The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-19
HAWAII WE'LL WORTH HAVING.
senator Morgan in Favor of Annex
alton of the Islands,

Washington, Nov. Ex-senator Morgan
OF Alabama of the committee on foreign
relations, has reached here on his return
from Honolulu, where he went to post
himself on the annexation question. For
the first time he submitted himself to-
day to an interview on the result of his
trip, and said: My conclusions based
on my observations. are only full con-
firmation of what had previously be-
lieved-that it is our national duty and
will be in every way advantageous to all
concerned to annex Hawaii to this coun-
try. have studied the question from the
most authentic and reliable sources. The
establishment of an outpost of the United
States within the tropics and 2,2OO miles
from our coast challenges the inquiry
whether such action is necessary to our
national welfare. Our northwestern pos.
sessions on the Pacific along the Aleutlan
Archipelago are over 1000 miles west of
Honolulu. This gives us control of prac-
tically the entire American coast of the
North Pacific. The intervention of the
British possessions from the Straits of
Fuca to the northern boundary of Alaska
creates a powerful reason for our occu
patton of Hawaii. Without imputing to
Great Britain any other motive than 10
extend her national policy, or complicatng
the question, it seems very obvious that
if she should acquire dominion of Ha-
waii and open and fortify Pearl harbor,
her military fortress at Esquimalt, on the
Island of Vancouver, cooperating, would
cut our coast line in two and would leave
us lncumbered with a mass of territory in
Alaska, whose defense would be almost
impossible and the enormous advantage of
which would be lost to US. The Vancou-
yer coal fields would give the British navy
an almost irresistible advantage i'll war
and virtual dominion of commerce in the
time of peace.
Beginning with Key West we have an
nexed the entire Gulf coast to the Rio
Grande by purchase of territory, and ex-
tending 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 con-
ceded to Great Britain This rapid and
vast expansion has contributed much to
civilization, and in none of the transac-
N'OANS N'eAA'N
fears of such expansion, especially as to
possessions in the Pacific in those islands
that constitute part of the geographical
and commercial system of the North
American continent. There would not be
the slightest difficulty in the character,
condition or wishes of the 31,0O0 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 ad-
vancement from re-estabiishment of the
royal government, the general body of the
Hawaiian people will rejoice in the honor
safety, peace and prosperity which an
neXation will bring.
Morally and physically, the silent in
vasion of Hawaii from the orient (the
Japanese) violates all the declared policy
and often expressed purpose of the United
States to protect those people against for
eign interference. The islands, as a ma
tional possession, would richly reward us
for the expenditure of $1O0000,000. The
annexation would cost us nothing, and
will not at present excite the opposition of
any nation"