The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-03-18
THE HAWAIIAN TREATY.
Arguments For and Against Its ABB
rOgatiOn.
lFrOrl the san Francisco Chronicle. ~

lFrorl the San Francisco .sChronicIe'J
WASHINGTON, February 27th.-Congress-
man Mills OF Texas was the only one of the
subcommittee that has charge of the reso-
luton to abrogate the Hawaiian Reciproci-
ty Treaty who heard the statements to-day
for and against reciprocity. Hancock of
New York and Maybury of Michigan, who
are on the subcommittee, were in their
respective States, but Mills was determined
to push the matter to a speedy conclusion,
and proceeded with the hearing. All the
arguments are to be printed, so that moth
ing would be gained or lost by the absence
of the two members. Those who attended
the hearing were H. A P. Carter, the Ha-
waiian Minister; ex-senator Boutwell,, the
attorney for Kalakaua's Government;
Congressman Morrow, Dutton and Nc
Kenna, ]. E. Searles, Jr., and Celso
Cesar Moreno, who was once Minister of
Foreign Affairs for the Hawaiian Govern
ment.
Moreno, who speaks English indifferent
ly, made long statement about the politi-
cal condition of the Islands He said that
the country was fast passing into the con-
troll of the Germans who had emigrated
there. He informed the Commission that
the King had told him that Claus Spreck-
els was paving the way for Germany to
seize the Islands. He also said that Spreck-
els was virtually ruler of the Kingdom.
He pointed out that under the treaty the
native Hawaiians had lost the occupancy
of the land to large extent, and that it
has passed to the foreigners who were at
tracted there by the large profits that
could be amassed by the cultivation of
sugar.
After Moreno finished Mills asked the
Hawaiian Minister and ex-senator Bout
we'll if they had any statement to make.
Boutwell, and Carter asked for postpone
ment, to enable them to collect figures
to set against those submitted by Searles.
Mills refused to grant a postponement,
and as neither Carter or Boutwell, had any
thing to say at that time Mills began to
cross-examine them. He asked Carter
what benefit the Reciprocity Treaty had
been to this country. He said that he did
not care what advantage it had been to the
Islands, as Congress was legislating solely
for the benefit of this country. Carter re-
piled that it aided American shipping great
| ly; that one-fourth of all the ships that
| entered San Francisco harbOr were from
the Sandwich Islands. Carter denied that
the native Hawaiians had disposed of
the land.
Mills asked if there had not been large
| immigration of Chinese into the Islands.
| Carter replied that the Emperor of China
has issued an edict prohibiting the immi-
| grafton of his subjects to the Islands, and
that the laws of the Hawaiian Kingdom
prevented the landing of more than
| twenty-five Chinaman from any one ship,
but he admitted that in the past the coolies
had gone to the Islands in great numbers.
"What influence has Claus Spreckels in
| the Hawaiian Governments" asked Mills.
"None whatever" replied Carter.
"Was he not knighted by the King?" in
quired Mills.
mo, he was only presented with the
Order of Kalakaua. He has not been
lInighted, ;" replied Carter.
Mills then inquired about American in
fiuence in the Islands, and was informed
| by the Hawaiian Minister that it was very
strong and increasing. Mills asked for
statistics on many points, but neither
Boutwell, nor Carter could furnish them,
and the further hearing was deferred till
next Tuesday.