The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-03
THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS,
Speech By Mr. Horton, of Clio.
in Congress on the Gath
Day Of June.

tIial iHS piotcStIon OF that coast is ahso,
iutely inefficient. We have OH the pacn.
coast as a usual canplem ent MIN. ysssaL
aSsrega,ing SS,lil tons Displacement. A.
In AsIatlc waters We have I'VE mora ~
lS,sio tons In order 10 reinforce this ders
the Atlantic squadron must travel over Il
W. miles OF water in which the Iini-.a
states has not single coaling station n
case OF sudden war reinforcements for an.
Pacific fleet are Impossible.
Japan has Il fleet OF fSrly-eIght resS.,.
aggregating l.3Io. tons d,splacemsr,
Great Britain has in Asiatic waters farivss
one vessels. of 500 tons; Russia hss -
Asiaiic waters about twenty-five yesS.ls
Three powers have fleets In Pacific wsss~~
double that OF the United States with -.
long coast line 20 protect. From Hawsi
II any one Of these powers owned shss
island. they could al any time throw a mi
fleet upon our coast. With Hawaii Il, .v,~
possession We can prevent the shIps frns.
coaiing and We can communicate dsnrsr
TO the main coast, There Is another Va.
to take of the question.
Without Hawaii our coast may he a.
tackled al any time, while with it't r. -.
ceedinSiy improbable that our coast ,rSi
ever be attacked at all. The annexa,ior -
Hawaii would he the greatest preventive
OF war that we could possibly secure nrS
the maxim. An ounce OF nreyen,ior ~
worth a pound OF cure" Is very appljcahae
IL We had annexed Cuba when we oushr -
have annexed IL. We would never havN al
a war Win Spain. 1t Is not a case az ia
10 add 10 her territory; but with nationa
as with individuals, self preservation is IA
first law of nature. and We are acting for
our self-preservation.
The western line OF the states -, th.~,
originally existed was endangered nv hns
tile tribes OF Indians. and the United Stases
government never stopped for moment
until that danger TO Its frontier was over.
There are no Indians TO the west or ne
now. but there are some dangers over there
which We must guard against and eight
presidents of the United States and ten
secretaries or state. every navy officer and
every army officer who has looked into the
question have agreed that the remedy fcf
the danger which threatens our Psci6s
coast Hes in the annexation OF Hawaii
Ii has been asserted that the Hawaiiana
are incapable Of seif-government and can
not. therefore. be assimated with our no.
litical institutions. In the same breath the
opponents OF annexation assert that fhe
reason for the success OF the present gos.
eminent is mat il has the moral support az
the United States. II the United States
can prevent Instructions in the HaWSilsn
Islands by simple moral support, can Il not !.
even better prevent such instructions
when the entire power Of the governmeu(
Is exerted in the control OF the islands.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, / have tried to con
slider this question without any political
bias, and have endeavored TO discuss Il
from plain. practical. business stand
point. with due regard TO all the p1inciples
of our government and with all deference
to the traditions of our history. and ii any
reason exists why we should refuse tn
gift Of these islands. offered to u by the
legislature OF Hawaii. which IL the Official
voice of the people OF Hawaii. and the only
way In which rhe voice OF the people can
be officially heard, then hope that soms
member will produce that reason, and that
we Will give II all the consideration which
its importance may demand.
I have obtained from the Bureau OF
Steam Engineering Of the navy department
a carefully prepared and absolutely &C.
curate statement Of the importance Of Ha-
wall in the matter OF coal. I, L not based
upon any theories but gives the actual
amount OF coal that has been used by the
vessels named in making the trips out
lined.
The battleship Iowa under the most D.
vorable conditions consumes CD tons ~
coal between San Francisco and Honolulu
which left In her bunkers. which were
filed to their fullest capacity ut San Frsn-
cisco. 921 tons. Under usual conditions N
Iowa uses T25 tons In gcng to Honolulu.
which would leave SEQ tons In her hunkeN
The Massachusetts under the most fay0e'
able conditions uses 200 tons between ~
Francisco and Honolulu and would h4ve
SEQ tons left In her hunkers. Under uSms
conditions the Massachusetts, uses 80 tons.
which would leave SO tons In her bunke0
The Charleston uses 300 tons In going nom
San Francisco to Honolulu. which woMd
leave 400 tons in her bunkers. under me
most favorable conditions. Under usual
conditions the Charleston uses $50 tons esa
has $50 tons remaining. The Monadno1
uses 2.3 tons going from San Francisco.
and has I13 tons remaining. under mon
favorable conditions. Under usual conol.
tions the Monadnock uses ss5 tons gong
to Honolulu and only has four tons r.
manning The Monterey can not steam
Honolulu on her bunker capacity. NJ
greatest radius being Lib miles. nut CO.
reach Honolulu by pilng coal on her decka
None OF these vessels. which embrace IN
different types OF the United states ANY,.
can carry enough coal TO participate ~ ~
engagement ut Honolulu OF any consi1efae
BILE duration and then return 70 san F.sns
cisco. In case the navy conic not ccsi =
honolulu the United states would De anso'
Iutely helpless In Pacific wa.ers. VA.
ship had better be without powder 'nsn
without coal. No European power can ~.
tack our Pacific coast wfthaif coaiihe. mn
the United States could coriuct no wafian
I'm the Pacific ocean without coaiing sts.
ton. a warship without coal 10 but =
helpless hulk Of not mfe value than
schooner without either sails or ruddes
From San Francisco 10 Honolulu u
distance Of 2tOq miles from Honolulu -
the Caroiines IL 2 600 rnies from the caro-.
lines 10 the Phllippinesis I 900 miles: FROM
the Philippines to IpngkohK 20 n's@
From San Francisco 20 HoDoiuiu - =
easy cnaIing distance FOR war vesses 10
merchant steamers: rom Honolulu 10 the
Carniines Is anotherfasv coaIlng dstAne..
from fhe Carnline< IN the Ph'i'pninsw
another eaav cosl'ni distance ana the rnIss
gnnjnes arc within .asv coal'ng distance on
all asfatIc and Australian ports. TIE fcr.
tunes OF war havp thrown the Philippines
and Carol}nes winln our control; tne hs.
waiian Islands hive been onered 10 us ~
n Gle, with his chain ~ Islands we
Yo,,,d 10 ir,nrsnah'e I'm war 20 far ~
80, a+..ey an the Pacific ocean u con-
cerne6 and nopower on eafth co"'" f"
poe with us " commerce 80. -.
Pv accep'irf IN" @Nfhn'ars WIFI. u.
bnar almost rorif"o',a ~ 'HeIcu "s a.
will become ne complete shas'e'S y, "~
Pacific ocean