Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-02-09
The Reason the Speaker Of the House
Opposes Annexation.
He Hopes by Running Counter TO Mckinley 10
Take Advantage Of All the Mis-
takes He May Make.

int estiDg di-patch from is
Washington correspondent, the
wellknowu II. ellison Gordon, Oh
the Speaker of the House and the
reason of his opposition to thr
annexation of Hawaii, which
says:
Speaker Reed is opposed to
the annexation of Hawaii. He is
also opposed to the passage Of the
Cuban brlligerent resolution.
Next to President Mckinley, the
Speakers opinion is the most i'm
portant factor in the considera--
ton OF these two pressing ma ters.
Few people outside of states men.
we will not say politicians, who
daily feel the force of his rule
realize the fpll measure of Tom
Reeds influence. Tom is not a
snowy mau. He seldom appears
in interviews. He's rather com
ical thug to look at, hut next t.
the President there's not man at
the Capital who has more power,
and no man, not excepting the
President, who has a more force
ful aud vigorous personality.
Large in body and in brain, ful
blooded, keen with the wit of al
lrishman and a Yankee combin
ed, and with an experience in pub
lie life covering many years, this
single man holds the legislation
of the United States in his grip.
Even the Senate must bow before
him, for when those grave old
fogies have passed a bill it must
still pas Tom Red.
Representatives talk, and their
speeches go into the Record and
are circulated free of postage for
edifcation of their constituents:
but unless Tom agrees the talk is
barren of legislation, and when
Tom thinks a bill should become
a law it is made so with a few
words. All of which is merely
to throw light on the importance
lately attributed to Reeds views
on Hawaii and Cuba. Whether
the sugar trust is opposed to, or
in favor of the annexation of Ha
wall, is comparatively insignif-
cant, when it is remembered thst
the subject will in all probability
come before the House in the form
o ia joint resolution. The sugar
trust may be responsible for the
sudden strength developed IN the
Senate opposition. The friends
of annexation are making out a
very good case to sustain this
charge; bat whatever the reason,
the fact remains that what pro
missed last summer to be a bnule-
ward in smoothness has become
rocky way filled with obstacles
and pitfalls, and annexation is
stumbling along in the most fee.
bic and precarious manner.
sand in front looms high,
sheer, precipitous Tom Reed.
Attention thus drawn to the
Speaker, the public has been
active in seeking for an explana->
tion of his conduct. An ingan.
ious and plausible one says Reed
is secretly opposing the ad minis
tration with intent to discredit
and defeat it's pet measures, The
cause is readily found in his
failure to secure the Presidentia'
nomination in the race with Nc
kinley, and the purpose to solace
his retirement with sauce of little |
quiet revenge. 1t is also ssid-a
different theory--that he has not
given up hopes of securing the
Republican nomination in 1900,
and to this end he is craftiIy
posing as the barrier between the
and conservative bust
ness interests of the country.
While Mckinley plays the game
OF war and territorial aggrand
izement Reed will stand for the
opposite, and should the Presi :
dents policy by any mischance or
misjudgment result in a fasco the
one to profit by the mistakes will
be Tom Reed.
/" This may explain in part the
position of the Speaker on the
Hawaiian question, but it scarcely
harmonizes at all points with the
administrations attitude on the
passage of the Cuban resolution.
cKinley's course in regard