The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-08
TELLER FOR ANNEXATION.
Legislation by Both Houses of Congress
Instead of Treaty.

| Washington, Feb. 7.-Senator Teller
/ Of Colorado occupied the entire hours of
the executive session i'm the senate to-
| day III discussing the Hawaiian annex
| alton treaty. During the course of his
/ speech, Mr.. Teller took occasion to saw
that he should have been glad to discuss
| The treaty in open session and to the re-
/ mark he added the opinion that the
| time had almost come when the question
! of annexation Should be debated on a
| bill looking to legislation by both
| houses of congress rather than on the
| basis of the treaty. While he thought
there might be bare possibility of rais-
ing the 80 votes necessary to ratify the
treaty he conceded that under the pres
ent circumstances this was exceedingly
doubtful. and he thought the sooner the
fact was recognized and change of
'front.' made, the better ii would be from
all points of view. There We're some in
terruptions at this point. and it was sng-
gested by some senators after the close
OF the executive session that the COM
mittee on foreign relations would con-
slider the advisabiity of making this
change OK policy at its next meeting. to
be held on Wednesday of this week The
statement was. however. made by Sena-
tor Davis, chairman of the committee
on foreign relations. that there had been
no Intention of attaching the treaty to
one of the appropriation bills. as an
amendment. as had been stated was the
case IN some of the newspapers He
made this statement in reply to a uues-
ton put by Senator White of California.
senator Teller advocated the ratifica-
ton of the treaty. basing his reasons
Tor this position upon the ground that
me annexation of the islands was in the
interest of our commerce and in line
with our national policy for the past half
century. he devoted himself very large
~ 10 replying to the objection that had
been raised to acquiring. the islands be-
cause of the domination of the native
race. He undertook to show that there
was no foundation for this criticism. or
If there was such foundation now, II
need not. he said. long continue to be
an essential factor Of the situation. He
based this statement upon figures which
he produced To show that the natives.
or hanakas. were rapidly dying off as
result of their co-mingling with out
side races. He contended that the island
ers could not long remain to dispute
the supremacy of some other race and
what race that should be would depend
largely Upon the present action Of the
United States senate.
II we should elect to make the ISL
ands part Of the United states. the
American people would at once becolr g
the counseiing element i'm Hawaii. i 1t
II we should fail TO take advantage II
the opportunity now offered some
other people would in ali probability
assume the position of control. which
naturally and traditionally belongs 10
the United States
Taking up this line of argument. he
said that ever since the days of Web
ster and Marry. a ma i3rity ri the pt-o-
pie Of this country had believed mai
the Hawaiian islands should and would
some day become an integral part II
the t.nihad States. With the struggle ]
that was about 10 begin in the Orient
Tor the possession of the new territory
among the European powers. IL was in /
.eontlnued on PaEe Tno1