The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-10-02
THE CUBAN
SITUATION

cane here last evening and left today
on his mission Of mediation to the is
land. whore the insurrection has as
sumed alarming proportions
The popular interest, Of course. is
with reference to the question of ulti-
mate annexation. The feeling here is
very strong that Intervention is not
unlikely. and with Intervention many
are asking whether annexation would
not soon follow. There is undoubtedly
big pressure from American business
interests in Cuba to bring about an
nexation. Edwin F. Atkins, the big
sugar magnate OF Boston, who has in
terests in extensive sugar plantations
In Cuba, has been here urging inter-
vention and also talking ultimate
annexation The German Ambassador
has been watching the situation close
ly, because of the effect upon the sugar
market of Europe and of the world
/ annexation might have.
| Secretary Taft expects to be able to
placate the factions in Cuba. 1t is be-
lieved here rnat he will succeed in that
mission and will suggest terms by
which the Palma government and the
insurgents will come to more amicable
relations But even with such a set
tlement, the possibility of a recurrence
of such an uprising as that which has
taken place within the last month will
be always present. Whether the an
pexation of the island, as a means of
settling the entire question, would be
popular is uncertain. But it is certain
that there will be agitation in favor of
annexation and that the campaign will
be waged with new earnestness from
this time on.
The calling of Congress in extra
session to consider the Cuban situation
is not probable The President is un-
derstood to interpret the Plat amend
nent as making the~function of inter
vention an executive function, and If
mediation through Secretary Taft fails,
the President would probably feel war
ranted in landing troops, preparations
for which are already made
Speaker Cannon and Congressional
against President Roosevelt and Post
master General Cortelyou. The latter
is Chairman of the Republican Ma
tional Committee and custodian of the
surplus from the campaign of 1904.
THE COMING CAMPAIGN.
While the figures may be a surprise
to those who suppose that campaign
chairmen generally spend all the money
contributed, it Is asserted on authority
which ought to be sound that Mr.. Cor
telyou has about 100000 of the 1904
fund still in his keeping. In any event.
he is known to have a considerable
surplus. The managers of the con-
gressional campaign want him to turn
a good portion of it over to them for
use this year. 1t is stated at Demo-
cratic headquarters that Mr.. Corteyou
has already given Chairman Sherman
$4,000, but, whether this be so or not,
Mr.. Sherman wants a great deal more.
He and Speaker Cannon argue that
the President is the dominant issue this
year. The President willingly per-
mitted that. He wrote the Watson let
ter asking for a Republican House in
the Sixtieth Congress to uphold him in
out his policies. If the Presi-
dent is the issue, say Messrs. Cannon
and Sherman, he ought not to with
hold the big surplus in the national {
on the plea that it is ma .
tional fund, not congressional fund.
The Republicans have been running ,
their congressional campaigns on
pretty lavish basis. Their average ex- ,
penditures in conducting a congress
sional election have been about s350,00O,
as against about $4,000 by the Demo-
cratic Congressional Committee. Rep
resentative Babcock, during the ten
years he was chairman, began gather
ing contributions months in advance of
the campaign. He "shook down. the
steamship. and insurance
companies. not to mention n lot OF
other corporations that came to Con-
gress during the winter for legislation.
When the campaign WAS on he had
the big fund under lock and key. He
placated labor uprisings by big pay
nents where they would do the most
good.
Chairman Sherman had no such
auspicious start. He has gathered in a
lot of money, but nothing like what
Mr.. Babcock, his predecessor, used to
have. Many of the committees per
quisites have been cut of. For In
stance, two years Speaker. Cannon
had a special train for his stumping
tour in many states east OF the Missis-
sippi River. 1t was furnished free OF
cost and deadheaded over all the roads
where Mr.. Cannon and his party trav-
eled. Mr.. Cannon starts again Septen-
ber IS from Chicago for a long tour
through close districts. He will not
have free train. as he had two years
ago. Thus far the Republican Congress
s.onal Committee has been unable to
secure passes for the Speaker and his
party. Representative Joe" Sibley OF
Pennsylvania. one Of the Speakers
cronies, very wealthy from his transac-
tions in OIL is putting up for the spe-
cial car, and II the committee has TO
pay mileage for the car Mr. Sibley
expects to pay the most of that bill.
Tho Republicans have numerous
fights on their hands. They are not
as confident of winning the next House
as they claim to be Notwithstanding
the decentralization of the Democratic
party. Fractional quarrels In districts
,s,.i., ha,, lnt Mt frAtt