The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-12
Tie Hawaiian Question.

The Presidents reasons for Withdrawing
the Hawaiian treaty from the Senate have
not been made public. and there is good
deal Of speculation as TO what thew were.
/ Some OF the republican papers are inclined
to think that he had only one reason for his
action, and that was to obtain for his adj
ministration all this credit for annexing
Hawaii. They do not doubt apparently
that he favor5 annexation, and that either
the present treaty, after having been modi-
fed II some respects, will be sent to the
| Senate again, or else a new one will be
negotiated. In support Of this view they
assert that the treaty was carefully con-
sidered by himself and Judge Gresham at
Lakewood Immediately after the text Of it
was made public, and that Judge Gresham
strongly approved it.
Whether Judge Gresham approved 1t or
| not is a question Of fact, and it is doubtful
! if any newspaper is in a position TO speak
| positively in regard 10 it. 1t is hardly
| probable that either the President or Judge
| Gresham has cOnfded his views in this
matter to any one who would be likely TO
| give them 20 the public.
| The reason for the Presidents action will
be known. doubtless. within few days. 1t
will probably appear that he Is not so anx-
| ious to get the entire credit for settling the
Hawaiian question as he is TO settle it in a
way that viii be honorable to this country
and satisfactory to the Hawaiian people.
He doesn't want the matter disposed in a
way that would be productive of endless
trouble TO this country.
The Harrison administration negotiated
! a treaty with the commissioners OF the pro-
visional government Of Hawaii with extraor-
binary haste. II accepted the statements
Of the commissioners, and assumed that
they told the whole truth about the situation
in Hawaii. IL may be that they presented
the Hawaiian situation exactly as it is, but
would it not be advisable for our govern
ment to assure itself that it is in possession
Of all this facts before taking such an inn
portant step as that which is proposed? It
must not be forgotten that the annexing
Of Hawaii would be against the
long established policy of this
country. If Hawaii should be an
nexed there would be a precedent for
aunexing other countries. aud therefore be-
fore annexing Hawaii the question whether
it would be wise to abandon that policy
should be most carefully considered.
Tie suggestion that a commission should
be sent to Hawaii to find out what the sit
uation there is appears to be a good one.
II there is a general desire there for annex
alton. and If it should appear that annex
alton would be to the interest OF Hawaiiaus
as we'll as of our people, there would be
very little opposition to it. There
would not be a feeling then that injustice
had been done weak and defenseless peo-
pie in the interest of lot of spectators.
1t is clearly not the purpose OF Mr.. Cleve-
land to let Hawaii fall under the domination
Of a European power. 1t is important
that American influence should be dom
inant there. American interests are larger
than those Of any other country and the
Hawaiians are partial to Americans.
IL is pretty certain that either the islands
will be annexed to this country or this
country will control them by means OF a
protectorAte. The President, however will
not sanction any course that Is not as
eminently fair and just to the Hawaiians as
it is possible under the circumstances for 1t
TO be. II is extremely probable that another
treaty OF annexation of a much broader scope
than the Harrison treaty, will be negotiated.
1t will not leave SO many matters for future
settlement as that treaty does, and, hence,
will not be likely to be followed by trouble
some complications,