The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-02-01
URGING ANNEXATION.
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.
Adonts Series of Resolutions.

San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
Adopts Series of Resolutions.
| SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 31.-A special
meeting OF the San Francisco Chamber OF
Commerce was held this afternoon to con-
slider the question of the annexation OF
Hawaii. The following resolutions were
presented:
Whereas, The Chamber of Commerce OF
San Francisco has been reliably informed
of a revolution and the establishment of g
provisional government in the Hawaiian
islands and the defacto government is now
seeking annexation to the United States.
And,
Whereas, The commercial relations now
existing between the two countries
are close and important, Hawaii
having become one of the most valuable
commercial centers in the Pacific ocean
with promise of greatly increased value
to the American interests of the United
States, and its Pacific coast commercial
interests demands that no European
power shall obtain power over the Ha-
wailan islands to our detriment. And,
Whereas, the present conditions there
involve the probability of disaster to the
lives and property of American citizens,
therefore, be 1t
Resolved, That the chamber of COM
merce halls with satisfaction the friendly
offer made by the Hawaiian government
to cede the islands to the United States
and urges upon the United States govern
ment prompt acceptance of the proposed
cession, thus at once obtaining peaceable
and honorable possession, insuring a
stable government, protection of life and
property and the preponderating infu-
ence of the United States in the growing
commerce of the Pacific ocean.
Resolved, That our government is
urged to promptly augment the naval
forces of the United States at the Ha-
waiian islands, pending the disturbed po-
litical conditions there existing.
Captain W. L. Merry supplemented the
report by saying that the committee had
Investigated the conditions as to Hawaii,
and it was the opinion OF its members that
annexation was unavoidable. He referred
to the situation of Hawaii from strate-
getic point of view, and said that with the
opening of the Nicaragua canal the nation
that possessed the Sandwich islands would
hold the key to the Pacific ocean. Added
! to this was the commercial benefit.
William T. Coleman called attention to
the fact that Americans had made the
Sandwish isles all that they are. He said
that strategetically, commercially, soci-
ally and politically the islands belonged
| 10 Au6Ilcd. AIu0IlCd ueIO uO6 ISaCQSQ OuD
for them, but had waited until in the
fulness of time they should fall into It's
lap. Any party that would refuse the gift
now that it had been offered would be
eternally damned.
Ex-senator Williams referred to the ar
gument that such annexation was out
side the policy of the nation and cited the
annexation of Texas and California as
precedents which disposed Of that obiec-
zion. The Hawaiian treaty of reciprocity
he eaid,- had given America foothold on
the Sandwich islands which this country
would never lose and with the Nicaragua
canal this position would make America
mistress of the Pacific. There was more
tonnage of American commerce between
this country and the islands than of all
other nations combined. 1t was newt
able that America must control the COM
MERGE of the world and it would have to
begin working towards the position ma
ture intended it should occupy.
| The resolutions were then adopted
unanimously. It was decided to tele-
graph this action to the president of the
United States and the meeting adjourned