Arizona republican., 1898-01-13
The Speech of Senator Davis on
 Island Annexation
JAPAN'S NATURAL RAPACITY
Debate on the Great Problem
 In Executive Session
Guns Planted on Hawai- Would Point Directly to the Mouth of the Nicaraguan Canal-Senator Allen Fears Alaskan Trouble.

Washington, Jan. 12.-Senator Davis continued and completed his speech in the executive session of the sena.e to- day on the Hawaiian question, and was followed by Senator Allen of Ne braska, who spoke in opposition. MT. Davis speech today was devoted large ly to presentation of the strategic features of annexation. He displayed a chart in front of the presiding off cer's platform. showing the location of Hawaii relative to this country and to Asia. One of the points brought out with considerable elaboration was the probable effect on the Nicaraguan canal of the occupation of the islands by some foreign power. He illustrated this by reference to the map, showing that Hawaii was in a straight line be- tween the western terminus of the canal and Japan and China.
 The nation, he said, which controls Hawaii will control the great gateway of commerce. Guns planted on Ha- wall would be pointed directly at the mouth of the canal. He also devoted careful attention to the importance of controlling Pearl Harbor, HOW owned by the United States, saying that the nation which maintains possession of this harbor would hold the key to the military situation in the North Pa for controlling Hawaii as a base of supplies in case of f1osti1isies, saying that 1t was almost necessary to control it for this reason on account of the impossibility of warships crossing the Pacific without replenishing their coal supply.
 He referred to Japan's protest as an indication of a natural tendency to rapacity and said that the govern ment of that country should have been satisfied with the territory wrested from China instead of wanting to gorge herself by the addition of Hawaii. He did not indicate the belief that imme- dfate war would result of the European competition over Chinese territory. He said the only way in which the United States could protect themselves against this distribution of territory would be to control the Hawaiian islands. In case we fail to do this there was dan. ger of losing very important trade ad- vantages which were rapidly develop ing.
 Senator Allen, populist of Nebraska, followed with speech iE opposition to the treaty, which was comparatively brief. He called attention to the dis tance of Hawaii from our shores, re. ferred to the necessity we would be under of defending the islands in, cast of war, and claimed that on this ac count 1t would be necessary for the United States to establish and main tain separate fleet for their protec ton, as well as an army on the is- lands. He said coal was no longer z contraband of war, and contended that the United States was In far greater danger from British establishment a the Esquimault than 1t could possibly be by the location of any foreign powe in Hawaii
 He depreciated the idea of assimilat ing such population as that of Ha waii, calling attention to the fact tha almost half of 1t was composed o Chinese and Japanese. He contende that annexation of the islands woul open the doors for a violatoin of ou laws for the exclusion of the Chinese