The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-06-30
DOINGS OF CONGRESS
Abstract of the Important Pro-
ceedings.

In snc senate on June Il the HaWdiIan
anne cation resolution was considered.
Pending consideration Mr.. Roach Of
North Dakota, who had been quoted as
favorable To the annexation Of Hawaii
rose to- a question Of personal privilege.
and said he was opposed TO annexation.
Mr. Mitchell Wisconsin, delivered
speech in opposition to annexation. He
thought the seizure OF Hawaii would re
move all doubt as to our land-grabbing
intentions. He declared that the annex
alton project was a clumsy cover for the
sugar magnateS from around the edges of
which the saccharine Juice dripped To the
advantage of ali who cared to avail them
selves OF il.
Mr.. White, of California, the leader of
the opponents of annexation, declared
that while territory had been acquired by
treaty, in no case had territory been
acquired by such a "mOnstrOuS piece OF
folly and contradiction" as was the pend
ing resolution. The resolution, he said,
declared there had been cession which
Congress was to accept. ratisy and con-
finn
He demanded to know what cession had
been made and what lawyer in the Senate
would state that there had been cesSiOn.
The acquisition of the Hawaiian Is
lands would be the entering wedge of that
imperialiStic policy which is as foreign to
the purposes in view when this Govern
ment was organized as are the. purposes
OF the most despotic Government on earth
10 our system"
Routine business occupied the House Of
Representatives.
In the Senate on June % Mr.. White
entered upon a discussion OF the state
ments that the possession of the Ha-
waiian Islands was a military necessity to
the United States. particularly as the
Government now had important interests
in the Philippine Islands. He ridiculed
the idea that the Hawaiian group was
needed by this country as halfway
station to Manila.
He pointed out that from San Francisco
il was AS miles nearer to- Manila by way
of UnalaSka than it was by Honolulu. He
said, too, it had been urged that the Ha-
waiian Islands were needed as a defense
OF the Nicaragua canal Honolulu was
4, 210 miles from the western terminus of
the Nicaragua canal. He thought it
much more desirable to- defend the canal
from San Francisco which was only 400
miles from the terminus, or from San
Diego, only 2, 200 miles away.
eff We need coaliRg station in the
Hawaiian Islands it does not follow that
we need the islands. If we need a coaIing
station in China, it does not follow that
we need the entire Chinese Empire"
Mr.. White maintained that there would
be no Improperly in this Government
entering a protest against any other ma
ton interfering with the present Govern
ment of Hawaii. In the face of such
protest no nation would interfere.
Mr.. Pettigrew maintained that the ter
ritOTy of the United States was already
large enough, and he believed it his duty
to- resist the acquisition OF any territory
Inhabited by a people far inferior to ours,
or so located as to require navy to de-
fend it.
In the House Mr.. Mahon secured con-
SideratiOn OF q bill to send to the Court of
Claims alleged claims for property of citi-
IA ken nv he faH-
crate troops in their several invasiOnS
into the border Counties of York, Adams,
Cumberland, Franklin. Fulton, RadfOrd,
Somerset, and Perry, Pa. The object of
the bill, it was pointed out, was to secure
decision from the courts, an appeal to
the Supreme Court being provided for,
upon the questions of validity of the
claims and liability of the Government
therefor.
The opponents of the bill declared their
opposition upon the ground that the bill
suggested proposition SO monstrOus as
to- deserve no consideration. Action was
not taken.
In the Senate on June % Mr.. Pettigrew
continued the speech against annexation
begun the day before.
He declared that If the United States
should annex territory into which we
could not introduce our form OF Govern
ment, the reflex action OF such acQulSl-
tiOn vi territory anu Oi ptOpie ISI IHlttlof
to- our own would cause our Government
to- deteriOrate.
Mr.. Pettigrew entered upon a long
argument in favor of employing our own
ports as coaling stations, instead of an
nexing undesirable lands in the tropics in
order to- obtain port OF which the country
had not the slightest need.
Mr.. McEneTy said that the conditions in
Hawaii after annexation would be an ex-
agGeration of the condition of the South
during the days OF reconstruction. IL
would be overrun, he declared, with crimi-
nails and with social and political adven-
turerS.
In the House considerable number Of
pension bills were passed.
In the Senate on June q Mr.. McEnery,
continuing his speech said the principal
ground of his objection to- the annexation
of Hawaii was that it would, he appre-
hended. paralyZe the Industries of the
South. The gray dawn of prosperity was
lust beginning To be noted in that section.
Northern capital, Northern energy and
Northern brains had, he said been going
to the South, and, although the dawn of
prosperity was in sight, he felt the sun
rise would never come If HAWAII were
annexed
The moment the policy OF colonization
is entered upon, he said, the prosperity or
would be diverted, enterprise stopped.
Every industry would he paralyzed and
every cotton factory would close.
The Senate on June - transacted
minor business. Then Mr.. Turiey in u
speech opposed Hawaiian annexation and
Mr.. Foraker defe ended the course OF affairs
pursued IN Hawaii since the Queens
overthrow.