The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-12-22

EUvernment, not our own, Ii to regulate
bar conduct, have entirely misappre-
government and behavior which the con-
Suence of our people demands OF their
pablic servants.
The Harrison Treaty.
When the present administration en-
tered upon its duties the senate had under
consideration q treaty providing for the
annexation Of the Hawaiian Islands to the
territory of the United States Surely
under our constitution and laws the en-
hrgement of our limits is manifestation
Il the highest attribute of sovereignty,
and, IL entered upon as an executive act,
al things relating to the transactions
should be clear and free from suspicion.
Additional Importance is attached to
this peculiar treaty OF annexation, because
10 contemplated q departure from I'M
broken American tradition In providing
for the addition of our territory of islands
of the sea more than 1900 miles removed
from our nearest coast
These considerations might of them
selves call for interference with the COM
pletion Of treaty entered upon by q
previous administration. But it appeared
from the documents accompanying the
treaty when submitted to the senate that
the ownership of, Hawaii was rendered to
succeed the constitutional ruler of the
blands, who had been dethroned, and 1t
did not appear that such provisional gov
ernment had the sanction Of either popu-
lar revolution or suffrage.
Done In Haste.
The other remarkable features of the
transaction naturally attracted attention.
One was the extraordinary haste--not to
say precipitancy-charac all the
transactions connected with the treaty.
Il appeared that so-called committee OF
safety, ostensibly the source OF the revolt
against the constitutional government of
Hawaii, was organized on Saturday, the
nth day of January; that on Monday, the
10Th, the United States forces were landed
Of Honolulu from q naval vessel lying in
IL harbor; that on the 18th the scheme of a
provisional government was perfected, and
3 proclamation naming its officers was on
the same day prepared and read at the
government buildings that Immediately
6ereupon the United States minister
thus created; that two days afterwards, on
the 10Th day of January, commissioners
representing such government sailed for
this country in steamer especially chart
cred for the occasion, arriving In san
Francisco on the 28th day Of January and
On the next day they had their first inter-
view with the secretary Of state, and an
ether on the 18th, when the treaty annex
ing the islands was practically agreed
upon, and that on the 18th it was formally
eoncluded, and ON the 18th transmitted to
q the scheme for . provisional government
n Hawaii ON the 18th of January and the
submission to the senate of the treaty Of
annexation eoncludeded with such govern
msnt, the entire interval was 80
days, Is Of which were spent by the
Hawaiian commissioners In their journey
- Washington.
An Issue sf Tsst.
In the next place, upon the face q the
appeared that there was open and unde-
tsrmined an issue Of fact Of the most vital
importance. The message of the president
accompanying tho treaty declared "that
the overthrow Of the monarchy was not In
any way promoted BY this government,"
secrstary Of state, also submitted to the
sspate with the treaty, the following pas
sage occurs: "At the time the provisional
government took possession of the govern
nent buildings no troops or officers of the
United States were present, or took part
whatever In the proceedings. No public
wss scoS sSs se the s Sreysnn
ister until after tlas queens abdication and
when they were In effective possession OF
the treasury, the barracks, the police sta.
ne government" 'Fg.'
The Qussn's Protest.
But protest also accompanied said
treaty, signed by the Queen and her minis
ters ut the time she made way for the pro
Visional government, which explicitly
stated that she yielded to the superior force
e the United States, whose minister had
caused United States troops to be landed
Is Honolulu, and declared that he would
support such provisional government
The truth or fRlsity oil this protest was
surely q the INT Importance II truss