The times., 1898-06-23
ENEMIES OF ANNEXATION
Senators White and Pettigrew
Denounce an Imperial Policy.
HAWAII IS TOO DISTANT
The Gentleman From California An
n0unces That Honolulu Is Too Far
From Our Pacific Coast to Afford n
Base of Action for Hostile
Fleet.

Senate has developed into sort of relay
| talking match against time. The talking
is all being done by the anti-annexation-
lists. There are now two speeches of in
definite length in process of delivery, at
which turns are being taken by Senator'S
White and Pettigrew. with the assistance
of the reading clerk. who is called upon
to vary the program and also to give the
speakers time to get their breath
This increasing flow of oratory is not
| appreciated by the friends of annexation,
and they maintain throughout 1t all
stolid silence.
1t was ! o'clock yesterday before
routine business was disposed of. AT that
time Chairman Davis. of the Foreign Re
lations Committee called up the New
lands resolution, and Mr.. White took the
floor and resumed his speech against its
adoption.
He took up the question of the lack OF
efficacy of legislative enactments to gov
ern people outside OF the territory under
the control of such legislature.
| He referred to Alexander Hamilton and
had an extract from that statesman's
works read to sustain his position.
The question brought out the distinc-
ton between treaties and legislation.
Mr.. White then referred 10 his map and
said he wished to call attention to some
of the arguments advanced that we need
ed the Hawaiian Islands in order TO de-
fend the Nicaragua canal. He said Incl
dentally that he was now and had always
| been in favor of America constructing
that canal But" said he. Honolulu
is distant from the proposed western ter
| minus of the Nicaragua canal $40 miles.
/ | have heard il said that Honolulu looks
into the mouth of the Nicaragua canal
| but 4,2l0 miles is quite long range Of
| vision
Mr. White called attention to the fact
| that San Francisco was only 200 miles
| from Honolulu. the proposed western ter
minus of the canal. and that San Diego.
Cal, was 800 miles nearer than San
J Francisco. He advocated making San
/ Diego the headquarters of our army of
| defense for the canal, as we would then
| have but 200 miles 10 sail as against 100
| from Honolulu.
! He read two statements In reference
to the feasibility Of defending the harbor
| OF Honolulu. One statement was that il
| would be impossible to construct adequate
coast defenses for the protection Of that
| harbor. and the other was that il is the
| easiest harbor In the world TO defend.
| From the conflicting statements made by
experts on all questions with reference
to these islands Mr.. White declared that
it was no wonder We cried out for more
light
The argument that we need the islands
| as basis of military operations for the
protection of the Pacific coast was also
| faliacious. said Mr.. White. No modern
| battleship can cover the distance from
| Honolulu 10 our coast and have coal
enough left to take it through a battle
! or 10 even take 1t back again to the
| islands.
This was branch of the subject which
was not very material, because OF the
obvious fact that no other nation pro-
| posed to take these islands, said Mr..
| White. I'VE are erecting before us a
! knight. errant and are preparing to strike
| ii down. In our enthusiastic imaglna-
| ton empires rise and seek 10 destroy US
| but they are not there IN reality; they
| do not exist. No one is aching for fight
| with US. and no one ever WILL
| Mr.. White declared that this was a
serious step He believed il was only
| the first that would be taken in the di-
| rection of a vast colonial policy by this
| Government. 1t would necessitate. be-
sides large expenditures OF money the
building of an immense navy and the
| maintenance abroad of vast standing
| army. He urged that the existing treaty
with Hawaii. giving Us the possession of
Pearl harbor for a coaling station and
| base of supplies, be renewed. This, he
| claimed. would answer all purposes for
! which it was contended we needed the
/ islands, and would relieve US from great
| responsibility and needless financial OBJ
4 legations.
At o'clock Mr.. White yielded the floor
| to Mr.. Pettigrew to speak on the same
| side.
Mr. Hoar obtained consent to call up
the conference report on the bankruptcy
bill and asked that 1t be disposed of.
| Mr.. Teller wished for more time in
| which to consider 1t and Mr.. Hoar gave
| notice that he would let il go over until
| today.
Mr.. Allison moved to take up the confer
| ence report on the Indian bill. This re-
| port, after being discussed at some length
| was also laid aside and at o'clock Mr..
| Pettigrew began his speech.
| He said he had hoped that this contro-
| versy in regard to the annexation of new
| territory and the question as to whether
| we would adopt an imperial policy would
| in view of existing circumstances, have
| been delayed until the war was over and
until the whole question could be consid-
| cred in calm manner by the whole
| American people. He suggested that next
| Winter would be a better time to take
up this question.
But instead of that" he continued
"prodded on by an interest which has
| gathered around this Capitol during the
| last few months, or years-an interest in
| the production of sugar by Hawaiian la
| bor-certain gentlemen bring this ques-
| ton here now and undertake to force it
| through as war measure"
| 81 contend that the area of this country
| is large enough. For a republic founded
| on principles of equality and universal
| suffrage, 1t is necessary that the individ-
| ual shall be familiar with the methods
| of government. If the country is so large
| that the voter cannot acquire this knowl-
| edge 1t is impossible for him to vote in
| teiligently-
| ''When we try to acquire a country
| where no free government ever existed,
| we overturn the vital elements on which
| our foundation rests.
| Mr.. PettiSrew declared that all past ef-
| forts to mingle in our popular govern
| ment people of the temperate and tropi-
cal zones had been a failure and would
| be SO now.
Mr. Pettigrew suspended his speech at
o'clock, and will resume his remarks
| today.
THE VOLUNTEER FRANCHISE.