The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-07
Senate Scheme for n Territorial Form
of Government for the Islands
Was Not Satisfactory.
TWO AMENDMENTS REJECTED
SPIRITED DEBATE OVER CHANGES
PROPOSED BY MIR. HILL.
Senator Deboe Determined to Have
Mr.. Blackburn's Credentials
Referred to Committee.


WASHINGTON, April 6.-The House.
after four days of debate, passed the sub
stitute for the Senate bill providing for
a territorial form of government for Ha-
wall. The bill now goes to conference. The
most interesting feature of the days pro-
ceedings was the attempt of Mr. Hill, OF
Connecticut, to secure the addition of
two amendments, one providing for resi-
dent commissioner instead of a delegate In
Congress, and the other declaring that
nothing In the act should be interpreted
as a pledge of statehood. Both were over
whelmingly defeated. During the debate
Mr.. Hill said he opposed anything that
squinted at the possible formation of flu
ture State out of the islands He said there
were few members of Congress who looked
forward TO the admission Of Hawaii as
a State. He had voted for annexation un-
der the distinct impression that nothing
of the kind had ever been contemplated.
Yet here Hawaii was poisoning into a
full-fedged Territory.
Does the gentleman believe in taxation
without representation asked Mr.. Fitz-
gerald. of Massachusetts.
There are only 100000 people in Hawaii"
replied Mr.. Hill. There are 100000 peo-
pie in Washington. yet the people of Wash
ington are taxed without representation"
But do you believe i'm the principle?"
persisted Mr.. Fitzgerald.
II believe Washington is the best gov
erned city earth" responded Mr.. Hill.
Proceeding, he said he did not believe the
people of the United States were pre-
m oh ha rd he
statehood of our insuar possessions. 1t
was step from a Territory to a State
and political exigencies may arise at any
time that will induce the dominant party
to admit the Territory. He would not
vote to place delegate from anywhere
the floor of this House who was not
elected by constituency which knew what
IL was doing. z4
Mr.. Hit, of Illinois, who was a member
of the Hawaiian commission. opposed the
amendment. He said 1t was desirable in
legislating for the island that there should
be delegate on the floor who could be
questioned If there was no delegate the
corridors would be crowded with lobby
lists representing special interests. Every
body knew what a lobbyist was. Whether
he was an Ex-Governor, an ex-senator,
an eX-justice of the Supreme Court or a
common hireling in Washington, he repre-
sented special interests. Mr.. Hit recalled
that the ministers from Hawaii in the past,
Messrs. Carter, Thurston, Hatch and Hast
ings, were all honorable men who had the
privilege of the floor but no voice.
THE gentleman has had broad expert
enee with foreign affairs, interrupted Mr..
Hill. Does he know of single insular
government in the world, either in Great
Rritain France Germany any other
European power, which has a representa-
tive in the home Parliament"
HIT WINS APPLAUSE.
''We are a popular representative gov
eminent. essentially" replied Mr.. HIT
land a republic does not need to take
lessons from monarchies in the applica-
ton of our own system" IGreat applause
on both sides of the House,
Mr.. Williams, Off mississippi, argued
that the Constitution entitled every or
ganzed Territory to delegate the
floor of the House. He had opposed the
annexation of Hawaii originally because
he had foreseen the race problem il would
bring with it. He replied with much feel
ing to Mr.. Hills reference, earlier in the
Cay, to the restricted suffrage in Missis-
sippi. Does the gentleman imagine said
he, that we of the South take any pride
in the fact that we are compelled TO re-
strict the suffrage in the interests of civil
ization?''
81 do not" replied Mr.. HILL "but why
not apply the same system to Hawaii?'
Whenever / am faced with the race
problem. continued Mr.. Williams, 81 stand
for white supremacy. 1 stand for white
supremacy in Hawaii as / stand for it
i'm Mississippi" 1t was the duty of man
to lift up those below him. if he could,
continued the speaker, but there was no
Injunction, human or divine. which obliged
white men to herd with the ignorant. He
had no idea that the blacks would ever
rise to the plane of the whites and he in
dulged in no hypocrisy about Ii. Mr.. Will
liams said ii ill-became the representatives
of Connecticut and Rhode Island to taunt
the men of the South with their election
laws. He created much amusement by
of the election laws in Rhode Island and
Connecticut and drew the fire of the repre-
sentatives of those States.
When Mr. Hill offered amendment
providing that nothing in the act should
be construed as pledge of statehood in
the immediate or distant future Mr.. Knox
characterized the amendment, in the words
OF former Representative Walker, of
Massachusetts, as Almighty damn nom
sense"
Then the committee reported the bill
and amendments to the House Mr. Bar
tholdt. of Missouri moved to recommit the
hill with instructions TO strike out the
amendment prohibiting the sale of in
&c xicating liquor in saloons in Hawaii and
report the bill back forthwith as amend
ed. The motion was lost-50 to So. The
bill was then passed. 120 to IS.
Bills were passed to authorize the
Shreveport & Red River Valley Railroad
to build bridge across the Red river at
Alexandria, La, and to create the north
western district of the northern district
of Georgia. AT $3.50 p. m. the House add