The times., 1898-01-11
SENATOR MORGANS VIEWS.
He Discusses Two Live Topics for
The Times.

He Discusses wO Live topics Tor
The Times.
The Hon. John T. Morgan last night
accorded an interview to The Times.
| which cannot fail to be of interest, be-
cause, in all the directions in which
the legislation or the policy of the
country is pointed to. the expansion of
our commercial or other power, Sena-
tor Morgan stands foremost among
American statesmen and patriots.
On the question of Hawaiian annex
alton. the Senator called attention to
very pertinent fact. He said that
the discovery of mountains of gold in
our Alaskan possession would certainly
result in a large influx or American
population into that region. Such in
lux would involve a great carrying
trade because Alaska must draw its
surplus from the States Present in
dlcattonS are that the mineral re-
sources of our far northern colony will
lead TO vast development. and that the
result will be a splendid cOastwise traf-
fic between San Francisco and Seattle
and ports on the American Alaskan
coast
This may be regarded as a cOastwise
traffic, but when il is remembered that
the distance between our settlements on
the old Pecific coast and our harbors in
the land which we bought from Russia
approximately is much like the dis
tance between New York and Liverpool
or Portsmouth, with British territory
between. it will be recognized that We
have something to protect.
In this connection, Senator Morgan
offers the proposition that the line of
communication between the ports OH
our Pacific coast within the States and
Alaska. through our Alaskan Archipel-
ago. would bring the average area of
that commerce nearer to the Hawaiian
Islands than to any point on our own
shores. That the Importance of the
mineral discoveries 4n our Alaskan
possession will justify and support a
large commerce is not TO be doubted
That its results to the prosperity of
our country will be not only great. but
in connection with the products OF
Alaska, matter for the consideration
of competing nations. is too plain for
discussion. We must protect it, and
our only chance to do so lies in our
possession of Hawaii.
Senator Morgan also gave The Times
his views upon the question of the next
census. His views are the views of
this journal upon the necessity for a
non-partisan and truthful census in
1900. He believes. however. that. con-
stitutionally, the scope of a census
should be restricted TO an enumeration
of the people once in ten years, for
the purpose of making the proper ap-
portionment for members of the House
of Representative
In taking this position the Senator
said that he did not wish to be regard
ed as opposed TO the idea that the Gov
ernment should produce statistical in
formation valuable 10 the people but
he does not think that the census. as
contemplated by the Constitution. is
the agency through which To do the
work If we understand him correctly.
Senator Morgan would favor a perma-
nent consolidation of the many segre-
gated statistical bureaus of the Gov
ernment. now in operation and would
utilize the consolidated force as
means 10 accomplish every year what
has been attempted in hurried and
inadequate way in the work of several
censuses. But Of one thing Senator
Morgan is satisfied. The census Of
1900 should be non-partisan and truth
fuI He believes, with The Times that
there are enough patriots in the Sen
ate and House of Representative To
compel this. He believes that the
proposition itself is sufficiently Amer
lean and equitable TO accrete the neces-
sary power in the two chambers. RE
is confident that the votes Will be found
to make such a solution certain.