The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-03-29
OUR STATUS
IS SETTLED
Hawaii is to Become a
Territory.
so SAYS W. n, ARMSTRONG
Interesting Letter on Matters and
Things at the National
Capital.

WASHINGTON, d. c., March IL
The Congressional Record exhibits
from day to day the wide research and
study OF members Of Congress or the
Constitutional question. Many Of the
speeches made in both Houses are
done mainly for the purpose OF making
regulations among constituents. Sen
ator Spooner calls the Senate a con
stitutional debating society,"" Senator
Foraker says the question is now far
beyond the debating stage. He Insists
that a decision by the Supreme Court,
on the question whether or not the
over the Territories, Is now absolutely
necessary. The decisions OF that high
court extending back for a hundred
years are quoted on both sides. The
speeches abound in citations from these
decisions. But these opinions, appar-
emily, sustain both sides in the consti-
,usional argument. Daniel Websters
opinion, which was published In the
Advertiser in 1898, was again 4uoted
yesterday by Senator Teller, who de-
clared that Mr.. Webster's opinion,
which held that Congress had arbitrary
power over the Territories, was no
more authoritative than the opinion of
any living Senator.
Behind this decision is the exigency
Of the political situation. The Hawaii
an que ticn is practically .e,tlsd. The
Islands were annexed under an i'm
piled, IL not express, contract that the
Constitution should be forthwith ex-I
tended over them, with every right
which that implies. No one disputes
This proposition. A suggestion made
several weeks ago by the sugar beet
men, that a duty should be placed on
Hawaiian sugar, met with a prompt re-
fusal. II was said on all sides that no
experiments" should be tried with the
Islands, because their relations had
been established by agreement and not
conquest.
Nor would the Porto Rico affair cause
any division in the Republican ranks ifI
The greater questions of the Philippines
and Cuba were not behind IL.
The President and many Of his
friends believe that the Northwest has
.ost it's head" in denouncing the bill
for the government of Porto Rico pass
ed by the House. Many intelligent men
OF that island cordially approve Of IL.
From an economical standpoint the
President believes that it Is excellent;
but the people, especially those OF the
Northwest, have given way to their
sentiments of generosity towards the
Porto Ricans and refuse to listen TO
reason. So the disposition of the Pres
ident's friends Is to hold the bill In the
Senate until the people cool of In
the meantime the appropriation of So
OCO.0OO for the government and relief
OF that island may moderate the excit-
ed feelings Of the people. There has
been an unusual amount of hot Ian
guage used and some very bad words
uttered in the corridors and commit
tee rooms OF the Senate and House
over the temporary split in the ranks
OF the Republicans. The Democrats
naturally rejoice: but their weakness
lies in their signal failure to propose
any suitable plan of meeting the con-
ditions created by the Spanish war.
which the people will approve. They
try TO pull up the Republican plants,
and instead Of replacing them with de-
sirable Democratic plants. simply lean
on their hoes-veritable men with the
hoes'-and say, What will you do
nCxt?" Tillman of South Carolina per-
sistently glories in the Republican diff
ferences, but he said yesterday In the
debate, You (the Republican pSrty)
are the best organized party ever saw,
and no matter how you talk I've no
doubt you'll all -ound up on the vote"
At the present moment the prevail
ing idea Is TO furnish the President
with the money and let him run" the
government OF Porto Rico until the
next session Of Congress.
AS the Senate voted squarely yester-
day on the question OF extending the
Constitution TO that Island, and de-
cided that IL did not, by thirty-six
votes to sevent cen, the laboring class
es now have this assurance that - P
millions OF Philippine Orientalai- ar.
not. and cannot be, Amertc-en citizens
until Con gress so declares.
The Hawaiian Bill nov az yaits actor
on the 5th OF April, after a, general de