The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-08
TELLER ANSWERS WHITE
THE COLORADO SENATOR THINKS VIZ
NEED HAWAII.
He Scouts the "Bugbear" Of Naval Defense.
1t Develops that Speaker Reed is
Sill Opposed.

Sill Opposed.
Washington, d. c., Feb. 1.-Senator
Teller, of Colorado, occupied the entire
four hours of today's executive session
in the Senate in discussing the Ha-
waiian annexation treaty. During the
course of his speech Mr.. Teller took occa-
sion to say that he should have been
glad to discuss the treaty in open session,
and to this remark he added the opinion
that the time had almost come when
the question of annexation should bt
debated upon a bill looking to legisla
ton by both houses of Congress rather
than upon the basis of the treaty. While
he thought there might be a bare posi-
bility of securing the sixty votes neces
sary to ratify the treaty, he conceded
that under the present circumstances
this was exceedingly doubtful, and hf
thought the sooner this fact should be
recognized and a change of front made
the better it would be from all points OF
view. There were some Interruptions al
this point, and it was suggested by
some Senators after the close of the
executive session that the Committee or
Foreign Relations consider the adviSa
bility of making this change of policy al
its next meeting. to be held on Wedmes-
day of this week. The statement was.
however, made by Senator Davis, Chair
man of the Committee on Foreign Rela
tons, that there had been no intention
Of attaching the treaty to one of the APP
aS
had been stated was the case, ia some
of the newspapers. He made this state
ment in reply to a suggestion put by
Senator White, of California.
Senator Teller advocated the ratifca-
ton of the treaty, basing his reasons
for this position upon the grounds that
the 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
largely to replying to the objection that
has been raised to acquiring the islands
because of the denomination of the ma.
tive race. He undertook to Show that
there was no foundation for this criti
cism, or if there was such foundation
now it 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 ma
tives or Kanakas were rapidly dying off,
as u result of their commingling with
ouptside races.
With the fierce struggle that was
about to begin in the orient, for the
possession of new territory among the
European powers, it was indeed a short
sighted man, he stated, who would CON
tend that Hawaii, occupying SO important
Il location. as it does, in the middle of the
great Pacific ocean, would be left un-
touched by some of the land-grabbins
nations Of the old world. Under the
present circumstances it was absurd for
this government to try. to maintain q
system of control without taking actual
possession.
He controverted the position of
Senators Pettigrew and White
that the Americans could not
labor in the Hawaiian islands.
He quoted weather statistics to show
that the temperature of the island coasts,
ranges from % to So during the year
If the white man of the United States
should not be impressed with the islands
Mr.. Teller thought they would make an
ideal location for colored people who
might desire to leave the present terri
tory of this country, and who would
find congenial employment in the sugar
plantation and coffee fields Of Hawaii.
Taking up the question of the neces-
sity of the defense of the islands, and
of the maintenance of large fleet in
their waters in case of annexation, he
said that this was mere bugabOo and
was without foundation in fact. All that
would be necessary would be to fortify
Pearl harbor for the protection of coal
and military stores in times of hostility.
Mr.. Teller went extensively into the
history of the islands from 1880 to 1850,
to show that both Englishmen and
Frenchmen had forced treaties of con-
cession out of the rulers of the islands,
There rs no present purpose in the
House Of Representatives to consider
the Hawaiian question, and the House
leaders says there has been no change
whatever i'll the disposition to allow the
Senate TO act on the subject before
making any move in the House. Speak
or Reed would make no public comment
on published reports that he had chang
ed his views on Hawaii, and was now in
favor of prompt action on Joint reso-
luton annexing Hawaii. The report
caused much comment among members,
and TO those who made inquiries of the
Speaker, he replied with much emphasis
that the report was unwarranted and
false.