New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-22
WORK ON THE HAWAIIAN BILL.
LITTLE PROGRESS TOWARD FINAL VOTE
IN THE SENATE

Washington, Feb 81 (SpeciaD.-Little additional
progress was made to-day in the Senate on the
bill creating a territorial government for Hawaii.
Most of the time taken up with discussion
of the section requiring judicial appointments to
be made by. the Governor and not, in other
American Territories. by the President
In place of an amendment offered by Mr. Clark.
Of Wyoming, Mr.. Morgan presented a substitute
for Section 70 of the bill providing that the secre
tary of the Interior should make investigation
of the public land laws Of Hawaii and that the
Secretary Of Agriculture should make examna-
ton and report the agricultural and forestry condi
tons, $500 to be appropriated for each Of the in
vestigations. The substitute agreed to.
Mr.. Plat. of Conn9cticut, offered amendments
to Section 81 of the bill providing that the Pres!
dent, and not the Governor Of the Territory. shall
appoint the Chief Justice and Justices of the Su-
preme Court and the judges OF the circuit courts,
and that the tenure of office of such appointees
shall be four years instead of nine years. Mr..
Plat made extended argument in support of
his amendments, holding that the propositions
to the appointment Of officials and the tenure of
office radically different from those incor-
porated in previous enabling acts for territory.
Mr.. Cullom. in charge of the measure defended
the action Of the committee in placing the appoint
ments referred to in the Governor and not in the
President In justification of this action, he said
the Government of Hawaii when the territory
was acquired by the United States of
the best republican forms Of Government in
stence. and 1t was the desire of the committee to
afford the people of Hawaii full and free gov
eminent could be extended them in the cir
cumstances.
In opposition to the proposed amendment Mr.
Morgan reviewed the situation the Hawaiian
Commission found II in the islands and argued
that the Justices mentioned in the amendment
should have a longer tenure Of office than four
years. as IN that time no man stranger to
Hawaii could master the customs, institutions
and language of the people He did approve
Of making these positions political footballs.
Referring Mr. Platt's argument that the
propositions Of the bill were different from what
had ever been applied to a Territory. he said:
That ought TO make difference If this Gov
eminent is never to do anything that IT never did
before will sit down and become thoroughly
stale. Whether you call II expansion or some
thing else. l am in favor of lifting up this Gov
eminent and our institutions and pressing onward
day by day
In the course OF his argument Mr. Morgan was
interrupted by Mr.. Tilman. who wanted to know
how many registered voters there were In Hawaii
at the present time. He thought about four fbo1I-
sand. composed largely Of Americans Germans
and other white foreigners
Mr.. Culom volunteered the information that IN
1890 the voters numbered about eleven thousand
Mr.. Wocott expressed desire to offer a 'sug-
gestion' 20 Mr. Tillman. He called attention 70
ton TO population at the last general eIectlo1
Mr Tillman tried to reply, but Mr.. Morgan who
held the floor, refused to yield wht reupon Mr.
Ttllman retorted sharply: "Of course / shall have
TO yield under such gag rule, / suppose"
Without concluding, Mr.. Morgan yielded for nm
executive session. and the Senate at 445 D. m adj
journed. . 49, A