The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-19
ANNEXATION NECESSARY
WOULD BE WORTH MILLIONS
AND COST NOTHING.
NO OPPOSITION FROM ANY NATION
The Silent Invasion of the island by the Jap
anese Violates All the Declared Policy
and Purposes Of the United
States.

Washington, d. c., Nov. Ex-senator
Morgan, of Alabama, member of the
committee on Foreign Relations, has
reached here on his return from Homo
lulu, where he went to post himself on
the annexation question. For the first
time he submitted himself today to an
interview on the result of his trip, and
said:
"My conclusion, based on my obser-
vations, are only full confirmation OF
what l had previously believed-that it
is our national duty and will be in
every way advantageous to all con-
cerned to annex Hawaii to this country.
/ have studied the question from the
most authentic and reliable sources. The
establishment of an outpost of the Uni
bed States within the tropics and 1920
miles from our coast challenges the in
quiry whether such action is necessary
to our national welfare. Our northwest
ern possessions on the Pacific along the
AleutianArchipelago are over 1000 miles
west of Honolulu. This gives us control
of practically the entire American coast
of the North Pacific The intervention
straits of Fuca to the Northern boun-
dairy of Alaska creates a powerful rea-
son for our occupation of Hawaii. With
out imputing to Great Britain any 9TH
er motive than to extend her national
policy of commercial conquest it seems
very obvious that if she should acquire
dominion of Hawaii and open and for
tify Pearl harbor, her military fortress
Of ri1,1af 4lo fSto m
couver, co-opera ting, would cut our
coast line in two and would leave US
encountered with a mass of territory
in Alaska, whose defense would be al
most impossible and the enormous adj
vantage of which would be lost to us.
The Vancouver coal fields would give
the British navy almost irresistible ad-
vantages in war and virtual dominion
of commerce in time of peace.
beginning with Key West we have
annexed the entire Gulf coast to the
Rio Grande by purchase of territory
and extending up the Rio Grande across
the continent to the Pacific we have
annexed all the territory lying to the
north of that line and have annexed
the entire Pacific coast except the front
&c of GOO. miles conceded to Great Brit
ain. This rapid and vast expansion has
contributed much to civilization and in
none of the transactions have we cause
for regret. ] have no fears of such eX-
pansion, especially as to the possessions
in the Pacific in those islands that con-
stitute a part OF the geographical and
commercial systems of the North Ameri-
can continent. There would not be the
slightest difficulty in the character,
condition or wishes of the 81 900 native
people of Hawaii. They are far better
adapted to American citizenship than
many millions of those whom we have
welcomed here from Southern Europe
and better adapted than the Indians,
Mexicans and native Alaskans.
Except among the few who expect
personal favors and advancement from
re-establishment of the royal govern
ment, the general body of the Hawaiian
population will rejoice in the honor,
safety, peace and prosperity which an
nexation will bring. Morally and prac-
tically, the silent invasion of Hawaii
from the orient (the Japanese) violates
all the declared policy and often ex-
pressed purpose Of the United States,
70 protect those people against foreign
interference. The islands as a national
possession would richly reward us for
expenditure of few hundred millions.
The annexation would cost us nothing
and will not at present excite the open
opposition of any nation"