sent for me to come
to the White House, as was his not infrequent habit. He said
he wanted to consult me upon the question whether it would
be wise for him to have a personal interview with Senator
Morrill of Vermont. He had been told that Mr. Morrill was
opposed to the Treaty. The President said: "I do not quite
like to try to influence the action of an old gentleman like
Mr. Morrill, so excellent, and of such great experience. It
seems to me that it might be thought presumptuous, if I were
to do so. But it is very important to us to have his vote,
if we can." The President added something implying that he
understood that I was in favor of the Treaty.

I said, "I ought to say, Mr. President, in all candor, that
I feel very doubtful whether I can support it myself." President
McKinley said: "Well, I don't know what I shall do. We cannot
let those Islands go to Japan. Japan has her eye on them.
Her people are crowding in there. I am satisfied they do
not go there voluntarily, as ordinary immigrants, but that
Japan is pressing them in there, in order to get possession
before anybody can interfere. If something be not done, there
will be before long another Revolution, and Japan will get
control. Some little time ago the Hawaiian Government observed
that when the immigrants from a large steamer went ashore
they marched with a military step, indicating that they were
a body of trained soldiers. Thereupon Hawaii prohibited the
further coming in of Japanese. Japan claimed that was in
violation of their treaty, and sent a ship of war to Hawaii.
I was obliged to notify Japan that no compulsory measures
upon Hawaii, in behalf of the Japan Government, would be tolerated
by this country. So she desisted. But the matters are still
in a very dangerous position, and Japan is doubtless awaiting
her opportunity."

I told President McKinley that I favored then, as I always
had, the acquisition of Hawaii. But I did not like the spirit
with which it was being advocated both in the Senate and
out of it. I instanced several very distinguished gentlemen
indeed, one a man of very high authority in the Senate in
matters relating to foreign affairs, who were urging publicly
and privately the Hawaiian Treaty on the ground that we must
have Hawaii in order to help us get our share of China. President
McKinley disclaimed any such purpose. He expressed his earnest
and emphatic dissent from the opinions imputed to several