The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-02-08
TELLER FAVORSTHE TREATY
SPEAKS FOUR HOURS IN FAVOR OF
ANNEXATION.

Bare Possibility of Securing Necessary
Sixty Votes but Under Present Circum-
stances He Comedies 1t is Very Doubtful
and Thinks the Sooner a Change of Front
Is Made the Better.
Washington, Feb. 7.-Senator Teller
occupied the entire four hours of to-
In discussing the Hawaiian question.
While he thought that there might be
a bare possibility of securing the sixty
votes necessary to ratify the treaty, he
conceded that under the present cir
cumstances this was exceedingly
doubtful, and he thought the sooner a
change Of front was made the better.
There were some Interruptions at this
point, and it was suggested that the
committee on foreign relations would
consider the subject at its next meet
ing, which will be held on Wednesday
of this week.
Senator Teller advocated the ratifca-
tion of the treaty upon the ground that
the annexation of the islands was in
the interest of our commerce and in
line with our national policy for the
past half century. He devoted himself
largely to replying to the objection
raised to acquiring the islands because
Of the domination Of the native race.
He undertook to show that there was
no foundation for this criticism, or, if
there was such foundation now. that it
need not long continue to be a factor
of the situation. He produced figures
to show that the natives of Kanakas
We're rapidly dying off as a result of
their comningling with outside races.
He contended that the islanders
could not long remain to dispute the
supremacy of some other race: and
what race that would be would depend
largely upon the present action of the
senate. If we should elect to make
the islands a part of the United States
the American people would become the
controlling element in Hawaii, but If
we should fail to take advantage of
the opportunity offered some other ma
tion would take them. Ever since the
days Of Webster and Marcy major
ity of the people of this country had
believed that the Hawaiian Islands
should and would some day become an
integral part of the United States. He
controverted the position that an
American could not labor in the Ha-
waiian Islands. He quoted statistics
to show that the temperature on the
island ranged from 5e to So during the
year, which, he said, was far from be-
ing oppressively hot. Farther inland it
was still cooler, and on the mountains
much cooler.
Mr.. Teller discussed the contention
that the Hawaiian group was not on
the most direct line of travel between
the western hemisphere and China and
Japan. Any vessel which might come
around the Horn or cross the Isthmus
Of Panama. in case Of the construction
OF canal, would, he said. almost GER
tainly take these islands In on its way
to Yokohama, Shanghai or any of the
far eastern ports. Furthermore, the
islands were a great convenience as a
coa1ing and general supply point to
vessels plying the Pacific ocean.
Taking up the question of the neces-
sity for the defense of the islands and
of the maintenance of a large fleet in
their waters in case Of annexation, he
said that this was mere bugaboo.
All that would be necessary would be
to fortify Pearl harbor for the protec-
ton of coal and military stores in times
of hostility. There would be no need
to Guard other portionS of the islands
for it was not to be supposed that any
hostile nation would for mere senti-
ment send a fleet thousands of miles
across the waters in order to destroy
defenseless communities there, simply
because they were subject to the Unit
ed States.