Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-06-17
The House Vote on Hawaii.


which the national House of Represen-
tatives handled the matter of Hawaii
an annexation when once it took it III
for settlement, is a cause of congratu :
lation to the country. After a debate
of three days the annexation resolu-
tons were passed Wednesday after
noon by the overwhelming vote of 209
to 81. Only three Republican represen-
tatives were out of line with the ad-
ADMINISTRATION and the party pledges on
this great issue. With the almost solid
Republican vote for annexation We're
joined the votes of Is Democrats, four
Populists and four Fusionists whose
patriotism and progressiveness gave
them the courage to scorn the sting Of
their party lash.
The House has done it's duty in noble
fashion. 1t has voiced the viii of the
nation in condemning the policy of
infamy inaugurated by the Cleveland
Blount regime. The resolutions now
go to the Senate. The friends of an
nexation claim a good majority in that
body, but under its rules .he debate
cannot be limited and the struggle is
likely to be protracted to an unreason-
able length by the filibustering tactics
employed by the opposition. However
long the debate may be it can have
but one result. for nothing in the flu
ture can be more certain than that
Hawaii will be annexed to the United
States. The Senate would win the
gratitude of the country and make its
record a more creditable one for future
generations to read. if it followed with
out delay The example set by the
House.
Sixty years of American statesman
which Congress is taking. The annexa-
ton of Hawaii is nothing new. II is
not a change in our traditional nation
al policy, as its opponents have ar
gued; it is merely q glorious consum-
nation. Long ago the hand of fat
pointed out that paradise of the Paci-
fic as q spot where the American flag
should wave. When Cleveland hauled
down the flag that John L. Stevens
had raised it was only a futile attempt
to clog the wheel of progress. The
flag is going up there again. and tnis
time it will stay. Such is the voice
of the people of The United States and
of Hawaii, Such is the voice of God
The Sandwich Islands were rescued
from cGnniDalism and brought to Chris
tianty by American missionaries,
mainly men and women from New
England. American enterprise devel-
oped their magnificent resources and
gave them their great commercial
value. From their position as we'll as
from their history they naturally be-
long to us, and their stategetic i'm
portance is 50 great that the world has
looked on in amazement at our hesi-
taton to grasp the rich prize that has
so long been ready to fall into our
hands. 1t was not enough that the
islands be simply under our protection
Our own interests as we'll as theirs has
since We have found ourselves in
volved in a foreign war with our sail
ors and soldiers on the Pacific depen-
dent upon Honolulu as way station
To newly conquered lands. In defiance
of all laws Of neutrality the Hawaiian
republic has opened its ports to us and
made it possible for Warships and
troOp-laden transports to go to the aid
of the heroic little squadron at Manila.
Hawaii is loyal and grateful to US for
help and protection in the past and it
is paying the debt with compound i'll
annexation which it seeks, and the
actually of war has made many real
iZe the absolute necessity of possess
ing these islands. who have been hith-
erto opposed to it. The possession of
Hawaii not only assures the safety of
our western seacoast, but as an OUT
post gives us an immeasurable advan-
tage in the great work which destiny
is cutting out for us in the far Pacific
1t is the proud privilege of William
Mckinley to set the capstone on the
work whose broad foundations were
laid more than half century ago by
statesmen whose gaze was clear and
prophetic. His vision is broad, and he
beholds the ripe unfolding of the ma
TONS destiny. Nobly has the Republi-
can House supported the President
and sustained the government The
Senate cannot do less. If it fails to do
its duty,or if the passage of the resolu-
lions is unreasonaby delayed by the
unpatriUtic conservatism of certain
senators, then the exigencics of the
hour fully authorize the President to
summarily annex Hawaii as a var
measure, and the country will apDlaud