The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-12
FOR ANNEXATION.
senator Davis Delivers Able speech
During the Executive Session.

Washington, Jan. 11.-Except for "A
few minutes given to controversy
over some minor postoffice coniirma-
tons. the entire time of the executive
session of the senate was consumed by
Senator Davis of Minnesota in a speech
in support of Hawaiian annexation.
Mr.. Davis is chairman of the senate
committee on foreign relations and his
speech was generally accepted as the
semi-o1hcial utterances of the majority
of the committee. He spoke about two
hours. and when the senate adjourned
he had not finished. The speech was
the first of the merits of the treaty and
on this account and because of the
known fact that Senator Davis had
made a very careful investigation of
the subject he received the undivided
attention of the members of the senate
regardless of individual views. As the
speech was delivered behind closed
doors verbal report could not Ice Sc
cured. The portion of the speech de
livered to-day consisted of review of
the relations between this country and
Hawaii during the history of the ISL
ands and was intended To show that
the United States had exercised a fos
tering and protecting care over them
from the beginning with many evil
dences Of the intention of ultimately
making them an integral portion of the
American domain.
II approach this question" the sena
tor began. with, / hope, due sense of
the responsibility imposed upon me in
beginning a debate the result of which
may be of momentous consequence TO
the future welfare OF both this country
and the Hawaiian islands,
The question" he continued, rs one
of Importance so vast that one must of
necessity approach ii with certain de-
gree of timidity. because ii was he
said. very difficult to present all the
points involved as they should properly
be presented, however much care and
attention one might have given the
subject"
The senator. without further apology.
then launched into the presentation of
the subject before the senate He con-
;iumed considerable time in general
presentation of the reasons Of annexa-
tiCn. saying that these were both COM
mercial and strategic.
Referring to the commercial reasons
for annexation he called attention To the
location. midway in the Pacific ocean,
and said that anyone with half an eye
to the Importance OF the trade of the
| Orient could discern the fact that they
must cut very important figure in
| controlling that trade for the future.
AS for their military Importance,
| said the senator, lit has already be-
come evident that the opening of the
| new century which is now so near,
| must mark the opening of a new con-
1 dition of affairs in the far East
He referred then briefly to the oper-
ations of the European powers in
| China, predicting that the time was
not far distant when the great nations
would. il they We're rot checked control
the entire Asiatic seaboard.
Taking up the question of the rela-
! tionship between Hawaii and the
United States, Senator Davis presented
a very thorough view of the efforts
which had been made in the past to an
mex the island. and present quotations
from many eminent statesmen of FOR
mer times to show. q he said, that the
best American thought had always ia
| vored this policy.