The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-11
ANTI-ANNExATIoNIsTs BUSY.
A Strong Lobby Working Against
the Hawaiian Project.

Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Ex-senator
Davis has been very busily engaged
during the past week in pushing con-
sideration of the Hawaiian treaty in
the executive session of the senate.
The senator, as chairman of the COM
mittee on foreign relations, has charge
of that measure. and upon him will de-
volve mainly the responsibility for the
success or failure of the treaty
Although it is generally believed that
a large majority of the people of the
country are in favor of annexation Of
the Hawaiian islands, and, although
a large majority of the senate and
house of representatives are in favor
of the treaty, and, although President
Mckinley has strongly expressed him
self in favor of the ratification of the
treaty with Hawaii; there is a very
strong, respectful and determined mi
nority in the senate in opposition to
annexation. They will exert all of
their influence and resources to delay
a vote and to accomplish the defeat
of the treaty, if they can do So
The committee on foreign relations
are almost as much in earnest in the
matter as Chairman Davis and Presi-
dent Mckinley, and they are unani-
mously supplementing the efforts of
the chairman in a very commendable
manner. They realize very thorough
ly now that it would be difficult to Sc
cure vote of twothirds of the SEN
ate in favor of the treaty, and, under
the constitution Of this country, no
treaty can be ratified by a bare ma
Jority of the senate. There must be
two-thirds in the affirmative, or the
treaty will be rejected
Senator Pettigrew, of South Dakota.
o1
friends Of Senator Davis in private
life, is bitterly opposing the treaty and
has a great deal to say on the subject.
His personal relations with Senator
Davis are in no sense strained, but
he will not permit his personal re-
gard for Senator Davis to influence him
in this matter
Senator Pettigrew visited the Ha-
waiian islands this summer. and while
there saw enough to confirm him in
his original attitude of negation. He
says that the original inhabitants of
the Hawaiian islands are very little
better than savages and cannibals to-
day. Scme of them are civilized enough
to understand the benefits of govern
ment, but a majority of them are very
inferior people, carrying in their blood
many of the vilest diseases, and all
of them are inferior by nature t0 the
Sioux Indians-ef the Dakotas.
He says that he would rather vote
to give a civilized form of government
to the Sioux Indians on their reserva-
tions than vote to bring the native
HaWaiians into this Union as "a terri
tory of the republic.
Senator White, of California, SAYS
that no greater outrage could be per-
petrated on the people than annexation
Of the Hawaiian islands to this con-
stantly developing republic of purity
and prosperity. He says: At will op-
pose Hawaiian annexation as long as
L have vote in the senate and as long
as l have the ability to interpose; OBJ
pose it officially, unofficially or as a
private citizen. 1 feel quite confident
this treaty will be defeated in the
senate.
Senator Davis says that while per-
forming his public functions as chair
man of the committee on foreign re-
lations, he will entertain no personal
feelings against those who oppose this
treaty: but he feels that he is right
and that the ratification of the treaty
will bring great good to all of our
people. and increased power to our
republic in International affairs in fu-
ture years. He regards annexation of
the islands as a duty which we shGuld
perform for ourselves and also for pos
terlty. Smith d. Fry