The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-08
MUST GO TO BOTH HOUSES.
Hawaiian Treaty Cannot Be
Ratified by Senate.
BARE POSSIBILITY THAT ENOUGH
VOTES CAN BE OBTAINED.

VOTES CAN BE OBTAINED.
Senator Teller Argues in Favor of Annex
ation-Denies That Americans Can
not Work in That Climate or That Big
Navy Would Be Needed to Protect 1t.
Washington, February 7.-Senator Tel
Ter of Colorado occupied the entire four
hours of today's executive session Of the
Senate in discussing the Hawaiian an
nexatlon treaty. In the course of the
speech Mr.. Teller said that he should
have been glad to discuss the treaty in
open session, but that the time had al
most come when the question of annexa-
tion should be debated upon bill look
ing to consideration by both houses of
Congress rather than upon the basis of
the treaty. While he thought there might
be bare possibility of securing 6s votes
necessary to ratify the treaty he conceded
| that under the present circumstances this
| was exceedingly doubtful and he thought
the sooner change of front was made
the better. There were some Interrupt
| ions at this point, and it was suggested
by some senators after the close of the
executive session that the committee on
| foreign relations would consider the ad-
visibility of making this change of poll
| cy at its next meeting, to be held on Wed.
nesday. The statement kwas, however;
[ made by Senator Davis, chairman of the
committee on foreign relations, that
| there had been no mention as had been
reported, OF attaching the treaty to one
of the appropriation bills as an amend
ment.
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 acquir-
| ing 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 fOun-
dation that it need not long continue to
be an essential factor of the situation.
He produced fgul es to show that the ma
of their co-mingling 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 elect
to make the islands a part of the United
| States, the American people would at
once become the controlling element il
Hawaii, but if we should fail to take ad-
vantage of the opportunity now offered
some other people would probably as
sumo the control, which naturally, tradit-
ioually, belonged to the United States.
He said that ever since the days of Web
ster and Marcy majority of the people
of this country had believed that the
Hawaiian islands should ,and would some
day, become an integral part of the Unit
ed States. With the fierce struggle that
was about to begin in the Orient for
the possession Of new territory among the
European powers, it was indeed a short
sighted man, he stated, who would con-
tend that Hawaii, occupying so import
ant a location in the middle of the Pa
| cicf ocean would be left untouched by
some of the land grabbing nations of the
Old World. 1t WAS absurd for this gov
ernment to try to maintain system of
control without taking actual possession.
| He controverted the position of Sena-
| tors Pettigrew and White that the Ameri-
can cannot labor in the Hawaiian ISL
ands. He quoted statistics to show that
the temperature on the island coasts
ranged from rs to IS during the year,
which he said was far from being op-
pressively hot. Farther inland it was still
cooler and on the mountains frosts
were not infrequent If the white man
of this country should not be impressed
with the islands, Mr.. Teller thought they
would make an ideal location for the col
ored people Of the United States, who
might desire to leave this country and
WHO would find congenial employment
in the sugar plantations and coffee fields
| of Hawaii.
Mr.. Teller also discussed the contention
that the Hawaiian group was not on
the most direct line Of travel between
Japan. Any vessel might come around
the Horn or cross the Isthmus of Pana-
ma in case of the construction Of canal
would, he said, almost certainly take
these islands in on it's way to Yokohama,
Shanghai or any of the far eastern ports.
Furthermore, the island were great con.
venience Us coaling and great supply
point to vessels. Taking up the question
Of the necessity for the defense of the ISL
ands and of the maintenance of large
fleet in their waters in case of annexa-
ton, he said that this was a mere buga-
boo All that would be necessary would
be to fortify Pearl harbor for the proteo.
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 hos
| tile nation would TOR mere sentiment
send feet thousands of miles across
the waters in order to destroy defense
less communities there simply because
they were subject to the United States.
| Mr. Teller went extensively into the
history of the islands from 1880 to 1850
to show that both Englishmen and
Frenchmen had forced treaties of cession
out OF the rulers of the islands. Senator
Teller was frequently interrupted dur
| ing bis speech by Senators White, Petit
grew, Gear and others.
TRIAL OF THE SHERiFFS.