Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1893-06-20
Hawaiian Annexation.
Nsv York Herald.

Nsw York Herald.
The constitutional aspects of
Hawaiian annexation are ably dis
cussed in the current Forum by
Judge Cooley, a recognized au-
thority on constitutional law. The
views expressed may we'll claim
the attention Of President Cleve-
land--who, by the way, made
Judge Cooley the first head of the
Interstate Commerce committee
and also by Secretary Gresham,
who as a Judge of wide experience
will be able to appreciate their
force. The first point made is
that the provisional government
has no legal authority or right to
offer Hawaii to the Uuited States.
A provisional government is but
a temporary organization set up
to preserve order in an emergency
and continue the relations of the
people with foreign nations. Il
is intended to stand only until a
permanent government can be es-
tablished. It's authority is tenn
porary and limited to temporary
purposes-to the necessities of the
time and situation. "When, there
FORE" says Judge Cooley, ga COM
mission starts out Immediately
upon the creation of a provisional
government to offer it's country as
a gift to foreign nation the very
title of the government seems to
negative its authority. 1t is offer
ing to give away what it merely
for the time being is authorized
to preserve and protect"
1t is said the provisional gov
ernment was formed for the pur-
pose of securing annexation. But
authority to do that could come
only from the will of the majority,
and the majority we're opposed to
annexation. True, the provisional
leaders pretended to act for and
in the name of the people. Why,
then, did they make such haste to
rush annexation through? If the
provisional government represent
ed the people why was it sup
ported by the naval force Of the
United States, and why was pro-
tectorate proclaimed? Against
what were that force and protecto-
rate intended to protect the provi-
sional government unless the peo-
pie themselves? Certainly not
against any foreign power, since
no foreign power had shown any
desire to interfere. The whole
affair has every appearance of an
attempt on the part of a few revo-
lutionists to sieze Hawaii and
turn it over to the United
States.
Judge Cooley's second point is
that annexation of outlying colo
MES by treaty was never contem-
plated by the founders of the gov
ernment and is not authorized by
the Constitution. The Constitu-
ton, he maintains, was framed for
the government of the United
States of America and not of coun-
tries in different parts of the
world. It was not made and
shaped for the establishment of a
colonial system. If the National
domain can be extended to distant
islands inhabited by a mongrel
population it can be extended "to
cover colonies in Arabia or in Zu-
luland, which would eventually
become states and send their rep
resentatives to Washington to as
sist in governing u.s." To such
folly Judge Cooley finds an insur-
mountable barrier in the Consti-
tuition. Not less formidable bar
riers are presented by the tradi.
tional policy of the nation and the
welfare Of the people. We want
no Hawaiian annexation, as we
wanted no San Domingo annexa-
ton twenty years ago. There is
room enough for the United States
on the continent without pushing
its boundaries to the middle of the
Pacific. Let Hawaii remain ar