTION of outside territory have not
been overcome. These senators, as a
rule, are indispoSed to remain in Ses-
sion for any length of time during the
hot summer months to consider Ha-
waiian annexation. Most of the sena-
tors of this class are Republicans, and
there are probably a sufficient number
Of them under normal circumstances to /
join with the Democrats to force an
They find themselves
confronted, however. with the request 4
of the administration to remain and I
pass the resolution as war measure, |
and some of them are disposed to sink (
their own preferences in obedience to /
the presidential wish. The gossip as to |
The probability OF. postponement until /
a fixed day in the next session in /
creases, and many persons are pre-
dieting that this will be the outcome
Of the contest.
a test vote will probably be secured
Monday on the taking up of the reso-
luton, as it viii be necessary to take
t up TO displace other measures on
he calendar.