The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-03-11
THE TREATY.

10y "@-r N1N~N
Treaty having been reported TO the House Feb.
p, WAS made the special order Of the day for
Thursday March %, aud it not disposed of on
'ha' day it would continue 10 be the special order
until a Conclusion was arrived at We give here
with ali we can find in tie papers touching upon
the subject.
NAsau>GraN heb 2S-Tbe committee on Ways
and Means Nit take mp the Hawaiian Treaty to-
morrow. The result is dOubtul-Ata
NEw Iokk. Feb. e3.-The Herald edi.Orially
discussing Tie proposed Hawaiian Treaty, argues
in favor o. il c0usuulnation as a measure OF ma
i-cnai importance The treaty, which provides free
admission II products Of each country into the
po.t- OF tue other, requires an act Of Congress 10
carry il into effect. As il would modify the revenue
laws. and the Hr-ald expresses q hope that The uec-
eSsary legislation for carrying the treaty into effect
may be adopted by Congress without opposition.
On purely revenue grounds the treaty is Of
doubtful utility but its effect on the revenue is a
subordinate consideration. The Hawaiian Islands
If possessed by Great Britain would give her great
advantages as a naval station. aud il would be in
excusable neglect for the United States to allow
Great Britain to possess the Hawaiian Islands
Call.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 23.-WoCd Of New York, from
the Committee on Ways aud Means. reported a bill
carrying into effect the treaty recently made with
the kiug OF the Hawaiian Islands. Made the special
order for Thursday next.
Fernando Wood has prepared a report for The
mint vi " I've GA4A 4tAuS " AACn III aNGOAA~
pany the bill which will be reported from the Com
mittee, to carry into effect the convention between
the United States and the Hawaiian Islands. After
recounting the Commercial advantages likely TO
accrue TO the United States therefrom, the report
proceeds to show the military necessity OF securing
the favorable terms offered by the Treaty.
Admiral Porter claims that If the British Gov
eminent should secure control of the Islands the
British navy could draw a line from British Column
bia to Australia, completely held against our ma
ton, and the Pacific States would be defenceless.
With the control which this treaty gives them, the
Pacific Coast Is lmpregnabIe on account of the ne
cessity Of using heavy iron ships of war, which
need coaling stations within easy reach. The
Pacific Coast, according to the opinion Of Admiral
Porter. cOunot be attacked successfully from Bri-
fish Columbia or Mexico, because in such a case
we would use our own land forces TO protect our
selves, and the Islands are favorable for naval sta
tons Tor all nations.
General Scho6eld has written very decidedly on
the subject, and is favorable to the treaty. He says
he should consider it a serious misfortune TO the
United States for any other nation TO obtain the
control of the islands. For these and other reasons
deliberately set forth in the report. the'Committe on
Ways and Means the passage Of the bill.
-AHd Wash. Corr.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 24-The House uni Of
Ways aud Means to-day, by a vote of six TO four.
agreed to report the bill to carry into effect the
Hawaiian treaty. The yeas were: Fernando Wood
OF New York, Hancock of Texas, Hill of Georgia,
Blaine of Maine, Garfield of Ohio, and Burchard Of
Illinois. Nays-Morrison of Illinois, Kelley Of
Pennsylvania. Thomas of Missouri, and Tucker of
Virginia. Representative Chaplin of Massachusetts
had he been present, would have voted with the
majority. The bill was reported to the House by
Wood. and made the special order for Thursday
next, and from day to day until disposed of.
HONOR OR POLICY.
In the Congressional report on the proposed
amendment of the Tariff law, so as to make il haI-
monte with the Hawaiian Treaty, and in the news
paper article on the same subject-the New York
Herald article mentioned in our despatch to-day.
for instance-much is said of policy and little or
nothing abont honor, as il, after a treaty has been
made in accordance with the requirements of the
Constitution, the House of Representatives could
with any kind of honesty or decency r~epudiate the
obligations assumed. As well might the Presi-
dent refuse to enforce a law he does not like.
We are inclined to the opinion that the treaty
by its own action supercedes or repeats all statutes
with which it comes in conflict, and the e~xaction of
any duties forbidden by it is illegal. The Federal
Constitution says that 3" this Constitution and the
laws of the United States which shall be made in
pursuance thereof, and all treaties made or
which shall be made under the authority of the
United States, shall be the supreme law of the
land. This clause mentions treaties after laws,
but does declare them inferior in force; and from
these being international compacts, they must be
superior in authority. Certainly nobody will say
that if congress should change the tariff SO as TO
make it harmonic with the Hawaiian treaty, it
could afterward in violation of the terms of the
treaty, and without the consent of the Hawaiian
Government, restore the old import duty on Hawa-
ian sugar. A statute in itself is therefore not
higher in authority than a treaty. AS a general
rule the later Government Act supersedes the
earlier, and this principle applies to the presnt
case. In one respect a treaty is certainly higher
in dignity than q statute; the later must be made
in harmony with the Federal Constitution, but there
is no restriction on the forn.-AHd, Feb, "a
THE HAWAIIAN TREATY.
There is a good prospect that this treaty will be
ratified. The subcommittee of the Committee of
Ways Means has reported in its favor, and also
embodied in its report the assurance that the Sec
rotary of the Treasury does not attach great i'm
portance to any loss of revenue that may result
from the treaty. The Committee say: 4" When
we take into consideration not only the present but
the prospective IN of the Pacific, it cannot
be disputed that it is Of much greater advantage
to US than to the other party to the treaty. This
treaty authorizes the exchange of the products
of the soil, such as sugar, rice, and semitropical
fruits, for lumber four, and manufactures Of the
United States. The Pacific States are TO receive
from these Islands what they do not produce.
The Committee concludes that the release OTTAWA
iian sugar from duty will not have the least influence
on the sugar market of the United States, because
it is impossible for Hawaiian sugar to come in
competition with other varieties in Eastern markets.
The committee considers it important not to lose
sight of the fact that the English government is a
competitor for the trade of these islands, and il we
lose the present opportunity to secure it we may
never have another. The British Pacific Colonies
need the Hawaiian sugar, and the British govern
cial advantages. Aside from the advantages Of
trade with the islands, the Committee think that
there are political considerations Of sufficient mag
nitude to warrant the United States in making the
treaty. Some stress is also placed on the assump-
ton that the islands cannot long remain a separate
and Independent nation.-S. +. Cal. FEB. "a.