Evening star., 1898-06-15
Action of the House on the Hawaiian
m
Question.
WILLIAM A. SMITH EDR ANNEXATION
shortsighted Opposition to Ter
ritoriaI Acquisition.
THE DUTY TO POSTERITY

aii"hS ., WIN spohS III the House the
Newlands resolution today, advocated an
nexation. He said in part:
"Our action today will mark a new era in
national affairs. God grant that it may be
wisely perform ed, and that the century
now closing may. lose none of its luster
thereby and the proud and honorable
achievements Of our country may be made
ore secure and enduring by our Iegisla-
ton of today
Not a determined navigator upon I'M
known seas, not a faithful explorer in
darkness and gloom. not a struggling gen.
lus whose mind, clogged with cumbersome
detail, finally bursts into practical inven-
ticn, not a sturdy pioneer in the march of
progress, who has not builded better than
he knew.
Perhaps, sir-who can say nay?-we are
building better than we know for the
future grandeur and greatness of Amer
ica-"
Mr.. Smith then reviewed the efforts for
ar nexation, and ADDED:
Mr.. Speaker, there is not a nation In
the world that does not recognize the i'm
portance of the Hawaiian Islands to he
United States Are we blind to our inter-
esls When the disinterested vision of others
is SO clear? VIII we longer neglect this
plain duty, now SO near consummat ton :?
For one, let me say, that no obstacle is
too great to be overcome in the definite
anu uiSlluCl purpose OF tl1S hour and the
weak and foolish prejudices of men have
no terror whatever for me in the perform
ance of plain public duty.
Long before the independence Of Amer
lea from England the question of island
ownership was one of the utmost impor.-
ance among European nations With an
eye to the extension Of her trade and COM
merce, every island in the Atlantic ocean,
tne Caribbean sea and the gulf, which
they could trade for or easily CONQUER has
been brought under the English flag. 1t
Is not my purpose to criticise this upon her
part, for l believe 1t to have been wise,
1ar-s1ghted and sagacious and worthy Of
emulation.
rs it not essential that we should lie
Vlgilant as to sour true interests at this
point? Would 1t not be wise to seize the
opportunity presented to us by Providence
and the logic of our national fate?'
Mr.. Smith then argued at considerable
length the constitutional power to annex
rev territory. ~.
The Constitutional Question.
Annexation is not new to u.s." said Mr.
Smith. I'm my humble opinion the whole
North American continent and every island
in the gulf and the Caribbean sea, and
such islands in the Pacific as may be deemed
desirable. are worthy of our ambition. Not
that we are earth hungry, but, as a meas
ure OF national protection and advantage
1t Is the duty of the American people to lay
peaceful conquest wherever opportunity
may be offered. ~ J
TT has been argued that our Constttu-
tfon makes no provision for colonial sys-
tenn, but If President Monroe had been
merely a lawyer, If he had contented him
self by looking for precedent which he was
unable to find, If he had consulted the iuris-
prudence of his time and planned his action
along academic lines, the greatest doctrine
ever announced to ths civilized world,
which now bears his name, though in un-
written law, but in the Inspiration the
hope. the security of
would have found no voice potent enough
and courageous enough to have encircled
the western hemisphere with his peaceful
edict.
Precedent, sir. may do for a rule of law
upon which a fixed and definite superstruc-
ture must be built, but 1t is the duty of
craftsmanship to cease looking at great
public questions with a microscope and
sweep the worlds horizon with a telescope
from a commanding height"
Mr.. Smith said Jefferson has no precedent
Tor the Louisiana purchase. He also spoke
OF the trend of events in the acquisition of
territory by foreign countries. AS to an al
lance with England, he said:
Alliance With America.
South America and the orient are the
natural trade allies of the United States
Thair relation to US must grow more i'm
portant and desirable in the years to come.
Then why talk Of an Anglo-American alli-
ance? Who is SO short-sighted to wish us
to assume any responsibility, however re-
mote, for the faithful performance of the
multitude OF agreements, treaties and proto-
coils OF England? To be sure. they our
natural kin, and we are proud Of our an
cestry, but our friendship will be more en-
during and our burdens easier to bear If
we refrain from entanglng alliances with
any power across the sea. Such territory
In the ocean or in the gulf naturally be-
longs to cur government we can make our
own IN due season, and wisdom would seem
to prompt us to leave no natural or willing
ally. weak and defenSeless as 1T may be, to
become the mere toy of an aggressive en-
pire. imperilling our peace and good order.
The Pacific ocean, unfettered by Euro
pean subJugation, can be made indeed pa
ctfic, II we are wise enough to garner the
harvest now SO ripe for our sickls.
The Opposition.
'Who opposes this wise policy that has
received the sanction Of many Presidents?
The same halting, hesitating conservatism
that admonished Washington against TAX
ing on the northwest territory, and prompt
ed Benjamin Franklin to favor it's relin-
quishment; the same doubling conservatism
that deprived us of Canada in the war of
1872, and defeated by a tie vote in the Sen
ate the treaty for the annexation Of San
Domingo.
Had President Grants fervent wish been
granted, our flag would today wave over
the island, and from the folds of its stars
ana stripes, dedicated to liberty and union,
would float out over the gulf and sea a
spirit of patriotism tempering the entire
archipelago Should 1t have been accepted
when rendered? Then, la it not our duty
to accept the Hawaiiap, Islands, situated
with reference to our own country as ad-
vantageously in the Pacific as Santo Do
mingo is at the gulfPsT The faintest encour-
agement would have been sufficient for
SC NE countries to haye encircled these is
lands And this generation will be unfaith-
ful to these that follow If we do not lessen
the possibilities Of war BY taking into the
national Union such naval outposts In both
oceans as are naturally part of our
country" "A sr-sh
AFTER arguing theEconmercial and stra-
tegic Importance Of the Islands, Mr.. Smith
concluded. saying: ro1 ep
hundred years Hagostt was predicted
OF our nation thatfedt suwould some day
stretch its arms upon two oceans and
di1ect the vessels fremisene to the other
by an artificial route through Lake Mic
aragua, that would change the course of
the commercial world and the fate of en-
pi1es. .ses
Let us rise to the occasion today, meet
this important exigency in our national
affairs with courage and patriotism. and,
inspired by the glorious achievements Of
the past prepare for greater victories In
the years to come, and thus prove ourselves
wnrfhU fhn Jaor for