The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-08
NO new POLICY.
Senator Harris Says the Annex
alton of Hawaii
Is Beginning in indispensable
Military System.
REPLIES TO CRITICS.
Suggests There Is Nc Cause For
Alarm
And Explains Why He Approves
the Action.

tude with reference to Hawaiian an
nexation United States Senator Harris
An a letter to John P. st. John of OIathe
says:
1T seems to me that you. in COM
mon with others who are opposed to the
annexation Of Hawaii. are unnecessari-
~ alarmed as to the result of this &C
ton. Since 1912 there is no question
but what our policy in regard to the
Hawaiian Islands has been one that
has expressly declared the relations Of
the Islands to be such in regard to our
defense and commercial interests that
no other nation could possibly be per-
mitted to occupy them, and while we
from time to time have disclafmed any
intention ourselves in that direction,
yet there has also been constant ex-
preston that in the course of time cir
eumstances would be such as to COM
pei their annexation to this country, so
that I think the president in his mes
sage of June 10. 1897, was entirely cor
rect when he asserted that annexation
was a contamination OF our former
policy and not change.
I have taken my position in regard
to it entirely from the standpoint-as
developed in the present war with
Spain-of military necessity. I believe
that the possession of Hawaii, with an
adequate military and naval station
there, the construction Of the Nicara-
qua canal and the possession of Porto
Rico, with a, similar station are three
parts of a military system that are all
absolutely Indispensable to our future
security. So far as territory is con-
cerned, it seems to me there is no
ground for the accusation of any terri
torial ACKNOWLEDGMENT as the motive
IN this matter. The territory of these
Islands is too Insignificant to be con-
stdered matter of any great impOr-
lance If they were simply single little
On hn To 4
the other in the middle of the Pacific,
the matter would not be changed in
the least.
so far as their requiring an increase
in our navy is concerned while it is
undoubtedly true that the palpable
policy and interests of the country will
require a larger navy than we have had
before, yet the possession of these
points of vantage will increase the eff
hciency Of whatever naval power we
may have to such an extent that it will
be an economy instead of an additional
expense. Without these points we
would undoubtedly have to have four
times the naval force that will be nee
esSary IL they are in our possession. L
do not think that the nation will con-
sent ever to be again in the absolutely
helpless condition in which 1t found
itself when hOstilities began in April
last. We will undoubtedly have not a
large standing army, but q. larger army
with a skeleton organization which can
be filed up rapidly so as to be an eff
will also add to our naval strength, and !
1t is a matter of regret that we have |
not done SO sooner. We are indebted to |
Mr.. TiIden for his urgent advice in that |
direction for what little modern navy
we had, and unquestionably the coun- |
try will support the policy of making |
this more efficient.
1T is somewhat mortifying to think !
that even a fifth rate power like Spain |
should have been able to have held US (
at arms length for so long. Had we !
hcd a or nd
ty-five thousand men in the regular |
army, and had we had anything like |
such a navy as our immense coast line /
would justify, we could have taken pos /
session of the island of Cuba in less /
than three weeks after the declaration !
Of war. AS it is we have been forced !
to take time to prepare ourselves and |
thereby give them time to so tortify |
and entrench themselves that it has |
required double the number of troops |
with quadruple the loss OF life that (
would have been required in the first |
instance.
II can not see why it should be /
thought that taking these points purely |
as military stations should in any way |
give countenance to the idea that we |
are embarking on any policy Of terri /
torial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
There may be here and there a hot /
headed individual in the senate or in
the house who says something Of this /
sort, but I can not find anywhere any /
real feeling of that kind. Providence
of the Philippines without any intention |
or violation on our part, arg we viii !
undoubtedly take our own time to set
tie and determine what shall be done
there. We can not afford to permit |
dictatfon by Russia, Germany, or any
other power and believe that we will
be able to decide the question as to /
those islands in the right way at the /
right time. 1 am sure there Is no
general desire to make them an in
tegra1 part of our territory. To what /
va OF h
fishing self-gOvernment or how best to I
arrange for their future are problems
yet to be determined. I would utterly |
abhOr and repudiate any desire or in
tention on the part of this government
to acquire territory for the sake of ad-
dttional territory, but to acquire mill
tary points Of immense value stra teg-
icaHy is a matter of paramount neces-
sity, it seems to me, in the present con-
dition of things.
1.-THE present war has demonstrated /
clearly that the dreams of universal
peade which some sentimental people
indulged in a, year ago are utterly with
out foundation, and as our commercial
interests must necessarily expand and !
grow we must be prepared to solve the |
problems which Will result from con-
dicting interests.
IL would myself much prefer to have !
seen annexation accomplished by treaty |
rather than by joint resolution, as by /
treaty seems to be the more regular |
way. We have annexed territory here /
tofore by treaty and by conquest in I
every case obtaining simply portion !
of the territory Of the other contracting (
party. In this case, however, a new /
phase is put upon the transaction by /
the fact that for the first time here is |
a complete surrender of the autonomy I
of the party of the second part and an .
absolute absorption of the entire terri |
tory and extinction Of the existing gov /
eminent. AS it is a new case it can /
hardly be sa1u to be governed by the I
Pracedents heretofore established" i