The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-02-09
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The Mckinley Bill and the
Treaty with Hawaii.
washington Star, Jan. 2ao

L
The death of King Kalakaua of
Hawaii will IN nowise affect the
peaceful condition of affairs in that
country. Such at least is the opin-
ion of Mr.. H. A. p. Carter, the Ha-
waiian minister to this country. In
discussing the situation with a Star
reporter this afternoon Mr.. Carter
said: =" l can see no reason why the
death Of the King should give rise
to any complications whatever.
Princess Liliuokalani, sister of the
late king, was the princess regent
during the absence of Kalakaua.
She was then heiress to the crown,
and all that is necessary is for her
to proclaim herself queen. Queen
Kapiolani is now the queen dow
ager. Princess Liliuokalani ruled
in the absence of the King, and she
will simply continue to reign the
same as if the king were still alive,
but absent from the country"
THE M'KINLEY ACT AND THE TARIFF.
In the drafting of the Mckinley
bill for the Presidents signature
by some inadvertence, apparently,
the clause usual in tariff bills, stat
ing that the bill should not inter-
fere with the provisions of any
treaty then in force with any for
eign nations was omitted. The
President has called the attention
of Congress to this matter and bills
have been introduced into both
houses rectifying the error, but as
yet they have not been passed. Mr..
Carter spoke quite earnestly on this
subject to the Star reporter. "Small
countries" said Mr.. Carter, care
the most jealous of all in the matter
of treaties, for these are their chief
protection and safeguard. If the
United States breaks faith with us
in this matter, where then may we
look. The Supreme Court holds,
of course, that the laws of Congress
are the highest in the land, and
overrule all treaties. As result
this defect IN the final copy of the.
tariff bill renders null and void the
existing treaty with Hawaii. This
has been the cause of great worry
to the Hawaiians, not so much on
account of its effect upon CONNER
cial relations as because it seems as
though it were using them in bad
faith and were breach of interna-
tional comfy.
"Both houses favor the act
remedying the defect in the bill,
but as yet nothing has been done,
Notwithstanding the fact that the
President called the attention of
Congress to the propriety of such
action. There seems to be a gen.
eral idea that this act establishes
entirely new relations with Ha-
wall instead of simply restoring, as
it does, the old ones that were af-
fected by the defect in the McKin-
ley bill.
KALAKAUA's LAST MESSAGE.
"Thls matter undoubtedly cloud
ed the last days of King Kalakaua.
The last official communication [
had from him was a telegram from
San Francisco last Friday, just be-
fore the final stupor overcame him.
In this telegram he informed me
that his health was but Indifferent
since his return from the south. He
then went on to urge that / use in
f1uence to have that clause restored
to its place in the Mckinley bill
and told me to ask Mr.. Blaine to use
his best efforts in getting what in
reality every one wanted, but what
has as yet not been granted"