The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-15
mitting the question of annexation to a

mitting the question of annexation to
vote of the Hawaiian people"
Mr.. Pettigrew also contended that the
passage of the Mckinley tariff law had
been the direct cause of the revolution
by which the queens government was
overthroMn. the motive being to secure
the bounty of cents per pound on do
mestic sugar which that law provided.
He quoted a letter from Minister Stew
ens. saying that the provision for this
sugar bounty had ruined the sugar
business of the islands unless they
could be annexed to tho United States.
and cited other authorities to maintain
this contention.
Mr. Pettigrew briefly discussed the
character of the people of Hawaii. He
said that two-thirdS of the people there
were males, and this fact applied to all
nationalities, including Americans and
Angio-Saxons.
Summing up, Mr.. Pettigrew said that
the opponents of annexation claimed to
have established four points. They
had he said shown, first, that the
route to the Orient via the Aleutian
islands was 1000 miles shorter than via
Honolulu; second that no batrleshfp
coasting on the Hawaiian islands
could reach the United States in condi-
ton 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 We're
necessary to defense; third, that the
commerce of the islands, which had
been claimed to be an important rea-
son for their annexation. was con-
stantly declining and was no less than
that of an ordinary county of theS
United States; fourth, that one of the
Aleutian islands would afford a more
fnntin0 and n shorter rDlIfp for
a cable to Asia than would the route
via Honolulu.
At the close of his three days speech,
Senator PettigreW was cordially con-
graduated by many of the senators in
Guiding some of the opposition, upon
the thoroughness with which he had
gone into the subject and the ability
with which he had presented the oppo-
sition to annexation.
Mr.. Teller made a brief statement.
calling Mr.. Pettigrew's attention to the
fact that the United States minister
was not the only representative OF 4
foreign government who had recognized
the Dole government. Mr.. Pettigrew
replied that this was true, but that the
recognition of the other governments
had not come until the day following
the queens abdication, whereas Minis
ter Stevens recognition had been be-
fore that time.
with brief speech in favor of annex
alton. He devoted himself exclusively
to the military phase of the question.
He called attention to the strong fort
ress at Esquimault. and said that If
England should possess the Hawaiian
islands, as might easily do, in case we
let this opportunity to acquire them
pass by, her drumbeat would be heard
almost entirely around the United
States and she would be able to attack
us from her own territory in any direc-
ton. 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 hostilities, and quoted statis-
tics to show the contrary view. He said
that if it We're even true that a vessel
could not carry sufficient coal itself,
coaling vessels could be taken along for
that purpose. He thought the islands
of great Importance to the United
States both for the purposes of offense
and defense
During the session, Senator White of
California attempted to ascertain from
Senator Davis, in charge of the treaty
whether there would be an early at
tempt to secure a vote upon it. The
California senator stated his opinion
that there ought to be al least three
weeks notice of a time for a vote, for
the arrangements of pairs. He stated
that he would be compelled to be alb
sent from the senate for the next three
weeks and expressed a desire to know
some of the plans as to bringing the dis
cussion to an end. In reply Senator
Davis simply stated that he could not
at present say when the debate would
cease or when the senate would be pre-
pared to take vote.