Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-02-19
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 10. 1893
Hawaii and Its Sugar.

Mr.. VEST, OF Missouri, indicated IN
open Senate on Thursday his intention
to oppose the ratification of the Ha-
waiian treaty on the ground that it was
entered into in the interest of the
sugar-planters. But the fact is other
wise. Mr.. VEST was mistaken. The
sugar bounty appears in the treaty only
in the provision that until Congress
shall legislate upon the subject the ex-
listing commercial relations" between
this country and Hawaii shall continue
to be as they are.
The speeches of Mr.. VEST and Mr..
Mills show that there is to be decided
opposition in the Senate to the ratifca-
ton OF the Hawaiian treaty. Indeed. so
long as human nature shall continue to
be what it is We need never to expect
even q great blessing to be bestowed
upon any country by legislation
without first having to run the gaunt-
let OF the men who "know it all. I"
There is to many men a pleasure
in leading the opposition TO any
important measure. Such persons
opposed the annexation of Texas in
1914 and signalized their opposition by
making such speeches as We do not ex-
pect anybody In the present Senate or
House of Representatives to make IN OPP
position to the ratification of the Ha-
waiian treaty. However, We fully recog-
nize the right of every senator to vote as
his judgment may dictate to him he
ought to vote. 1t is not question
devoid of difficulties. On the con-
trary, it is encompassed by them. Nor
is it party question, as has already
clearly appeared. Nor ought it to be
made sectional question. But if it is
to be treated as q sectional question it
is not for the southern members Of Con-
gress thus to look upon it. Hawaii Is
the key to the Pacific Ocean, it has been
well said. The same remark might DO
made as to the Nicaragua canal, which
when it il completed will be a key not
only to the Pacific, but to all the isles of
the world. That canal will place the
United States in the centre Of the
world, which, after Hawaii is annexed
to the United States and the Nicaragua
canal is finished, should always be repre-
scented as it appears in Mercators Pro-
lection. Hawaii is one of the jewels
which UNCLE SAM must possess. 1t IS
not north of us like Canada, with her
cold, bleak, dismal winters. 1t is, on
the contrary, more than a thousand
miles south Of US, and possesses a eli
mate which when those islands shall
have become portion Of UNCLE SANS
dominions and shall be "ticliled with
his hoe will yield the richest of agricul-
tural treasures for the use OF all man
kind.
The treaty with Hawaii will constitute
a new departure in the way of extending
our Federal system OF government. The
president commissioner empowered
to veto any act OF the government which
is TO be continued in Hawaii subject to
the paramount authority Of the United
States, may well be regarded as a new
feature in our Federal system, but we
suppose this feature will be supported
on the ground that it is only under an
other name our present system of terri
torial government, under which the
President Of tho United States appoints
the governors of Territories, and terri
torial legislatures are elected by the
people, whose powers are exercised sub
ject to the paramount authority OF the
National Government.
We take it for granted that the treaty
will be ratified, though our kilograms OF
yesterday, after stating that more than
two thirds of the senators would proba-
bly, vote for ratification, added that a
change in sentiment had been manifest
ed since the treaty was sent to the
Senate. tits gratifying to know, as the
Secretary Of State says, that the leading
powers of the world regard the extern
sion of the authority OF the United States
over Hawaii with satisfaction, or else
with q willingness readily to acquiesce
in it.