The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-02-25
Continued from Isl page.)


ed to have established four points.
They have, he said, shown, first,
that the route to the Orient via the
Aleutian Islands was 1000 miles
shorter than that via Honolulu; sec
ond, that no battleship coaling on
the Hawaiian Islands could reach
the United States in condition to
fight and that on this account the
possession OF the islands would be
an element OF weakness rather than
Of strength, which was in opposition
to the theory that the islands were
necessary to defense; third, that the
commerce of,the islands, which have
been claimed to be one important
reason for their annexation, was
constantly declining and was less
than that of an ordinary county Of
the United States; fourth, that one
OF the Aleutian Islands would afford
a more secure footing and shorter
route for cable to Asia than would
the route via Honolulu.
AT the close Of this three days
speech Senator Pettigrew was cor
daily congratulated by many OF the
Senators, including some of the OPP
position, upon the thoroughness
with which he had gone into the
subject and the ability with which
he had presented the opposition to
annexation.
Teller made a brief statement
calling Pettigrew's attention to the
fact that the United States Minister
was not the only representative OF
foreign Government who had
recognized the Dole Government.
Pettigrew replied that this was true,
but that the recognition of the
other Government had not come
until the day following the Queens
abdication, whereas Minister Stevens
recognition had been before that
time.
Senator Proctor OF Vermont fol-
lowed with a brief speech in favor
OF annexation. He devoted himself
exclusively to the military phase Of
the question. He cited the fact
that England has strongly fortified
posts all along our Atlantic seaboard
beginning with Halifax, and taking
in the Bermudas and the West
Indies. He also called attention to
the strong fortress at Esquimalt,
and said that if England should
possess the Hawaiian Islands, as she
might easily do in case we let this
opportunity to acquire them pass
by, her drum beat would be heard
almost entirely around the United
States, and that she would be able
to attack from her own territory in
any direction.
He also contended that it would
be comparatively easy matter for
the japanese to acquire the islands
by populating them, as they were
apparently very strongly inclined to
do. He said that the United States,
failing to make the islands part of
this country, could not regard their
seizure by some other power as an
offense against this country. We
could not play the dog in the man
ger, refusing to accept the territory
ourselves or to allow others to take
it. He attempted to controvert the
statement OF Senator Pettigrew, that
warships could not carry sufficient
fuel from Hawaii to make them
effective either for or against the
United States in case Of hostillties,
and quoted statistics to show the
contrary view. He said that if it
we're even true that vessel could
not carry sufficient coal itself, coal
ing vessels could be taken along for
that purpose. He thought the is
lands OF essential Importance to the
United States, both for the purpose
Of olfense and defense.
During the session, Senator White
of California attempted to ascertain
from Senator Davis, in charge of the
treaty, whether there would be any
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