The herald., 1897-11-20
But There Are Objections
to Your Admission
TO THE FAMILY OF STATES
SENATOR STEPHEN M. WHITES
STIRRING SPEECH
Against Annexation Moved His All
dience to Enthusiasm-Gover-
nor Sheldon's Claim

There was large outpouring Of people
last evening to hear Senator Stephen M.
White discourse upon the wisdom of the
proposed measure to annex the Ha-
waiian islands, and more particularly to
him to so staunchly oppose that meas
ure.
The meeting had been called by the
labor organizations of the city, and upon
the platform supporting Senator White
and Ex-Governor l.. A. Sheldon, the
speakers of the evening, were c. z. Fisk,
Il. r. Holman, f. B. Colver, L. D. Bailey
and L. Yaeger.
1t was after o'clock when the meeting
was called to order by Mr.. Yaeger, who
very briefly explained the purpose of the
gathering and presented c. T.. Fisk as
the first speaker of the evening.
Mr. Fisk touched more particularly
upon the evils likely to accrue to the la
boring classes should the islands be an
nexed, and in short speech lasting for
fifteen minutes scored one or two good
points.
Ex-Governor Sheldon followed at
greater length. While sympathizing
with the residents of Hawaii who are
clamoring for annexation, he refused to
permit his sympathies, he said, to bias
him in favor OF few hundreds of people
to the detriment of the millions of citi-
zes of this country.
The speaker reviewed the various an
nexation periods in the history of this
country from the time when the north
ern territory was taken in by the Lou
iSiana purchase to the taking of Califor-
mia and the southern territories by con-
quest. and contended that in each of
these cases the territory was contiguous
to the original domain, having a small
population and not unassimilable, and
all countries of great resources. Under
such circumstances there was legitimate
show of reason in the annexation project.
ITS UNCONsTITUTIONALITY
The next point touched upon was the
unconstitutionality of the proposed an
nexation Of the islands. The speaker
urged that the constitution of the United
States Is not expansive like the consti-
tutions of European countries, but is
rigid In it's terms and of universal appli-
cation. Incidentally alluding to the
form Of government in the territories.
he pointed out that congress has fol-
lowed the practice Of admitting the ter
ritories to statehood as quickly as pos
sible, and for the reason that the terri
torial form of government was recog-
nized to be solecism under the govern
ment and constitution of this country.
Such being the case, the question nat
urally presented itself: "How were the
Hawaiian islands to be governed if they
were annexed? The speaker maintained
that every resident of the islands must
of necessity become a citizen of the
United States if the treaty of annexation
is ratified. Out of a population of 1O9, 900
there are about 5000 that can perform
their duties as citizens and the remain
ing 100000 of degraded people are to be
taken into the Union to poison the BODY
polite.
SENATOR WHITES STAND
The remarks of Ex-Governor Sheldon
were loudly applauded, but when Sena-
tor White was presented to the audience
he received an ovation. He prefaced his
remarks on the islands by short ex-
PLANTATION of the stand he took in the
matter. He stated that the senate and
assembly of 1898 that elected him to the
senate of the United States passed a
resolution favoring annexation of the
islands; and two years later, in 1895. a
similar resolution was voted down by a
two-thrds majority. Senator White
maintained that while he had the great
est respect for the opinion of the legisla-
ture of his state, yet if it had been. as
1t was not, consistently unanimous in its
opinion regarding annexation, it could
not furnish reason why he should out
rage his conscientious scruples and sur-
render to the shifting opinion of a dav
or year.
Proceeding, the senator showed the
falsity of the contentious that the United
States needed a coaling station. when.
as a matter of fact, this country pos
sesses Pearl harbor, that affords the best
coaling station in the group of islands.
OF NO ADVANTAGE
1T is said we need the islands for mr.
poses of Defense Our seaboard extends
from the British possessions down tn
Lower California. l have never worn a
uniform, or engaged in combat at sea,
but there are some things I do know.
and If were called upon to protect this
seaboard I would not imagine that a
fortification 1000 miles away was going
to be any great assistance. Can a condi-
tion be imagined that would require the
acquisition of an island 1000 miles dis
tant for defensive purposes? And hay-
ing got 1t you must defend it, and how?
Will the Notifications at San Francisco
protect 1t, or the big gun, when Andrew
Mentally has succeeded in mounting it.
at San Diego?
! But they say 1t is a great outlet for
commerce." said the senator, "and is on
the direct track Of a large Asiatic trade,
WE'LL the latter is not the truth, to put it
mildly. but I will simply say it is a
pronounced deviation from exactitude.
From San Francisco to Yokohama the
distance, by the system Of circular sail
ing, is 4500 miles, and vessels have to
pass close to the Aleutian islands; by
touching at the Hawaii group another
1000 miles Is added to the distance It
is therefore not in direct line for Asiatic
trade
But then they say it is such beautl-
full place Well, that is true, and there
you may find man sitting at one end
of the limb of a tree and a monkey at
the other, both eating bread fruit and
rejoicing in the sweet civilization Of the
South Sea islands
THE SUGAR INTERESTS
"The Hawaiian islands have a rich
soil and produce heavy crops Of sugar.
- MAMA opn