The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-13
Senator Davis Completes Ills Speech In Fa.
vor of Annsslng Hawaii.
STRATEGIC FEATURES PaEsENTEI
Military and Comm orciaI Necessity or
Controlling Tho Isiands ALLEN AR.
CUES Briefly In Opposition, srak>
ing humorous objections 10 An /.
nexation, sFiE
Washington. Jan. ~, 1898.

Senator DAYS completed his speech
In the executive session OF the Senate
to-day on the Hawaiian treaty and was
followed by Senator Allen, of Nebras>
ka, who spoke in oppositlon.
Mr.. Davis speech to-day was devoted
largely to a presentation OF the stra-
teglc features ct annexation. He dis
played a chart in front of dhe presid-
ing officers platform, showing the loca-
'tlon nf Hawaii relative to rihis country
and Asia. One of the points brought
out with considerable elaboration was
the probable effect on the Nicaragua
canal of the occupation Of the islands
by some foreign power.
The nation, he said. which controls
Hawail will oJntrol that great gate
way OF commerce. as rthe guns planted
upon Hawaii would be pointed direct
ly ut the mouth of the canal.
He also devoted very careful sitten-
tfon 10 the Importance of controlling
Pearl Harbor, now owned by tho United
States. saying that the nation which
maintained possession of this great
7haIFbor would hold the key to the mill
tary Situation In THE North Pacific.
He also presented THE necessity for
controlling Hawaii as n base of sup
plies In case of AloSt,iliticS. saying that
IT. was almost necessary to contr It
for this reason ON account Of the I'M
possibility of n warship's crossing the
Pacific without rer!ensnlng her coal
supply.
MFR DAVIS rldi!cuhetl the objection
made by Japan that the addition of
Hawaii as United States terrltory would
work violation of Jnpan's treaty
rights in the island
Mr.. Davis referred to Japan's protest
as an indication of neutral tendency 10
rapacity, and said that the govern
ment Of THAT country should have been
satisfied with the territory wrested frcm
China. Instead of wanting to gorge her,
self by the addition OF Hawaii
Mr. Davis did not Indicate q belief
THAT immediate war would be the result
OF the European competition over
CHINESE territory. On the contrary.
he called attention to the fact that
flags of Great Britain, France, Ger
many and Russia were floating side by
side on the Oriental waters, neither
power being apparently anxious to dis
turb the other SO long as there was a
prospeot OF each power getting as
much as the others were taking. The
only way In which the United States
could protect themselves against fhIs
division of territory would he to con-
troll the Hawaiian islands. In case we
should fail to do this there was danger
OF losing very important trade advan-
ia Ges which were rapidly developing in
the far East. He referred 10 the i'm
proVemcnt Of the commercial OUTLOOK
between the United States and China
and inStanced the fact that one Mime
sofa firm had exported n half million
dollars worth OF -four ito that coun-
try.
MIR. Davis closed With the remark
that while brilliant craftsmanship de-
manded THAT we look out for to-mor-
TOW. 1t was still more brilliant states
manship to take inito consideration the
day after Tomorrow. He declared that
modern improvements In travel had
produced such IL revolution that Homo
lulu is in effect no farther from Wash
ins,tan to-day shan was New Orleans
at the time Of the acquisition of Louis
dana, and therefore contended that the
distance between 1.-The two countric
was mo bar ITO their unity.
when Senator Davis took his seat he
TWAS congratulated by almost every
Senator present upon the force OF his
argument the thoroughncss OF his re.
search and The bril!ancy of his pre-
Sen'.ation of 'the facts.
Senator ANen Populst. Nev) follow
ed with a speech in opposition to the
treaty, which was comparatively brief.
He called attention TO the dIstancd
of Hawaii from our Shores, referred
10 the necessity I'VE should be under OF
defending the islands in casa of war
and claimed that on this account it
would be necessary for the United
States to establish and maintain n
separate fleet for tEieir prrectlon as
we'll 'as an army On the islands. E
He also deprecated thc idea CT as
Simil atnG such population as THAT
of Hawaii, calling attention ito the fact
chat almost half of It was composed
OF Chinese and Japanese lie contend
ed that the annexation of the islands
would open the doors for a violation of
our laws for the exclusion Of Chinese
hc!ding that they could find admission
Through Hawaii. He said also that II
would be impossible to prevent Hawaii
becoming a State of the Union at sccnc
future day and declared that THE pes
pie '7f tEat country were not of a char
acter oai:ulated to send acceptable
Senators TO washington.
There was apparent to-day Il dis
position on The part OF some Senators
VINO announce themselves undecided as
To what course TO pursue on the IIa-
waiian question to mix 1. with THE en-
ban problem. They are friends OF
Cuba and they desire To have the adj
ininis'tration take a more pronounced
position in the interest OF Cuba as
a return for their assistance ,3n Tho
Hawaiian treaty
PETERSBURG.