The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-13
AMERICA REQUIRES HAWAII.
ISLANDS NECESSARY FOR CONNER
CIAL SUPREMACY.
aqua Canal and the Orient-sena-
tor Davis Completes His Speech
for the Annexation Treaty.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1a-Davis com
rleted his speech in the executive session
OF the senate today on the Hawaiian
question, and was followed by Allen. OF
Nebraska who spoke IN opposition
Davis requested In the beginning that no
question should be asked during the
presentation OF his argument, as he pre-
ferred not 10 have the continuity OF his
thought broken.
The speech today was devoted largely
10 a presentation OF the strategic features
OF annexation. Davis displayed a chart
in front OF the presiding officers platform.
showing the location o: Hawaii relative
to this country ana 10 Asia.
Nicaragua Canal and the Orient.
One Of the points brought out with con-
siderable elaboration was the proba bic
effect on the Niearsguan canal OF the
occupation Of the islandsc by some foreign
power He illustrated by reference to
the map showing that Hawaii was in a
straight line between the western teruin-
US OF the canal and Japan and China
Inc nation that controls Hawaii will con-
Iroi mat great gateway OF commerce
Inc guns planted upon Hawaii. would ba
pointed directly at the mouth Of the can.
al.
Davis also devoted careful attention to
the importance Of controlling Pearl har-
Dor, now owned by the United States
saying that the nation which maintained
possession Of the harbor would hold the
Key 10 the military situation in the
Nortn Pacific. He read extracts from
reports by engineers and others in con-
Hrmation OF this stan0nlent, and in sup
port OK a statement which he made as to
character hsa A,k{
that 1t was safe and eommot,ous and
could be easily defended
lie also presented the necessity for con-
ironing Hawaii as base of supplies In
case OF hostiiities, saying that Il was AL
most necessary TO control Ii for this rea-
son on account of the impossibili,y of q
~arsnip crossing the Pacific without re-
pienishing her coal supply.
Davis ridieuled the objection made nv
Japan tnat the addition of Hawaii as
United States territory would work a v,o-
iation or Japan's treaty rights in the ISL
ands He said, in reply 10 this objection.
mat all rights would doubtless be pro-
tected. and instanced the creation of the
ueTman Empire, as showing the effect Of
annexation upon the treaties of various
countries which enter into consolidation.
ne referred 10 Japan's protest as an in
uieation or natural tendency to rapac-
Ky, and said that the government of that
country should have been satisfied with
the territory wrested from China, instead
OF wanting to gorge herself by the addition
of Hawaii.
Islands Necessary to Control Trade.
Davis called attention to the apparent
cordial relations existing between japan
and China, as manifested by Japan's Of
Ter 10 lend her fleet to the English in
their operations in Chinese waters, where
ne SAID the greatest naval demonstration
or history was about to be made. He did
not indicate belief that immediate war
would be the result OF European competi-
ton over Chinese territory. On the con-
trary he called attention to the fact that
the nags OF Great Britain. France Ger
many and Russia were floating side by
side In the Oriental waters, neither power
apparently being anxious to disturb the
other so long as there was a prospect of
each power getting as much as the others
were taking. The only way In which the
United States could protect themselves
against this division Of territory would De
to control the Hawaiian islands. In case
we should fail to do this there was danger
OF losing very important trade advantages
which were rapidly developing In the far
East. He referred to the improvement of
the commercial outlook between the
United States and China and referred to
the fact that one Minnesota firm had ex-
ported a half million dollars worth OF
-four to that country.
The last half hour of the speech was
devoted to a recapitulation of the subject,
in which he dwelt at considerable length
and portrayed in strong language the
origin and close of great wars. which was
intended to illustrate the probable ulti-
mate result Of present operations In Chi
nese waters
When Davis took his seat he was con-
graduated by almost every senator pres
ent upon the force of his argument the
thoroughness OF his researches and the
hrilliancy Of his presentation of facts.
Both Hoar and Mason were heard to re-
mark that IL was great pity that the
rules of an executive session prevented the
publication of the entire document.
Allen Opposes Annexation.
Allen followed with a speech which was
comparatively brief. He called attention
to the distance of Hawaii from our shores
He claimed that on this account ii was
Necessary for the Cnited States TO estab-
fish and maintain separate feet for their
protection as we'll as an army on the ISL
ands. He said that coal was no longer
contraband OF war and contended that the
United Sta'es was in far greater danger
from the British establishment at Esqui-
the location OF any foreign power in Ha-
wall. He deprecated the idea of assimi-
lating such 4 population as that OF Ha-
wall calling attention to the fact that
almost half Of II was composed OF Chi
nese and japanese. He contended that
the annexation Of the islands would open
the doors for a violation Of our laws for
the exclusion az Chinese. holding that
they could prevent Hawaii's becoming a
state OF the Union al some future day.
and declaring that the people OF that
country were not OF character Calcu-
lated 20 send acceptable senator's TO
Washington.
There was apparent today a disposition
on the part Of some senator's who an
nouuce themselves Undecided as 20 what
course TO pursue on the Hawaiian Ques-
ton. with reference to considering I; with
the Cuban problem. They are friends Of
Cuba and desire 10 have the administra-