The Portland daily press., 1898-06-22
HAWAIIAN DEBATE LAGS.
Interest in the Discussion Not Very
Intense.
ARGUMENTS REPETITION OF LAST
WINTERS SPEECHES.

Senator White the Chief Orator Yesterday
and He Had Not Finished His Argu-
ment when the Session Adjourned
His Speech a skillfuI One.
Washington, June 21.-Interest In the
discussion of Hawaiian annexation, which
is pending in the Senate, already has be-
gan to lag. Early in the present session
the Senate debated the question behind
closed doors for six weeks. During that
time a majority of the speakers were ac-
corded close attention. 1t is evident from
the proceedings today that the Senators
will not become enthusiastic over argu-
ments which are not now, new to them.
Mr.. White, Democrat of California, the
leader of the opposition, spoke for three
hours and half. His argument was skill
full and was presented with oratorical
ability. but it failed to command the at
tention from Senators 1t really deserved
Mr.. White had not concluded his argu-
ment when the resolutions were laid aside
for the day. He will resume his speech
tomorrow.
Mr.. Mitchell. Democrat of Wisconsin.
opened the discussion today with brief
speech in opposition to the resolutions.
Among the bills presented was one pro-
viding severe Ienalties for the malicious
injury or destruction of submarine mines,
torpedoes, Notifications or other coast
defences.
Washington, June 2l.-Almost immedi-
ately after the Senate convened the reso-
luton for the annexation of Hawaii was
laid before it.
Pending it's consideration Mr.. Roach Of
North Dakota, who had been quoted insa
Washington PAPER as favorable to the an
nexation of Hawaii, rose to question of
personal privilege. He said he had not
made the statement attributed to him
and, as matter of fact was opposed, and
always had been to the annexation of
Hawaii.
Mr.. Mitchell of Wisconsin delivered
speech in opposition to annexation. In
| the course of his address he declared that
| the nation just now was shorn Of It's
Judgment. He thought the seizure OF
Hawaii would remove all doubt as to our
land grabbing intentions. He declared
that the annexation project was clumsy
cover for the sugar magnates, from
| around the edges the saccharine juice
dripped to the advantage of all who cared
| to avail themselves of it.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Mitchelps
speech, Mr. White of California, the lead
or of the opponents of annexation, took
the floor.
A call for quorum by Mr.. Jones OF
Arkansas developed the presence of 81
| Senators.
Mr.. White in beginning maintained
| that the question pending was not only
sented with it deserved and ought to have
the careful consideration of all. Some he
| thought, had been carried away by the
excitement of the moment and had been
swept along by existing conditions. But,
| said he. ii this body is too important to
carefully consider this question, it has
| failed OF it's purpose, it has not responded
| to the idea OF the trainers OF the Cont1tu-
| t ion.
| MIR. White ventured the opinion that 1t
would not hasten consideration Of the Ha-
| waiian question, in the Senate, that no
reasons.were to be assigned for action upon
| it. He declared that while territory had been
| acquired by treaty. in no case had terri
| tory been acquired by such g monstrous
piece of folly and contradiction, as was
the pending resolution.
The resolution, he said, declared there
had been cession which Congress was
to ''accept, ratify and confirm.
| He demanded to know what cess1on had
| been made and what lawyer in the Senate
would state that there had been cesslon.
He maintained that there had been no
cession as there could not have been with
out the concurrence of both parties.
Referring to the possibility OF annexa-
ton of the Hawaiian islands by executive
| action, MIR. White commended that the ex-
ecutive would be justified in taking
possession of the foreign territory, only as
an act of war and only from the enemy.
Mr.. White gave some attention to the
possibility of the Hawaiian islands be-
coming a state of the Union in case of
their acquisition and congratulated the
country upon the fact that no one had
been found to contend for the right. He
characterized the conditions on the island
as "a heterogeneous compound OF mani
fest inef6clency."
He commended that there were other
questions than the annexation of Hawaii
involved in the present discussion. he
referred to the assertion that the Ameri-
can flag when once unfurled In country
could not be taken down, and said
whether this was true, must depend upon
the circumstances under which 1T was
raised. 1t must depend upon whether it
is justly or unjustly raised. If planted as
result of uncalled for invasion and in a
spirit of conquest and of rapine and
murder, 1t could not be maintained. but
if planted on torei gn soil under proper
and patriotic circumstances it must be
maintained there if to do SO should cost
the country it's greatest strength; it's
most powerful effort and the best blood
of the nation.
Mr.. White read, among other things,
an elucidation of the Monroe doctrine and
then said: Gin enunoiating the Monroe
doctrine we declared we desi red no inter-
ference of European powers with affairs in
this hemisphere, but by those who framed
that doctrine it was in contemplation
that we ourselves had no intention to in
terfere with the territorial possessions
outside of this hemisphere.
"The acquisition of the Hawaiian
islands would be the entering wedge of
that imperialistic policy which is as
foreign to the purposes in view when this
government was organized, as are the