Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-18
Senator Morgan Gives the Result of
His Impressions.
WHY ANNEXATION is ADVANTAGEOUS
The People and Products of the
Islands.
STR RATEGIC NCE

| the committee on foreign relations and
| consistent advocate CT a strong American
| foreign policy. including Hawaiian annex
| ation. has reached Washington upon his
| return from Honolulu. Senator Morgan
! went to Hawaii during the recess of Con-
| sress to study the people OF that republic
and TO post himself fully upon all questions
| relating to annexation with the United
| States
To Star reporter this afternoon Senator
| Morgan detailed the impressions he receiy-
| ed from his visit.
| MY conclusions as the result of my
| observations" said Senator Morgan ARE
only a full confirmation of what I had
| previously believed. that II is our national
| duty and will be in every way advantage
Gus to all concerned to annex the Islands
| of Hawaii to the United States
For many years my attention has been
| strongly drawn in that direction, and 1
have attempted to study the question from
| the most authentic and reliable sources
L went TO Hawaii to ascertain IL my i'm
| pressions were well founded. The subject
is of the most serious importance and de-
| mands the most thorough and impartial
| investigation.
The establishment of an outpost of the
| United States within the tropics and 200
l u
curry whether such movement is neces-
sary to the national welfare. In the alb
| senoe of a conviction that IL is necessary
| and Indispensable 1 would not favor such a
| movement. Our northwestern possessions
| on the Pacific ocean, along the Aleufian
archipelago, are more than 900 miles west
| OF Honolulu. That fact gives us practi-
| cally the control of the entire American
| coast of the North Pacific
THE Intervention of the British possess
siors from the Straits of Fuca to the south
| ern boundary of Alaska creates a powerful
reason for the occupation of Haw ali by the
| United States. Without imputing to Great
| Britain any other motive than to extend
| her national policy and commercial con-
quest it seems very obvious that If that
| government should acquire dominion OF the
| Hawaiian Islands and open and fortify
| Pearl harbCr her military fortress at Es-
| quimault, on the Island Of Vancouver, CO.
| ope rating with the which she would GER
4 tainly erect in Hawaii. would cut our coast
| line in two and would leave incumbent
| with a mass of territory in Alaska the
| defense of which would he almost impos-
| sible, and the enormous advantage of which
would be lost to our country.
Strategic Importance of Hawaii.
Nothing can lie palmer than the fact
| that the coal fields of Vancouver. supply
| ing the British raNy at Honolulu. would
| give to that government an almost irresist-
| ible advantage I'm var and virtual dominion
| of the commerce of the north Pacific in
| time OF peace. The Hawaiian Islands are
| about 1000 miles. CT an average from the
As:atic coast, ana about 2.5Oo miles. on an
| average. from the North American coast
| OF the Pacific. South Of the Hawaiian
| Islands the distance to any other island
where available harbors are found is more
than 5000 miles.
This peculiar isolation of the Haw allan
group makes il the only place in the north
| Pacific ocean where ships OF war or OF
| commerce can get supplies refreshmcnt
and water, or can tind haven of rest and
| the facilities for repairing vessels. The
great distance that Intervenes between
these islands and TIE coast of Asia and the
| islands of the Pacific ocean make them the
| most important ana indispensable locality
| in the world for the promotion of COM
nerce and the defeLse of the American
coast.
This general view, which canno. IN an
| interview elaborate more fully sustain
by the citation of indsputable facts. pre-
sents the question whether there are ac-
tual and important reasons growing cut OF
our internal policy or important objections
found in the character of the people the
country of the Hawaiian group which for
bid lis from extending our jurisdiction over
those islands. AS to the question oe in
| ternal policy, We have already found IT
81 eatly to our ADVANCE in every way that
| ish possessions on the north Pacific coast
ard have bought Alaska from Russia an3
| annexed it to the United States.
Extension Of Our Territory.
Beginning at Key West, we have an
ncxed the entire gulf coast to :he Rio
Gf ande by purchase of territory. and ex-
teiidng up the Rio Grande across the con-
| tinent 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 frontage of 600 miles conceded
to Great Britain. This rapid and vast
pansion of territory has resulted in estab-
fishing local scveregnties that have con-
tributed as much to the cause OF civiliza-
ton and humanity was done 10y the
thirteen original colonies in the revolution
airy war. 1t has also strengthened the
American Union and has established a
majestic power in the world and has placed
our government in the front rank of ma
tions With entire innocence OF any aSgres-
sive purpose. We do not find i'm the history
of any of these great transactions the
slightest reason for regret.
ION the contrary. md that they have
given an expansion to all Industry ana a
security to the reign of peace and Tree
government that calls forth the paudits
of the whole civilized world. This has not
been done by Congress nor by colonization.
These vast regions have been opened up to
American institutions by a process that
IFS not discolored with the slightest inJus-
tice and has resulted in securing the in
dividual rights and liberties of many mill
lions of human beings.
Il have no fears of such expansion, es-
pecially in reference to possessions i'm the
Pacific ocean in those islands that consti-
tute part of the geographical and COM
mercial system of the North American
continent. Our policy is not one of con-
quest of subjugaton or protection of coun-
tries or peoples that have Independent gov
ernments. 1t is simply the natural growth
of the beneficent principles of our theory
and form of government.
Character of the Hawaffnns.
I'm applying this policy to Hawaii there
is not the slightest difficulty in the char
acter, condition wishes of the 31.000
native people who remain in chose islands,
They are of the highest type Of the Maori
race. and are far better adapted to Am,r-
ioan citizenship than many millions OF
those whom we have welcomed to the
United States from southern Europe. They
are far better adapted to our citizenship
than were the vast bodies of Indians, Mex
iSsns and native Alaskans. whom we have
annexed to our population without consul