The San Francisco call., 1897-12-13
Judges Quickly Decide In
Favor of the Negative
Speakers.
THEIR ARGUMENTS COULD
NOT BE MET.
!ACQuisiton of the Islands Would
a Be a Death Blow to the
Monroe Doctrine.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL
CALL OFFICE. RIGGs HOUSE,

ASHlNGTON, Dec. 1Z.l
The law students of Georgetown Uni
Versity had a public debate on the
Hawaiian problem last night, and annex
a,ion was defeated, thus showing the
trend of public sentiment here at the
national capital. Two students spoke for
each side of the controversy, the cham
piOns of the affirmative being James S.
Mccarthy of Mississippi and Goundry W.
Bingham of Alabama and those who
spoke in opposition Frederick Schade of
Virginia and Waters T. Brown of the
District of ColCmbia. The decision was
rendered by a committee consisting OF
Rev. Flournoy Menefee, president OF
Washington College; Hon. Charles Pei
ham of Virginia, and Charles U. Darr of
the district bar. Their judgment was
that the negative side presented the more
fOrclble argument.
Mccarthy said there were a great many
reasons why the United States should
annex the Hawaiian Islands.
First-A request: has been made of the
United States by the Government of
Hawaii, that the islands be annexed 10
the United States, which request was
prompted by a demand of a majority OF
the Inhabitants OF the islands.
SecOud-These islands were so situated
geOgrap phiCaIly, as TO render them OF the
greatest i'm portance to the United States.
Third-Now that the people of Hawaii
had freed them selves from the clutches of
degraded monarchy, and, wishing 10 more
greatly protect themselves, asked the
UnlIed States Govern ment to annex the
Isands as a matter of safety and profit to
ourselves as well a an act of Christian
charity to q fee bic and defenseless nation,
We should heed the cry and annex the
stands without delay.
Most OF the fire and spice of the de bate
was contributed by Fred Schade, who is
better known as . knight Of the wheel ed
sIeed" than a diligent student of the
art of Demosthenes aud Cicero.
I'VE of the negative" ne said. when
the cheers and applause had subsided,
are here tonight 10 oppose the annexa-
tiOn of the Hawaiian Islands, a dis tant
territory, 5000 miles from our capital and
200 miles from our Pacific Coast-a terri
tory unknown TO our constitution and
laws, save as the possession of foreign
and friendly people"
Schade then reviewed the history of our
relations with the islands. and went on to
say:
''There is nothing in the treaty which
we have with that country that obIiges US
to annex this territory; there Is nothin g
In international law which authorizes US
to do it; and whenever we undertake TO
do j., we undertake to do that which by
the law OF nations we have no right to do.
We may protect the lives and property of
American citizens in that country, but
the lives and properly of American citi-
zens have not as yet been assailed."
During the latter part of his talk
Schade considere seriatim the points
made by his opponent, and discussed the
nature OF the people of the islands.
The worst of all is that, according to
the North American Review, one-tenth of
the natives are tainted with leprosy. Now,
nv friendo," he concluded, raising his
voice. 'as Virginian and an enemy to
that rising generation that favOrs the ex-
tension of our territories without right or
reason, l emphaticaily assert that the an
nexation OF these islands would upset all
the safeguards of the Monroe doctrine,
by our departure from its principles"
Much of what Mccarthy had already
SAID was emphasized by Bingham in the
second speech for the aft firmative.
Browns argument was mainly negative
and was devoted to contradiction OF the
points urged by the affirmative. In this
manner he treated the first OF the coaling-
station argument, then OF the nature OF
the Government there, then of the islands
and the people.
Said ne: What interest 'has the mass
OF the people OF this country in the treaty
now before the Senate? Let it be con.
trmed and the precedent will be estab-
llshed, having no limit to danger. Folly
NAV seize San Domingo, avarlce covel
Cuba and greed grasp the islands of the
Caribbean Sea. Variant in terests will Gre
ate controversies and constant struggles
ending in disunion. The Union, stretched
and distended. Will fail 10 pieces of it.
own weight and weakness, a prey to dis
cord and fou ambition"