Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-02-08
TELLER FAvORS ANNEXATION.
Occupies Entire Executive Session In an
Argument for the Treaty

Washington. Feb. T-Scnator Teller
of Colorado, occupied the entire four
hours of tOday's executive session III
the Senate in discussing the Hawaiian
annexation treaty. In the cours" of
his speech. Mr. Teller said that he
should have been glad to discuss the
treaty in open session and that the
time had almost come when the ques-
tion of annexation should be debated
upon II bill looking To legislation hy
both houses of Congress rather than
upon the basis of tho treaty.
While he thought there might hr L
bare possibility Of securing The 90
votes necessary To ratify the trca, y,
h" conceded that under the present cir
cumstanceS this was exceedingly
doubtful and he thought the sooner I,
change of front was made the better.
There were some Interruptions at
this point. and it was suggested by
some senators after the close of tn,
executive session that the committee
on foreign relations would consider
the advisab ility of making this change
Of policy at its next meeting, to be
held on Wednesday. The statement
was. however. made by Senator Davis.
chairman of the committee on foreign
relations, that there had been no in
tentiOn as had been reported. of at
taChing the treaty to one of the ap-
preparation bills as an amendment.
Senator Teller advocated the ratiti-
cation of the treaty upon the ground
that the annexation of the islands was
in the interest of our commerce AMI
in line With our national policy for
the past half century He devoted him
self largely to replying to the objection
raised to acquiring the islands becausa
OF the domination of the native race
He undertook to show that there was
no foundation for this criticism or il
there was such foundation that ii
need not long continue to he an essen
tial factor of the situation. He pro
duced figures to show that the natives
We're rapidly dying off as result u
their communicating With outside races
He contcndpd that the Islanders could
not long remain to dispute the supremacy
Of some other races, and what race that
would he would depend largely upon the
present action of the Senate. If ".
should elect to make the islands 4 part OF
the United States the American people
mont in Hawaii. but if we should fail to
take advantage of the opportunity now
offered. some other people would prob
ably assume the control which naturally
and additionally belonged to the United
States. He said that ever since the DAYS
of Webster 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 III,
United States.
With the fierce struggle that was about
to begin in the Orient for the possession
of new territory among the Europear
powers ii was indeed Il Short-Sig hit ed
man. ne stated. who would contend tina,
| Hawaii, occupying so important Il loca-
ton in the middle OF the Pacific ocean
would be left untouched by some of IN,
land-gra bling nations of the world /,
was absurd for this government to try
to maintain Il system of control without
taking actual possession.
He c0ntroVerted the position of Sona.
tors rcttigrcw and White that the Amer.
lean could not labor in the Hawaiian
Islands. He quoted statistics to show
that the temperature on the island coasts
ranged from Is To s. during he year
which he said was far from being OBJ
pressively hot. Farther inland ii wa.
still Coole" and ON the mountains froSts
We're not 'infrcqucnt. If the white mar
! Of this country should not be impresse,