The San Francisco call., 1898-02-10
Vote Will Not Be Taken in the Upper House Within
 Two Weeks.
TRYING TO COERCE REED
Friends of the Measure Fail to Bring the Speaker Under Their
 Standard.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House,

w dSuluSlOIl, eD S
 It is claimed by the annexationists that a straw" vote taken in the Sen ate during the executive session to-day showed a majority of two for the Ha- waiian treaty. The accuracy of these figures is disputed. The poll is of no significance, anyhow for only a few Senators remained for the executive session after Mason concluded his speech on Cuba. The straw vote is considered of no importance by Sem ator Perkins, who said to The Call cor respondent tonight:
 'I am satisfied that the annexation ists have only f1fty-fve votes. They, therefore, lack five votes of the neces- sary sixty, and l do not see how it is possible for them to get the remainder. Therefore I think the treaty Is certain ly beaten"
 This Is the opinion of Senator White, who is so well satisfied with the situ ation that he will return to Los An geles on the 18th to try law case. Some of those opposed to annexation are fearful that the anneXationiStS will in some way take advantage of his ab sence, but this fear is groundless, for
 
 had arranged that the vote should not be taken during his absence. He will return in two weeks, in time to lead the opposition when the vote Is taken.
 It is by no means certain, however, that a vote will be reached that soon even, for Senators are resolved to dis cuss the treaty exhaustively This leads to the bief that neither the treaty nor the bill nor a joint reso- lution will be passed at this session, for Speaker Reed is anxious to adjourn the House early in May and will not allow an annexation bill to interfere with this plan. For this reason 1t Is the belief of Senator Perkins and others that the treaty will be allowed to go over until next December.
 The discourag cement of the annexa- tionists and their efforts to coerce Speaker Reed is best shown by the fol- lowing article in to-night's Star, the Dole organ here. The editor of the Star and President Dole are related by marriage The Star says:
 The advocates of the annexation of Hawaii regard it as entirely premature to talk at this time of what will be the bearing of certain influences in the House that the treaty will fail and 1t is only upon condition of its failure that the question would come before the House If the time comes when 1t shall be de- ctded to be better to accomplish anneXa- tion by legislation the attitude of Speaker Reed toward annexation will not be re- garded as seriously threatening to its success. There is no doubt about a large majority of the Republicans, supported by the administra ton, being strongly in favor of annexation. If MT. Reed should be disposed to make an active fight against annexation he would, at most have the assistance of only small mi nority of the Republicans. In order to make the opposition effective this minor- would O break from control and from the administration and join with and act as a contingent of the Democratic party.
 Evidently with the purpose of deter mining what could be done in the way of such a combination inquiries have been made as to how many Democrats in the against an annexation resolution. The answer to this inquiry was that not more than five or six Democrats in the House would vote In favor of such a resolution.
 This would of course, open the way for a minority of the Representatives to bolt their party and join the Democrats in an attack upon an important feature of the administrations policy. The effectiveness of party discipline thus far has demon strated that no such bolt as that could Speaker Without such sympathy it would be impossible to get enough Re- publicans to follow so radical course
 That Speaker Reed would promote or dDel SuCn d move IS not DeIl6NoQ. Ills power as Speaker, present and past has depended upon a demand upon Republi- cans that they stand together as a party in obedience to the will of the ma iority, and that none should join the Democrats in anything to overthrow the will of the party majority. But recently the Republicans were held thus to a policy with respect to Cuba which was distasteful to many. By the same in- f1uence the party lines were held together against the Teller resolution. To suppose for an instant that Speaker Reed would himself lead a revolt against the control of his party majority in the House in order to prevent the annexation of Hawaii Is to credit him with desire to destroy his own source Of power.
 No one will expect him to do such a thing.