Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-30
Alabama Senator Gives His Views to
the New York Herald.
LITTLE OPPOSITION TO ANNEXATION
Best Elements in Population Friend
Iy to United States.
LATE SUGAR TRUST MOVE

Senator John L. Morgan, VINO IS now IN
Honolulu. sends the following communica-
ton to the New York Herald regarding the
situation in Hawaii:
HONOLULU, September %, 1897.
(via San Francisco, Cal, Monday
To the Editor of the Herald:
There is no active or organized opposition
to annexation in Hawaii. Some royaiists
naturally regret every step that leads to
the dedication of the country to free self
government, which is now beyond reversal.
and they excite the apprehensions of some
natives that annexation will tend to their
social degradation But the effort and its
results are insignificant. The less informed
classes are free from political cares, and
those of the educated classes are free from
all jealousy toward the white race. Their
desire for annexation is intense and ear
nestly patriotic.
They are American in the most decided
form, without any tolerance OF Asiatlc the
cries OF forms of civilization. They copy
nothing from the Asiatics, while they
eagerly adopt the customs and manners of
the Americans. If there is any actual con-
tIoversy about annexation in the republic
the fact is not discernible in any open dem
onstration that it is at all important. A
Taeetirg at Hilo recently, in opposition to
annexation. was a failure, the people TAX
ing TO interest in it.
The Only Question Involved.
The settled and universal conviction is
that this is an American question between
American people, as it has always been in
our dealing with ii. Annexation to the
United States. or protectorate by our
government. are the issues to which all
discussion is confined. it being agreed on
all sides that The islands will not have the
settled prosperity and conteatment they
need and deserve If their foreign relations
are to depend upon their naval power for
security and freedom from agitation.
For want of metals and fuel the "sea
power of the islands is far short of the
in portance of their agricultural Pre- due
tons and of their value a commercial
center and a place of rest and refresh
ment and for supplies and repairs for navi-
gators. We can supply these wants quick
er and more conveniently than any other
country, and this fact must necessarily
draw Hawaii to US with hooks of Steel
that no power can destroy. In this respect
our only rival is Great Britain through the
Straits of FCca.
Whatever country furnishes ships Of war
and of commerce to Hawaii will find here
ample material for supplies and Il body of
native sailors that are not excelled in MANY
of the best qualities by any people in the
world This will be the nucleus Of our SUI
premacy in the navigation and commerce of
the North Pacific. As to The wealth and
power this will bring u.s. all commercial
history is full of narrative If conjecture
need 10 be INDUCED. the widest fancy
Sicus facts that already are visible at
Honolulu.
Value of Pearl Hnrbor.
Considered in sense as broad as the dis
lance between Asia and America there is
10 place on either coast, or in any island of
tne Pac1ilc ocean, that is of equal import
ance and value to commerce or naval
power as Pearl Harbor. The reasons are
mat II Is central in the arc of the great
circle. north of the equator, that is de-
scribed by tire coasts of Asia and America
Ii has the best climate of any mort on
either coast 1t affords the best and Cheap
est shelter TO shipping, and the least ex-
pehsiNc ways for provisioning, repairing
coahng and watering vessels OF any size
The sea line Of the harbor is 4 coral reef
that is about eight miles from the shore of
the harb1r. in its inland stretch on a di-
rect line The bay divides into three bodies
OF wst"r as IL reaches inland. all nearly of
eqW'- s-ze and depth. The pennsulas that
thi- IlIide the waters approach the en-
trance through the outer bar-the coral
reet--within a distance of three miles, and
ecEhand II absolutely Inland the shores
OF TIE harbor. with their meanderings are
inclVdei in space about six miles WIDE
a. Will De seen by consulting a chart of the
harD1r The outer bar is of soft corals
and easily removed by pumping and the,
space to be dredged is less than a half
mile
All these questions are put at rest by the
dredIias Of the same kind of a bar at
Honolulu not six miles further I'D the
coast and are no longer debatable. The
work Is OF the lightest character of sea
dredging Both outside and inside this mar
row reef th2 water Is over sixty feet deep
and Pearl Harbor, from the bar to its ex-
treme limits inland, is without any OBJ
suuciion and is of sufficient depth for the
largest ships. Five hundred sail could
easily be mcored to the shores in positions
OF perfect safety.
Deep water is found all along the shores
OF the bay. all Of which are perpendicular
walls OF stoEe- They could scarcely be
more regular OF useful If they had been
built by skilled workmen. On the side of
The bay next to Honolulu hills from the
sea coast are from 100 TO 500 feet high
Guns on these elevations would easily com
ulInd the entrance to both harbors, while
within Pearl Harbor and back of Honolu-
W tne points available for harbor defense
could scarcely liz more advantageous.
Where Vessels Could Hide.
The cost of land for these works will b.
what the United States chooses to give. 1,
should be what court and jury would
award on fun hearing. The courts here
are very high models Of wisdom and JUS
tice. III" channels of i'oarl Harbor are all
deep with rock-no.. shores that are per
pendiodlar A vessel can be moored at al
most any place along miles of shore linz,
ana viii be out of sight from sea excep.
the top riggiDSs. The largest ship ca.
easily turn around in the narrowest parts
while a dry dock can be constructed at a
icw cost at many places In Pearl Harbor
With wallis e&Cayated In the rock
Commander III. +. Nichols commanding
TIE Bennington. Is now completing the sur
Ncy commenced by Admiral Walker When
ms report Is made the technical facts Will
appear. witch present the outward sum
nling - they appear TO the eye of the or
binary observer.
Enough Is obvious to the most unskilIed
person 70 create the firm conviction that
If@rI Harbor cannot be eXcelled as a loca -
ton for a naval station. or a great seaport
or fortress in The sea or as the. site ~
tftat cities. or Ia furnishing beautiful
Zones for the industrial Classes or for
". titny people. in a soft and temperate
climate, where nature revels in the beauty
CT mowers and the richness of fruits and
u 'he HE sustaining productions for th,
ES.rori OF dense populations. How tho
lEitei State can do without this harbor-
10 - notnirS OF the other isiands-is the
deciIion that this geDeration must answer
at its peril John T MOpCaN
Proposition of Sugar Trust.
Another special from Honolulu to he
Herald. dated September -. says: