The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-16
At i
WASHINGTON
Newsy Letter From Mr.
W. N. Armstrong.
HAWAIIAN; BILL TOLD OF
Some Strong Talk Against a Delegate
To Congress Being Granted
This Country.

WASHINGTON, April 2.-De0ate on |
the Hawaiian bill. in the House. begins
tomorrow, the 3rd, and concludes on
the 5th For, sevsiat' riaysf last rweSF<. \
the special friends OF the bill suffered |
from cold. shiver, when ii became
known chat the friends of the Porto |
Rico bill weEesmaking earnest sefforts |
10 postpone the debate on the Hawaii
an bill until the, Porto Rico matter
was seto,eds This proposition was
made not Thorough any unfriendliness
towards the Ha8diian bill. but in order
to prevent IL II passed, from standing
as a precedent for free trade. In the
present. but only temporary democrat
ization of Tie Republicans, owing to
their strong difference of opinion on
Jhe policy of dealing with the new pos
sessions. the leaders who are in favor
of a tariff upon Porto Rico goods, are
counting every hostile influence, and
as umed as a paUter of safety that the
Hawaiian bill ,should be put behind
legislation fort Porto Rico. But, the
friends Of the Hawaiian bill. including
many who favor the tariff provisions
for Porto Rico, insisted that Hawaii
had the right Of way, by unanimous
consent; that ii would show weakness
on the part of the Republicans to de-
lay the debate on the Hawaiian mat
ter, and, moreover, it would show that
the Republicans were quite ready to
enforce their policy of granting the
Constitution and free trade to one por-
ton of the new possessions.
and of denying these privi-
leges to others of the pos
sessions. The proposition to hang
up" the Hawaiian matter was not
openly discussed. but was a matter of
private conference. Speaker Hender-
son. who had 50 emphatically said at
the dinner given by the Hawaiian rep
resentatives, am the friend of your
people. and shall do all / can TO help
you declared against any delay
Chairman Knox of the Committee, on
Territories, insisted that Hawaii had
the right of fo1y, and must kssp al
and that ii .wo{la disclose weakness to
allow even a Temporary side track
The result OF she conference was 20
tackle the HAWAIIAN business on the
cih anu VII Iut Jul.
proposition fors delay caused much
anxiety for a few hours, especially
among those who realize the ease with
which any measure may be hung
up" The policy Of those who have
charge CT the bill in the House is to
ignore the Senate bill entirely. pass
the House bill, and then ask for a con-
ference with the Senate. This is in
the nature of a short cut in parlia-
mentary proceedings, and, il success
full, will close up the business on any
day frCin the 10th to the 18th Of this
month. In the conference, there will
be many changes which will be ben
eficial to the interests of the Islands.
The Committee on Territories is dis
posed to abandon some of it's own
| amendments, especially that regarding
the land laws, and leave to the Ha-
waiian authorities the entire manage
ment of their own land affairs.
There has been a disposition on the
part OF some leading Republicans. tC
oppose any provision for a delegate
! from Hawaii, on the theory that the
new possessions ought not TO have any
representative. 1t is strongly urged thai
| Hawaii, at least. should have one, be-
| cause she is largely "AmericaniZed,'
while the other possessions are not
one OF the leading Republicans said
without property qualification the
mob in Hawaii will not send a trust
worthy or capable delegate" The reply
| TO this was that Hawaii must take hel
| chances, and if she sends an undesir.
able delegate, she must take the con
sequences.
| The Hawaiians here including Mr.
Cecil Brown, dined with several OF tn,
leading Democrats, last week. Amoni
them were Mr.. Richardson. the leader
of the Democratic party in the House
Col. Berry of Kentucky, Mr.. William
OF Mississippi and Mr.. Griggs OF Geor
gia. The silent influence OF Col. Berry
who visited the islands. several year.
ago, has been strongly IN favor of TIT
best legislation for Hawaii. He is ex
tremely popular with the Democrats
Mr.. Richardson remarked that Col
| Berry had never failed to assure hi
Democratic friends that the govern
ment of Hawaii was remarkably homes
and conservative, and that it ought Il
be implicitly trusted. The statement
made by the personal enemies of TIL
present government regarding pulls
anu corruption nave DteH pTOmpil.
met and denied by Col. Berry, OF hi
own accord in his constant and dali.
intercourse with his Democratic asso
ciates. He has rendered good servic
10 Hawaii. and il is safe to predict tina
the Democratic leader in the House vii
make no opposition 10 the bill. simpl.
for the purpose of nagging the Re
publicans. or in order TO hamper tn
Executive in dealing with Hawaii.
Aside from the political questions
there Is a matter affecting the negr
character which is becoming promi
nent in the District of Columbis
There are nearly 10000 negroes in tn
District. Washington Is the Mecca G
these people. They hold the belief de
rived from much that has been said b
Northern friends of the negro. that tn
Republican party is under obligatio