The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-01-13
CONGRE SSloNAL.
Legislation Pertaining TO the Interest
of the Pacific Coast.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Among petitions presented was one
hy Blair, in favor Of "A national pro
hibitory amendment, and one by Hoar
against admission OF Utah as state
o long us its power is in the hands oi
he Mormon priesthood.
Dawes, from the Committee on Tn-
dian Affairs. reported bills to provide
for compulsory educst'on of Indian
children, and in relation 10 marriage
| uetweeu white men and Indian women
Among the bills introduced were the
following:
BY ID Dlph-To provide for payment
of Claims for damages by Indian dep
relations. He said there were some
$500 such Il inns aggregating some
$l4,000,0O0 or $l5 5,000O0O.
BY Hnat-To provide for worlds
exposition at the national capital in
1892, aud thereafter permanent ex-
position OF the three Americas in
honor Of the 400th anniversary OF the
discovery of America Referred To
the select committee ON centennial
celebrations.
By Dawes-To establish a postal
telegraph system.
BY Plau-For the formation and
admission into tho U.iion of the State
Uf North Dakota.
Mitchell called up the j1int resolu.
Il N introduced by him for the ap
pUintment of commission to select
"A site fer a naval station on the Pacific
coast, addressed the Senate in advo
cscy OF t. 1t vas referred to tine
Naval Affairs Committee.
The ipint resolution makes it the
duty of the commission to examine
lie coast north of the furty-second
parallel OF north Latitude, in Oregon,
Washington aud Alaska, and To selecr
suitable site, having due regard 10
he commercial and naval necessities
of that coast, for a navy yard, and
make a full and d tailed report to the
5 cretaIy of the Navy, TO he by him
reported ~ Congress. Mitchell said
that Will $5S QUO 900 had been spent
for navy T,ls aud naval stations, of
which am unit only 8 per cent. has
been expended west of the Alleghany
mount4ins, there WAS only one navy
yard ON the coast. ON which about s3,-
has been expended. One establish
ment, no matter how well exuipped,
was wholly inadequate &c meet the
wants of the country on the Pacific
ocean. He contrasted the Indifference
or criminal neglect of the Uaited
States government on the subject OF
naval establishment with the care
given by the Bfitish, French, Russian,
Itali and German governments Ia
fhe building mp OF great naval estab-
lishmenis. 1t i not safe to act on the
heory that this country could, when
ever occasion rose, provide for it. The
rapid environment of the Pacific coast
by important military and naval es-
tablishments, representing British in
fiuence and British power, and military
occupation by Great Britain of islands
IN the Pacific ocean, was of itself
subject which ought to arrest tho at
ten ion uf the American people, and
prompt The government 10 such speedy
and ffective action "a should be
fitting response to this formidable ex-
tension Of British power. The whole
country. north and west, was in fact
enviruned AMI menaced by a Gordon
4 British military and naval establish
ments, nj hy lines of British railroad
and steamships, which. in the event
II war between Great Britain and the
United States, would give the former
immense advantages. These forces
would fall with unimpeded and re-
lentless power upon the people, indus
tries and c. mmerce of the northwest
ern Pacific COAT. Oregon, Washington
md Alaska, with all their limitless
resources unprotected, would become
The sport and toy OF Great Britain.
Dolph sid that Puget Sound pos
sessed eli the advantages that coult
he found for q firsi-class naval station
The importance of the subject should
not be undert slim tied. HIS colleague
had referred to British Influence in
the Haw.iian islands, but the United
States cannot permit those Islands to
pass under control of any European
power, b, cause their possession by any
modern naval power would give to
that power control not nnly over th,
Pacific commerce OF the Unt'd States
Init also over is W ,rld-wide commerce.
We cannot afford 10 allow foreign con-
quests and acquisitions to he carried
our very do,rs. II we do, we shall
ahdicate the position which our power,
,ur ind, pendence, our wealth and our
location permit w TO retain among the
nations of the earth.
The joint resolution was r. ,rred to
the COMMITTEE on Naval Affairs.