The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-02-19
BIG QUESTIONS AT CAPITAL
KEEPING STATESMEN BUSY

tMal Special to ibe Aitcrisetl
WASHINGTON. rctmaU . Topics
galore crowd Boz upon tbe Washington
view these DAYS There BE- ODE steel
trust. Bie witnesses ore troading iae
say 10 the senate Committee ou DO.
dietary. Thcy arr expected 90 cnlighien
the learned Senate lawyers whether the
President was warranted BOO approving
the merger of the steel Trust and the
Tennessee Coal and Iron Company.
Mos, Of them, however, ARE trying io
do Just the opposite thing Goo keep the
light away from the committee. u
would reflect upon the President
There Is the old frond-thc Browns.
rille ease. The Republican factions
that have been warning in the Senate
Tor two years and more have shaken
hands and agreed upon compromise.
But there the Democrats come Ia. They
40 not propose there shall! ae legisla-
tion at this session permitting the col
sred soldiers TO recnlist. II would have
had effect, IL is claimed, upon the re-
iractory negro population Of that see
zion.
II IL u nhE NANlt Nfl Al'stl VS. tNfAAH
sary of State Root signali2ed the close
u his term as premier with negotiating
several instruments Some of them
have been ratified 10y the Senate. Only
the other day a treaty was closed up
with Honduras, providing for the ex-
tradition Of criminals. IT is about the
last refuge there is left for those who
dee from the law and justice. Secro
tary Root was very active concluding
sxtradition treaties, and very soon
shoro will remain but few corners
Of the earth, where n man, who has
violated the laws of the United States,
will be secure. He also signed, Just
before he quit Office treaty to arbi-
trate century old fishing dispute be-
tween the United States and New.
foundland. But how these and other
treaties are to fare before the Senate
- question. Senators are very care
ful about ratifying treaties. Only a
few days ago they "bucked' against
a treaty for defining the international
boundary between Canada and the
United States and for determining the
water rights of the two countries along
the northern boundary. just few
that document, which now apparently
must be redrafted and probably result
mittcd, for treaties have to be ratified
by two-thirds majority.
And thus, with the Washington all
full Of poll lies and with interest over
the approaching change of administra
ton, things are doing. President an,
Mrs. Roosevelt are packing up theii
personal belongings so as to be ready
20 get out of Washington the moment
Presidens-el Taft has ridden down
Pennsylvania avenue to the Capitol I,
take the oath of office. He is gather
ing up odds and ends. Congress i
bending to its task, passing appropria
lion bills at rapid rate and promising
TO make this billion dollar session o
Congress.
The S'eel Trust investigation, al
ready alluded to, is full of ginger Tn
other day the President made publ
letter AttOrneyGeneral Bonapart
had written refusing to make publ
certain information about the See
Trust. That action made the Sonat,
Judiciary Committee mad. When tn
Jaw was enacted creating the Bureau
Of Corporations, the President wante,
provision TO make it discrctionar
with him whether the results of in
qmries by the bureau should he mad
public. The Senate was unwilling thi
should be done. II authorized inauii
les to be made on promise that the in
formation should be confidential.
The President acquired some infol
nation of that confidential characte