The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-16
Sent to the Senate by President Har-
rison and Its Adoption
Recommended.
Tho Document Brief, tho Details
to Be Worked Out by
Congress.
Dispatches From Minister Stevens Ex.
planning tho Reasons for Putting the
lalands Under Our Flag.

WASHINGTON. Fob. 15.--The prssident
recommending tho annexation OF tho
Hawaiian islands to the United states.
II was accompanied BY tho treaty of an
nexation concluded between the secretary
OF state and the Hawaiian comm ssioners,
and mass OF correspondence relating to
the question at issue. The treaty il brief,
providing merely for the annexation of tho
| Islands under the present provisional qov-
ernment and leaving the details of a per-
manent form of governments, etc.. to tho
action of congress. Tho correspondence
is very voluminous. going back many years.
and gives complete history OF the islands
30 far as negotiations with the United
States are concerned. Contrary TO general
expectation the senate in executive session
declined to make the troaty public imme-
diately, but decided hrst to have the
message and documents printed
for the confidential information Of
senators. Tho papers accordingly
were sent down to the government printing
office to be put in type for confidential use,
with the probability that the seal of Sc
crecy will be released to- morrow. The mes
dence were received in executive session
with attention suoh as no message from a
president has received in recent years.
There WAS no debate beyond few ques-
tions directed to the chairman Of tho for
eign relations committee, but every word
was carefully weighed and tho message and
treaty met with almost general approval.
Among the detailed dispatches received at
the state departments from Honolulu was
one from Minister Stevens, giving an in
teresting account Of the reasons which gov
erned him in assuming control of the
islands. 1t is as follows: II have time be-
fore the departure of the mail steamer only
to state briefly additional reasons which
caused me to assume a temporary protsc-
torate of these islands. The provisional
government must have time to organize a
new policy and discipline tho small
| military, for when the monarchy died by
| its own hand, there WAS no military force
| in the islands, bus the royal guard, about
| seventy-fve natives. There are 40, 600 Chi
nese and japanese on the islands and evil
disposed persons might stir some disorder.
| But the chief element of evil in Honolulu
were the renegade whites at the head of the
| lottery and opium rings, and a considerable
| number of hoodlum foreigners and more
vicious natives. Another important reason
here WAS that British war vessel and the
English minister thus aided might try to
press unduly the provisional government.
With the islands under our protection, we
| think the English minister will not attempt
| to insist that his government has a right to
interfere while the flag is over the govern.
ment building"
In concluding the dispatch, Minister
Stevens says: I'VE shall continue to main
tain our present position with great eau
ton and tirmness until We hear from the
president, through the secretarv of state.
As necessary precaution aaainst all con-
tinRencies. l advise that Admiral Skerrett
be promptly sent here with one or two ships
in addition to the Boston,