The Portland daily press., 1898-01-14
MUCH YET TO BIZ SAID.
Senate Making Slow Progress on
Hawaiian Treaty.
SENATOR FRYE ONE OF THE
SPEAKERS YESTERDAY.

Longest Speech of the Day Made by sena'
tor Morgan Who Argued in Favor Oh
the Treaty-An Speakers Promise to
Talk Again.
| Washington, January 13.--The Senate
did not make great progress with the
Hawaiian annexation treaty today.
Several speeches were delivered, but in
every instance the speakers announced
that today's remarks were merely prelimi-
nary to what they would say before the
close of the debate. The executive session
opened shortly after one o clock with
Senator White on the floor, hut Senator
Stewart interrupted and others cut the
Californian out of the discussion. Those
who spoke were Senators Stewart, Frye
and Morgan.
| Senator Stewart supported the treaty
and was the first Senator to discuss the
question of sugar in connection with the
subject. He said oil the sugar lands were
now occupied and that little was left ex-
cept lands available for the production
of coffee. He asserted that the importa-
ton of sugar to the United States from
Hawaii would not be increased to any
perceptible extent, because the islands
had reached their limit in the production
of that article. For this reason the pro-
ducers of beet sugar and OF cane sugar
need not be alarmed. Senator Stewart
eulogized the natives as intelligent and
docile and said there were many OF them
in California and that they were well re-
| garded there.
| Senator Frye spoke upon the CONNER
cial and military aspects which annexa-
ton presented. He called attention to the
fact that SOME Senators complained be-
cause no one remained in the chamber
and listened to the debate upon this i'm
portant subject. He remarked that it was
no wonder that Senators fled to the cloak
rooms when long speeches were read
which contained much dry detail but
were not arguments OH the questions be-
| fore the Senate. The Senate should con-
suit together. debate and advise and then
there would be full Senate. Upon the
merits of the case, he considered Hawaii
| as necessary to the commerce OF the
| United States. He devoted considerable
| time to a review of the attempt to obtain
the control of the Nicaragua canal which
could not be maintained until Hawaii
was ours. He thought this was an i'm
portant epoch in our history, and If we
| did not annex the islands now we could
not complain If they were annexed by any
other nation.
Senator Morgan made the principal
speech Of the day. He referred to state
ment made by Senator Hoar that the
committee on foreign relations had made
no report. Senator Morgan then piled
upon his desk numerous printed volumes
including reports of the officers of the
Hawaiian government and other docu-
ments relating to Hawaii. The Senators
| from Massachusetts said Senator Morgan
| Is welcome to these documents and il he
will give them the attention which he
usually gives to public questions he will
| have all the information necessary on this
su biect.
| Senator Morgan then went into a de.
tailed history of the Hawaiian islands.
| He believed it was the intention of Presi-
dent Cleveland to have restored Queen
Liliuokaani to her throne and after that
transaction to have opened negotiation
| 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 q course would
have been in keeping with the logic of
events.
| Senator White asked if this treaty was
not trade with the provisional govern
ment, and what was to be done regarding
| the natives and their rights.
| Senator Morgan said he had answered
that question, but he would review the
subject. In the early part of the present
| century he said, Van Couver went to the
island and on his third trip the then king
of the islands,a native, said he would cede
them to Great Britain and acknowledged
the sovereignty of England. But Van
! TO off
repeated assertion that the United States
was trying to absorb the islands without
wish of the Kanakas, Senator Morgan
said that for theSlast hundred years the
government and people were anxious to
secure the sovereignty of 81 strong power
aud secure local self-government He
| described his visit to the islands last
summer and related his personal observa-
lions. He said that the Kanakas were
picturesque people who would be Detter
off under government by the United
States.
Senator White asked Mr.. Morgan why
| the island were not annexed in 1913, and
how 1t was that the proposition for an.
nexation had to wait until the islands
were in the possession of the land grab
bers who were trying to further their per-
sonal fortunes.
Senator Morgan said that it attention
had been given to his remarks on the sub
|
have undersi God what interviewed. The
history of that time was in the docu-
mentary evidance which had been printed
and discussed often before. He believed
that the islands should have been annexed
at that time. The reasons which existed
then for annexation had multiplied q
hundred fold since. Annexation was best
both for the people of the islands and for
| the people of this country.
PRESIDENT DOLE COMING.
Honolulu, January 6, via San Fran
cisco. January 13.-President Dole leaves
for Washington on the eighth instant for
the purpose Of consulting with the az
ministration on the subject of annexation
of these islands to the greater republic.
During the Presidents absence Minister
of Foreign Affairs Cooper will act as the
Chief Executive. The departure of Mr..
Dolls was unanimously decided upon yes
terday at special meeting Of the council