Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-02-10
TELLER ON HAWAII.
SPOKE IN Favor OF ANNExA-
TION.
Tho Colorado Senator speaks to the senate
for Four Hours-Ho Fears Enough Votes
May Not he Obtained to Ratify the
Treaty. '--H H

Treaty. -
Washington, Feb. S.-Senator Teller
of Colorado occupied the entire four
hours of to-day's session in the Senate
In discussing the Hawaiian annexation
treaty. During the course OF his speech
Mr.. Teller took occasion to say that
he should have been glad to discuss
the treaty In open session. and to the
remark he added the opinion that the
time had almost come when the ques-
tion of annexation should be debated
on a bill looking to legislation by both
houses OF Congress rather than on the
basis of the treaty. While he Thought
there might be a bare possibility or
securing the sixty votes necessary to
ratify the treaty, he conceded that un-
der the present circumstances this was
exceedingly doubtful, and he Thought
the sooner the facts be recognized ana
a change of front made. the better 1t
would be from all points of view.
There were some interruptions ut this
point, and 1t was suggested by some
senators after the close of the execu-
tive session. that the committee OH
foreign relations would consider the
advisability of making this change of
policy ut its next meeting, to be held
on Wednesday OF this week.
Senator Teller advocated the ratifica-
tion of the treaty, basing his reasons
for this position upon the grounds
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
very largely to replying to the obJec-
tion that had been raised to acquiring
the islands because of the domination
Of the native race. He undertook to
show that there was no foundation for
this criticism. or II there was, such
foundation now. 1t need not, he said,
long continue to be an essential factor
of the situation. He based this state
ment upon figures which he produced
to show that the natives, or Kanakns,
were rapidly dying on rs result of
their commingllng races.
He contended that the islanders could
not long remain to dispute the suprem-
acy Of some other race, and what race
that should be would depend largely
upon the present action of the United
States Senate.
II we would elect to make the is
lands part of the United States, the
American people would Mt once be-
come the counseling element in Ha-
wall, but II we should fail to take ad-
vantage of the opportunity now offered
some other PEOPLE would In all proba-
bility assume the position Of control,
which naturally and traditionally be-
longs to the United States.
Taking up this line of argument, he
said that ever since the days of Web
ster and Marcy a majority Of the peo-
pie of this country had believed that
the Hawaiian Islands should and
would some day become an integral
part of the United States. With the
struggle that was about to begin in
the Orient for the possession Of new
territory among the European pow
ers, 1t was indeed n short-sighted man,
he stated, who would contend that Ha-
wall, occupying SO important a location
as 1t does, In the middle of the great
Pacific ocean, would be left untouched
by some of the land grabbing nations
OF the Old World. Under the present
circumstances It was absurd for this
government to try to maintain sys.
TEN of control without taking actual
possession.
He cOntroverted the position of Sen.
ators Pettigrew and White that the
American could not labor in the Ha.
waiian islands. He quoted weather
statistics to show that temperature on
the Islands coasts ranged from SO to
SS during the year. which, he said, was
far from being an Oppressively hot
climate. Farther inland 1t was still
cooler. and on the mountains frosts
We're not infrequent. If the white man
| of this country should not be impress.
ed with the islands, Mr.. Teller thought
| they would make an excellent location
| for the colored people of the United
| States who might desire to leave this
country and would find congenial en-
ployment in the sugar plantations and
coffee fields of Hawaii.
Mr.. Teller also discussed the conten
tion that the Hawaiian group was not
on the most direct line of travel be
tween the western hemispheres and
China and Japan. Any vessel which
might come around the Horn or cross
the Isthmus of Panama in the case OF
the construction of canal, woult
almost certainly take these islands il
on its way to Yokohama. Shanghai oil
any other far Eastern port. Further
more. the islands We're n great cOnven
| ience as n coaling and general supply
point to vessels plying the Pacific
ocean.
Taking up the question of the neces
sity for the defense of the islands ant
of the maintenance of the large fleet il
their waters in case of annexation. he
said. that this was a mere bugaboo ant
was without foundation In fact. AL
that would be necessary would be tt
fortify Pearl harbor for the protection
of local and military stores in times OF
hostility. With all of our stores of this
character located at one spot. as they
could easily be, and that particular
spot strongly intrenched and wei
armed, there would be no need t.
guard other portions of the islands
for it was not to be supposed that any
hostile nation would for mere senti
ment send n fleet thousands of miles
across the waters in order to attack
and destroy any defenseless commun
tiles there simply because they were
subject to the government of the
United States.
Mr.. Teller went extensively into tn,
history of the islands from 1880 t.
1850, to show that both Englishme1
and Frenchmen had forced treaties OF
cession out of the rulers of the islands
Senator Teller was frequently inter
rupted during the delivery of hi.
speech by Senators White, Pettigrew
Gear and others.