Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-06-24
INDIAN MINERAL LANDS.
Mr. RnwIins Makes a strong Protest
Against Permitting Their Own
ers to Ieane Them.

WASHINGTON June 23.-Discussion in
the senate OF the Hawaiian annexation
question was Interrupted to-day by Mr..
Rawlins Of Utah, with speech in which
he criticised vigorously the provision en-
bodied in the conference report on the In
dian appropriation bill which acknowledges
the right Of Indians TO lease mineral lands
on their reservations. He declared that IL
was far graver matter than the annexa-
lion OF the Hawaiian islands, as 1t would
involve the cession to the Indians of the
mineral rights in territory exceeding 90
10000 acres of land, not including the ter
iltory of Alaska. He charges that specu-
lators had obtained already leases to much
OF these lands, and if the provision pro-
posed by the committee were adopted the
government would lose tens Of millions Of
AT O'Clock the Haw allan resolution was
called up, and Mr.. Pettisrew, of South Da-
dressing the senate for about two hours.
il the course of his argument which was
iorceful and interesting. because he had
made personal Investigation of the sub
Ject he maintained that the harbor of
kiska. on the island of Great kiska. owned
by the United States. would make much
Honolulu, as ii was in a more direct line
from this country to the Philippines than
the Hawaiian islands and more than 1,oO
miles nearer.
Mr.. Pettierew said that annexation was
defended by the sentiment that 1t was the
manifest destiny of the United States to
extend its territory 1t II manifest
destiny, ne said. that had committed more
crime and had done more to 9Dpress the
tory of the world. Manifest destiny had
built up the feudal castles and gathered
the serfs around them. II was the justifica-
weak. s He He di decaTed IL that at Il the United
States should annex territory into which
We could not introduce our form of gov
ernment. the reflex action of such acquisi-
ton Of territory and of people far inferior
TO our own would cause our own govern
ment to deteriorate.
speech, Mr. Petiigrew, on account OF IA
tigie, yielded the floor to Mr.. McEnery,
Democrat, of Louisiana, who presented Il
constitutional argument against annexa-
tion.
Mr.. McEnery said that the conditions in
Hawaii after annexation would be an ex-
, aggeration of the condition of the South
during the days of reconstruction. 1t
would be overrun. he declared with GRIM
inals and with social and political adven-
turers. There would be on the Islands a
carnival of crime and debauchery that
would be a disgrace TO our people and our
government. Very soon. he thought Ha-
wai would seek admission as a state. and
this rotten borough. Oriental. ignorant
and corrupt. will be sending represents
tives here to assist in the election of a
president of the United States.
This annexation of Hawaii, too. will be
only the beginning of the extension of our
territory" he continued. THE Philippines
will follow. then cuba. Porto Rico and
the Canaries and tine remaining colonial
possessions of Spain. And very shortly
We shall have an excuse to wrest the
Azores. the Madeiras and Cape Verde ISL
ands from Portugal
Mr.. Pettierew presented a conference re-
port upon the bill to ratify the agreement
entered into between the Dawes commits
sion and the Seminole Indians, the house
conferees having agreed to all of the SEN
ate amendments. The report was adopted
AL o:oo the senate went into executive
session, and at 5:55 adjourned.