Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-01-14
SHALL WE ANNEX HAWAII?
Senate in Executive Session Continues Dis.
cussion Of the Question.

Washington. Jan. 13.-The Senate dill
not make great progress with the
Hawaiian annexation treaty, today-
Several speeches We're delivered, but in
every instance the speakers announced
that today's remarks were merely pre-
liminary to what they would say before
the close of the debate. The executive
session opened shortly after ! o'clock,
with Senator White on the floor. bur
Senator Stewart interrupted and others
cut the Californian out of the discus
sion Those who spoke We're Senators
Stewart. Frye and Morgan.
Senator Stewart supported the trea.N
and was the first TO discuss the ques
SION of sugar in connection with tn
subject He said all the sugar lands
were now occupied and that little was
left except lands available for the pro-
duction of coffee,
He asserted that the importation ~
sugar to the United States from Hawaii
would not he increased to any percep
tible extent. but the islands had reach
ed their limit in the production Of tina
article. For this reason the producers
Of beet sugar and of cane sugar nee1
not be alarmed. Senator Stewart eul..-
GiZed the natives as intelligent and do
ellie. He said there were many of them
in California ana that they We're We'll
regarded there
senator Frye spoke upon the com
merciat ana military aspects which
annexation presented in favor uf tn
United States. He called attention t"
the fact that some senators complained
because no one remained in the cham
l. and listened To the debate upon this
important subject. He remarked thai
it was no wonder that senators fled /,
the cloak rooms when long speeches
were read which contained much dry
detail and was not argument on the
questions before the Senate. The sen
ators should consult together and dis
cuss the matter, debate and advise, and
then there would be full Senate.
Upon the merits If the case. hc con-
sidcrtd Hawaii as necessary to the
commerce OF the United States, IL
devoted considerable time to a review
of the Importance of the control Of
the Nicayaguan canal which could no
hc maintained til Hawaii was ours.
He thought this was an important
epoch in our history. aud if we did n1t
annex the islands now We could not
complain if they We're annexed by any
other nation,
senator Morgan made the principal
speech of tn" day. He referred IL
statement made by Senator Hear that
the committee on foreign relations had
mad" no report ana he. lloar was with
ont sufficient information concerning tn
subject Of Hawaii and Iprtx;ttipu
Senator Morgan then piled upon his
desk numerous printed volumes inCluo-
ing reports of the officers Of the iiA-
waiian government ana other documents
Massachusetts and Mr.. Morgan, is wei
come TO these documents and if he Will
give them attention which he usually
gives to public questions he will have all
the Information necessary on this sub
Senator Morgan then went into a de
tailed history Of the Hawaiian islands.
He believed it was the intention of Prcsi-
dent cleveland to have restored Queen
Liliuokalani to her throne and after that
transaction to have opened negotiations
for the annexation Of the islands under
her reign.
Senator Chandler asked what authority
there was for this assertion.
Mr.. Morgan replied there was no special
authority. but that such a course would
have been in keeping with the logic Of
events. Senator White asked If this
treaty was not Il trade with the prONi-
sionaI government and what was to be
done regarding the natives ana their
rights. Senator Morgan said that he had
answered that question in a previous por-
ton OF his remarks but he would review
tn" subject.
In the early part of the polite century
he said, Vancouver went to the islands
and on his third trip the then King of
the island a native said he would ceCo
! + t,f,,,, ri li1o lbl-, .l,r,