The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-11-14
HAWAII
At THE
CAPITOL
Senator Mitchell
Talks of His
Trip.
Especial to the Advertiser.)

WASHINGTON. ID. c., Nov. 2.-Ihe
beginning of the legislative efforts for
Hawaii here In Washington will come
In about two weeks, when the Sena-
torial Committee expects to gather here.
Senator Mitchell, of oregon, is on his
way, having left oregon several days
ago, but he proposes to stop at several
places on the way so there Is no telling
whether he will be here for a week or
ten days yet.
As is known the Senator has refused
to say much of a definite character
about the investigation that the COM
mittee made the'past summer in Ha
wall. Just before he left oregon, how
ever, he talked for one of the local
newspapers there more freely than he
has talked elsewhere. That is often
the case with prominent politicians.
Senator Mitchell is quoted in the news
paper article in question as follows:
MY committee has collected large
supply of information to present to
Congress. We have now to digest that
information and to prepare our report.
To do this will take some time. The
committee will meet at Washington
November u, and will get down to work
about the middle of the month. So
you see we will have only about three
weeks for our work before Congress
convenes. What form our recommended
tons will take | am not prepared to
say. But our report will be the basis
of number of radical changes in the
government of the Hawaiian Islands.
The laws there are defective-very de-
fective. We reached the islands in the
midst of a number of Doodle scandals.
improvements are needed in the organic
law of the territory. 1t is now a high
ly centralized government, without that
closely-connected system of admins
tration which is needed for its good
operation. The territory has no depart
ments of government to correspond to
those of our counties or cities. Every
thing is under the Governor and the
Secretary of the Territory, who are APP
pointed by the President. But these
are only a few of the details of our in
vestigation."
Senator Mitchell has a collection of
pictures taken of him when he was in
Hawaii. At the reporters request he
brought them forth. One of them show
ed him attired in the native flower
garb which visitors to the islands fire.
quently don for a pose before the
camera A glance at the souvenir sug-
gested the question whether Hawaii
was a good place in which to live.
"a very beautiful place." responded
the Senator. Looks like Paradise. But
/ shouldn't wish to live there. The
climate is enervating to a native of
the Northern attitudes It's in the
tropics, you know"
The Cuban reciprocity treaty has
been the theme of much gayety in high
circles since my last letter. At this
to eaiI he. nab no. Ia,
Washington but hitherto unopened be-
cause most of the big officials are alb
sent and there is no one in town with
authority to break the seal thereof. AS
soon as the fact of the high discrimi-
mating duties against articles imported
into Cuba from other countries than the
United States got abroad the diplomats
made a terrific howl and there are
plenty Of indications that tremendous
pressure was brought to bear upon the
weak Cuban vessels. Some think the
foreign governments will be strong
enough to prevent the ratification OF a
treaty SO unfavorable to them. There
have been efforts to mix up with the
negotiations, the acquisition of coaling
stations and the like but 1t seems more
probable that the reciprocity question
will be divorced from that entirely and
tnuS StAnd on It's own merits.
Within the last few days signs have
developed that the reciprocity treaty
will have stout opposition in the SEN
ate. This may not be direct and open
opposition but nevertheless powerful.
Senators from beet sugar states may at
first acquiesce in the ratification of
such a treaty but with 1t will go the
intimation that if the Cuban reciprocity
treaty is ratified they must also vote
to support the other eight reciprocity
treaties now pending before the Sem
ate. But ii happens that each one of
those reciprocity treaties is a club that
can be used to knock a lot OF life out
of the Cuban document. Not one of
those treaties is free from violent OPP
position on the part of n contingent OF
states, whose products will be affected
by lowering OF duties.
Yesterday Mr. Henry r. Oxnard the
Washington representative of beet SUI
gar interests, came To town and began
To arrange for the winter campaign.
Mr., OXnard has some well defined plans
and he IL very resourceful man. Just
as soon as the election is over there
will probably be something doing in
that particular line and II would be no
surprise II Congress were as much in
yolyed in the fight as Il was for several
months last winter, but the advantage
viii be win those who are fighting this
winter, because every day that action
Is STAYED m VIII be the gaining Of
ground, as Congress expires by Com
siitutlnnnl limitation On March 4
Before THIS letter reaches Hawaii the
result ~ the Congressional election will
bn known Ia Honolulu As N usual. the
excitement ~ the approaching election
has killed Interest In almost everything
else hero ln Washington, Tho rest NJ
Tho cpunlry has been very apatheticI
hui Washington always ihrlhs andl
rulsaies Over politics, as very large
portion ~ Tho population has u meet
inioFesi ana ihe welfare ana lho future
~ lsrse portion ~ tho peonle are