The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-01
Question Discussed By Senate In
Executive Session.
AS A WAR NECESSITY
ANNEXATIoNISTS DECLARE WE
MUST TAKE ACTION.
Pettigrew Accused the Government of
Sharp Practice In Storing Coal at
Honolulu In Order to Force An
nexation When We Had a Better
Coaling Station.

Washington, May 31.-The senate re-
NAMED in secret executive session for
three hours today. The entire time was
given to a rather free discussion of the
Hawaiian question, based on motion de-
claring it to be the sense of the senate
that annexation should not be discussed
in open session. AT the conclusion of the
debate the senate voted viva voce not to
pursue the subject further except pehlnu
closed doors.
Senator Lodge did not press the subject
of his speech after the public was eX-
GUIDED but other senators declared them
selves in favor of prompt action. the
speeches of MessrS. Chandler and Morgan
being the most pronounced IN TINS dlrec-
ton.
Senator Morgan expressed the opinion
that under the circumstances, the annex
alton of the Hawaiian Islands was as
much a war measure as any step tnat
could possibly be taken, and he thought
congress had remained in session long
enough to pass all war measures he palu
his respects to those who preferred ad-
ioururnent to remaining here attending to
the countryS business.
A large portion of his speech was made
in reply to Senator White. VINO had an
tagOnized the theory that the Islands
were in any way essential TO our success
in the conflict with Spain
Senator Chandler commended that the
possession of the islands was military
necessity. He dwelt upon the 1act that
Hawaii afforded practically the only stop
ping place between our shores ana the
Philippine islands he mentioned the Iact
that we now have Y 900 tons of coal stored
at Honolulu, and said that II, IN view Oh
the existing war, We should be shown any
favoritism whatever the repuphc Wo 1la,.
be held in a strict accountability by other
countries. He called attention 10 the
Geneva award. and said that under us
terms we would, by forcing Hawaii 10
violate neutrality, render that country
liable for all damage that might be done
to people of other nationalities by SHIPS
which had stopped in the islands, wher-
ever that damage was done. rms was d
principle in favor of which the Spanish
commended and it would be a verltabIe
tfavesty on justice to render this friendly
and helpless power the SUBJECT OF me
principle. The only proper way out OF the
difficulty, he argued. was TO annex the
/ islands and thus serve our own con-
venience and protect them from the ven
1 geance of other powers, and he thought
no time should be lost in taking this step.
Other speeches favorable TO annexation
+ were made by Senators Stewart and
Elkins, and Senator Allison. acting chalr-
man of the finance committee, intimated
a willingness to take up the Hawaiian
question after the passage OF the war
revenue bill
Let us said he. finish this oill and
then il necessary, take up the Hawaiian
question He made a plea against in
volving the one subject with the other.
Senators Pettigrew and White were an
/ tagonistic to annexation. and Senator
| Hale announced himself favorable TO hnal
adjournment, after the passage OF tne
war revenue bill and necessary approprla-
] ton bills.
Mr.. Pettigrew devoted himself especial
( " to Senator Chambers declaration that
the acquisition of the islands was ne
cessity of war. He contended that such
was not the case. and argued that IN
Z alaska a town within our own borders,
was a far more desirable stopping point
/ for ships bound to the Orient from San
/ Francisco than Honolulu could be- He
said Honolulu and UnalaSka were each
about Zoo miles from San Francisco. but
! that while Honolulu was more than 4.SO
miles distant from Manila. Unalaska was
/ only a little over 400 miles.
Why he asked, did not our govern
ment in view of this difference in dis
/ lance in view of the saving of two days
! time store her coal at Unalaska, instead
/ of Honolulu Why. if 1t was not in an
ticipation of the raising of this cry of
| necessity in order to force us into ac-
/ quiesence in the acquisition OF the
/ islands as a war measure, when Il was
/ known that annexation could not be ac-
! complished in time of peace?
/ Senator White thought he saw in the
I effort to secure Hawaiian annexation at
/ this time a desire to establish a precedent
| for future proceedings in other cases, and
/ said the matter should be postponed until
after the war and all efforts at annexa-
1 ton considered together. lie thought that
/ if our principal object had been that of
/ securing a coaling station, we should
have fortified Pearl harbor. but as this
/ had not been done. It was evident that
we must have other designs.
Senator Lodge said after the conclusion
of the secret session that he accomplished
his purpose in calling attention to the
necessity for action on this subject before
final adjournment and that he would not
/ further press the subject in connection
with the war revenue bill.