The state herald., 1898-02-11
TELLER ON HAWAII.
SPOKE IN FAVOR OF ANNExA-
TiON.
Tho Colorado Senator Speaks to the Senate
for -Four Ilours-He Fears Enough Votes
May Not Be Obtained to Ratify tho
Treaty.

May Not Bo obtained to Ratify the
Treaty.
| Washington, Feb. S.-Scnator Teller
of Colorado occupied the entire four
hours of tO-day's session In the Senate
In discussing the Hawaiian annexation
| treaty. During the course of his speech
Mr. Teller took occasion to say that
he should have been glad to discuss
the treaty in open session. and to the
remark he added the opinion that the
time had almost come when the qucs-
tioh of annexation should be debated
on bill looking to legislation ny both
houses of Congress rather than on the
basis of the treaty. While lie thought
there might he bare possibility of
securing the sixty votes necessary ia
ratify the treaty. he conceded that un-
der the present circumstances this was
exceedingly doubtful. and he thought
| the sooner the facts be recognized and
change of front made. the better II
would be from all points of view
There were some Interruptions nj this
| point. and II was suggested by some
senators after the close of the cxccll-
| tive session. that the committee on
foreign relations would consider The
advisabillty of making this change of
| policy at It's next meeting, TO he held
! on Wednesday of this week,
Senator Teller advocated the ratiilca.
tlon of the trcaty, basing his reasons
for this position upon the grounds
that the annexation of the islands was
in the interest of our commerce and III
line with our national policy for the
past half century. He devoted himself
very largely To replying to the objcc-
tion that had been raised to acquiring
the islands because of the domination
of the native race. He undertook tn
show that there was no foundation for
this criticism, or IL there was, such
foundation now, 1t need not. he said
long continue To he an essential factor
of the situation He based this state
mcnt upon figures which he produced
TO show that the natives. or Kanakas,
were rapidly dying OF as result of
their commingling races.
He contcndcd that the islanders could
not long remain TO dispute the suprcm.
acy of some other race and what race
that should he would depend largely
upon the present action of the United
States Senate.
If we would elect to make the is
lands n part of the United States, the
American people would at once be.
come the counseling element in Ha.
wall. but If we should fail to take adj
vantage of the opportunity now offered
some other people would in all proba.
bility assume the position of control
which naturally and tradiiionally be.
longs 10 the United States.
Taking up this line of argument, hr
said that ever since the days of Web
sicr and Marcy n majority of the peo.
pie of this country had believed tlia,
the Hawaiian Islands should and
would some day become an integral
part of the United States. With III,
struggle that was about Ia begin in
the Orient for the possession of new
! territory among the European pow
crs, II WAS indeed short-sighicd man
hc stated, who would contend that LA
wall. occupying 50 important location
as II does, In the middle Of the grcat
] Pacific ocean. would bc left untouche,
by some of the land grabbing nation,
OF the Old World. Under the present
circumstances II was absurd for thi,
government TO try To maintain n sys
tenn OF control without taking actua
| possession.
He controvertcd the position of Sen
ntors Petiigrcw and White that th,
| American could not labor In the Ha
wailan islands. He quoted wcathc,
statistics 10 show that temperature on
the Islands coasts ranged from 30 (,
~ during the year. which. he said wa.
Tar from being nm oppressivcly ho
climate. Farther inland 1t was sill
l cooler, AMI on the mountains frost,
We're not infrcqncnt. II the white man
OF this country should not he impress
ed with the Islands. Mr.. Teller thought
| they would make an excellent location
for the colored people of the United
States who might desire 10 leave thl,
country and would find congenial en-
ployment In the sugar plantations and
coffee fields OF Hawaii
Mr.. Teller also discussed the contcn
tlon that the Hawaiian group was moi
on the most direct line Of travel he
tween the western hemlsphercs and
| China and Japan. Any vessel whlcl
might come around the Horn or eros,
the lsthmus Of Panama In the ease ot
III" construction of n canal. wonl,
almost certainly take these Islands II
ON Its way Ia Yokohama, Shanghai ol
amy other far Eastern port. Further
more, the Islands were u great conycn
ience as n coaling and general suppl,
point 10 vessels plying the Paclh,
ocean.
] Taking M the question of the npcrs
slty Tor the defense of the Islands an,
OF the maintenance OF the large fleet IL
their waters In ease of annexation. Il,
snld. that this WIS n mere bugnhoo nm,
was without foundation In fact. Al
that would bo necessary would be I,
fortify Pearl hnrbor for the projection
OF local and military stores In times oI
hostility, with all Of our stores of iii,
character located NJ one spot. ns the,
could easily hc. and that particular
spot strongly in'rrnchcd and wei
nrmci, there would bc no need I,
gunri other portions uf the islands
for u wns not 10 bc supposed TINT nm,
hostile nniion would Tor mere s.uii
mcpi send n fleet thousands Of mile
ncross the waters In order To niincl
and destroy amy d"fcnselrss commun
tiles there simply because they wcr,
subject 10 the government of tn
United Sintcs,
Mr.. Teller went extensively Into I'm
history of III" islands from 1870 I,
iS.sI to show that both EnrlIshm.,
and Frcncimrn hnd forced irrntIes a
c,'ssioi oui of tile ruler. Of the island.
Senator Teller was frequently lntai
rupicd during the delivery of hl
speech by SrnniorH white. rcttigrrw
Gear nnd utIurs,