The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-17
THE HAWAIIAN QUESTION.
Mr.. Williams Takes Strong Ground
Against Annexation.

Mr.. Williams Takes Strong Ground
Against Annexation.
When members of the House yesterday
learned that Senator Davis had reported
joint resolution providing for the annex
alton of the Hawaiian Islands to America
several of them proceeded to place them
selves on record.
Mr.. Williams of Mississippi, as soon as
he could obtain recognition, devoted forty
minutes to giving his reasons for not APP
proving of the proposed annexation. In
asmuch as he is a minority member of
the Committee on Foreign Affairs. his
remarks were listened to more attentively
than they would otherwise have been He
endeavored to refute the statements
made by Mr.. Tawney of Minnesota the
day before, when the latter, in a compre-
hensive argument, showed how advan-
| tageous to this Government annexation
would be. Mr.. Williams insisted that the
annexation of the Hawaiian Islands would
be total disregard of the traditional pol
icy of the American Government
Mr. Adams of Pennsylvania, in reply to
Mr.. Williams, repeated the arguments
that had been advanced by Mr.. Tawney,
and declared that he indorsed every one
of them. In conclusion, he made an ear
nest appeal to the members to afford
these islands the protection they require
which in return would, in case of a west
ern war, protect the Pacific Coast from
invasion by foreign fleets.
Mr.. Lewis of Washington declared that
the Administration is trying to see how
Spain without crossing it, and Is treating
annexation of Hawaii on the same prin-
| ciple In the hope that under the cry of
patriotism the people at the approaching
elections may forget their wrongs and
rally TO Its support and return Republic
an members to Congress
Mr. Berry of Kentucky delivered one of
the most convincing speeches on the an
neXation of Hawaii that has been heard
In the House during the present session of
Congress. He made known his position
al the outset by declaring that he was in
faVor of the proposed annexation He
gave as one of the reasons that this coIIn-
try had taken possession of the Midway
island, which is 1900 miles farther west
than Hawaii, and that it had expended
| thousands of dollars in making it a coal
ing station. After describing the condi-
tons of the islands geographically and
commercially he insisted that this Gov
eminent ought to possess them; that they
were indispensable to it. for protection
IN case of war if for no other reason.
In reply to an assertion that had been
made by Mr.. Williams of Mississippi, that
the inhabitants of Hawaii were a homo
geneous race, ignorant and il!iterate. Mr.
Berry said with much force that more
than double the amount is annually ex-
pended In Hawaii for educational pur-
poses than in Mr. Williams's State of Mis-
sissippi: that the annual per capita appro-
preparation for education is SIG for each
child between the ages of five and six
teen years, and that four-ffths of the
property there is owned by Americans
AS to the geographical situation, Mr.
Berry said that 1t should not be consid-
cred, because the Aleutian Islands were
1,20O miles farther west than Hawaii.
| Turning to Mr.. Williams Mr.. Berry, with
| dramatic effect exclaimed:
Il cannot understand how you can say
you would like to annex Cuba and not
Hawaii
The two cases are not parallel re-
piled Mr.. Williams. Cuba is sixty miles
away and Hawaii is 1000 miles distant"
Mr.. Berry, continuing, declared that
ii was his desire to annex Cuba own the
Nicaragua Canal and to annex Hawaii.
| three things which, he asserted, this Gov
eminent ought to do as soon as possible.
| He repudiatedT the idea that annexation
of Hawaii was not in accord with the
| policy of this Government, and mention
ed many of the acquisitions America has
possessed itself of since the confedera-
ton of the original thirteen States, de
claring in this connection that since the
landing at Jamestown, Va. the Aneri
cans have been moral robbers of territory.
| He mentioned the lands taken from the
Indians. Mexico. the Louisiana province
| and Alaska as illustrations of the truth
of the assertion, and said that the annex
| alton of Hawaii would not come in the
| list of such robberies of territory.
In conclusion, Mr.. Berry paid high
| tribute to Cuban patriots, and declared ii
| was pitiable to think that a nation of
more than 100000 of people should be
| afraid to protect their interests in Cuba
against an insignificant nation of about
| 1900 600. At the conclusion of the speech
| Mr.. Berry was warmly applauded.
| Mr. Smith of Arizona made plea that
| the Territories of Arizona, New Mexico
| and Oklahoma might be admitted as
| States before Hawaii should be annexed.
He said that these portions of this coun-
! try were suffering under tyranny worse
| than Spain ever dared to impose on Cuba.