The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-05
In Opposition to the Ratification Of the
Annexation Treaty.
Asserts That the Acquisition Of
Hawaii Would Require a
Powerful Navy to Guard It
from Hostile Assault, and That
the Immense Expenditures
Would be Without Benefit to
Our Defense on the Continent.

White concluded his three days speech
in opposition to the annexation of Ha-
wall in the executive session of the Sem
ate to-day.
At the beginning of to-day's speech he
made some additional points against the
availability Of Hawaii for defensive pur-
poses, saying that it is 500 miles from
the outside limits of the group to other
islands. This fact, he said, demon
strated that numerous points must be
guarded from hostile assault and that
powerful navy would be required to
accomplish this; that the immense ex-
penditures will be without benefit to
our defense on the continent.
He declared that if Hawaii should be
acquired it would be contended that our
domains should be extended to other
islands, and we would finally embark
upon the foreign acquisition business.
involving an outlay of hundreds of mill
ions Of dollars.
He then took up the question of labor,
contending that the Chinese and Jap
anese are receiving SO per month, with
out board. He ridiculed the pretention
that the Anglo-Saxon race could labor
in Hawaiian sugar fields, and demanded
TO know why. if they could, there was so
much idle white labor on the islands
now. He read from recent consular
report to show that the coffee business
was at best problematical, and that
even in this work laborers only receive
SO per month, without board.
He denounced the master and servant
regula tons now in force on the islands
as a species of slavery; said that coffee
must be produced in competition with
the lowest grade of peon toilers, and
that the time would never come when
farm hand on a coffee plantation would
receive the white mans wages.
He also asserted that the Japanese
nave the same right to come into the
United States enjoyed by other foreign
ers, and the white contract laborers OF
all kinds are excluded, still there is no
ot stacle 10 t,a entry of the ordinary
Japanese la borer who complies with our
general immigration laws and said that
IL annexation were brought about ORR
entail labor would still dominate the sit
uation in Hawaii.
He denounced as absurd the asser-
ton that trade would be diverted from
the United States if annexation were de-
feated, and said that even with the
present treaty out of the way, Hawaii
ans would do business with us; that
when the Mckinley bill was in force
they still traded with the United States.
He compared the growing trade with
Japan to that of Hawaii, showing that
cotton, flour and manufactures Of iron
and steel We're fast occupying the Jap
anese market. He said that if there
ever was any necessity of holding any
thing in Hawaii, our possession of Pearl
Harbor was enough. He denied that
there were any valuable agricultural
possibilities to justify annexation.
White then took up the Dole Govern
ment insisting that it was irregular
and a fraud. He said in this connection
that it was universally conceded that
the Hawaiian natives We're we'll edu-
Gated, and would be citizens of this
country in case of annexation, and con-
tended that they should be consulted.
He read from the proceedings with re-
lation TO the admission of Texas to
show that the Constitution providing
for annexation and the specific ques-
ton of annexation was submitted to
popular vote: that whatever might be
the rule as to barbarous tribes or por-
tons of territories held by monarchies,
it was clear that here, where the va
lidity of the Government is challenged,
and when the people have never had
opportunity to vote upon the question
of admission, that no affirmative action
could be taken.
This Government, based upon the will
of the people, could not. he said, afford
to incorporate a large number Of per-
sons who were eligible TO citizenship
against their viii. He read from Judge
Cooley and several other writers in
support of his views, and declared
again that the entire power behind the
throne was the sugar combination of
Hawaii, whose personal interests had.
he said, always been consulted, regard
less of the effect upon the public
He criticised the action of President
Dole in coming to Washington at such
time and said he asked what would
have been thought of the taste of the
Prince Of Wales if he had come here
when the treaty OF arbitration was I'M
der consideration for the purpose of
influencing our action.
He reviewed at length the general
policies and theories of our Govern
ment; declared that the question was
above all politics. and that it was o
step which. if taken, could not add to
our glory or increase our wealth, or be
regarded as an evidence of our hon
esty.
Senator White quoted at length from
speech made in the Senate in 1884
by Senator Tirpie of Indiana. in which
the Indiana Senator said that however
desirable the acquisition Of the islands
might be. the United States could not
afford TO take them by stealth. by any
process of furtiye legerdemain or gild-
ed larceny sprung from the bandit max
i'm, miscalled the polic- of success
IMMIGRATION BILL.
Raliaxed That the MeQsura Will