The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-02-03

RejOicGd To Quit this lonely llic,
I'll brush my beaver, cease 10 scOld,
And look about mo for aWiIe!
THE QUESTION or THE HOUR.
Something About tue Hawaiian IslaRds
md Our Relations With Them.
Philadelphia Pres,
The annexation Of the Hawaiian
Islands comes to most Americans with
a shock as a departure from the past
policy Of the United States. As a mat
ter Of fact, such a step, i. it were now
taken, would be but the natural and ip-
evitable development OF the course of
trade and the policy OF theU nited States
over moro than q century,
In the last century tho Hawaiian
lalands became q regular port OF call for
vessels engaged in tho thr%ee-cornered
! trade which began with traffic for furs
on what ia now our Alaskan coast, con-
tinued in the sale OF these furs in China
in exchange for tea and silk, and ended
In q return voyage TO Europe or the
United States. This trade early fell
into American hands. 1t was succeeded
| by the whale fisheries OF the North
Pacific and by missionary operations on
the Hawaiian Islands. Both united to
make American interests paramount on
this island group, then a six months
voyage from the nearest settled United
States coast and quite as near to London
as to Boston,
It was doubtless the distance and the
absence OF direct interests which led
the state department at Washington to
treat rs q mere casual agreement be-
tween a naval officer and a savage tribe
the "treaty" made in 1926 between
Captain 7. A. Jones, OF the Peacock,
and the king OF the Hawaiian Islands,
our first ofiaial>contract with the groun
Even in December, 1912, when the en-
voys OF King Kamehameha Ill came to
Washington to negotiate q treaty tho
secretary Of state, Daniel Webster, cold
" responded that tho President does
not see any present necessity for the
negotiation OF q formal treaty." al
though he prefaced the refusal by tho
declaration that 'the> interests OF the
commercial nations require that tho ex.
listing authorities in the islands should
not DO interierod with by any foreign
powers"
BY 1s40, when tho first of our treaties
was negotiated, this interference had
begun and been ended by the protest Of
the United States. Early in 1889 the
French made ademandfor $4,000 simi-
lar to that later served on Tahiti, and
the Hawaiian ruler was only able to
meet the demand and protect himself
by the prompt loan OF cash to the
amount demanded by American mer-
chants. Even while Mr.. Webster was
making his ungracious reply Lord
George Paulct, commanding H.. B. M.
frigate the Carysfort, was sailing to the
island to carry out the design Of the
British consul at Honolulu, Richard
Charleton. In February, 1913. the
Hawaiian flag was hauled down, a Brit
ish protectorate declared, and the is.
lands as good al annexed, against tho
protest Of an American man-of-war in
tho harbor then as now named the
boston. Fortunately Captain Long, Of
the Boston, urged the king to send a
special envoy to Great Britain and this
country. On reaching Boston the envoy
found Mr.. Webster in a different mood.
eve will await the result Of your mis-
sion to England" said Mr.. Webster.
lifts government does not then disa-
vow the acts OF Lord George Paulet
we'll make a fuss"
England withdraw from the islands,
| though then, as now, the English under
secretary, Mr.. Addiugton, complained
that tho facts seemed TO be that the
government OF the islands was admini-
stored by foreigners" and that ''an
American was in full control of all tho
land sales in the group" Mr. Everett,
our minister at London, was, however,
instructed to inform the British govern
ment that the group bore such peculiar
relations to the United States that
I'VE might even feel justified, consis.
tently with our own principles, in inter.
fering by force to prevent their falling
into tho hands OF one OF the great
powers Of Europe"
This assertion, tho first extension OF
the Monroe doctrine to the Pacific, set-
tied the matter. November %, lS4S,
France and England united in a mutual
engagement ito consider the Sandwich
Islands as an independent etate, and
never to take possession, neither direct.
ly or under the title OF protectorate, nor
under anyform, Of any part Of the ter.
ritory OF which they are composed"
The Hawaiian Islands have remained
ever since under the protection OF the
declaration OF the United States made
half q century ago and tho mutual
agreement signed by Lord Aberdeen
and Compto ST. Aulatre in ls43. Score.
tary Calhoun July Q, 1874, added the
guarantee Of the United States to this
agreement as far as the independence
OF the Islands was concerned; but 1t has
been the steady and consistent assertion
LOT our diplomacy ever since that this
neither prevented the United States
from claiming o paramount interest In
tho islands nor from accepting territory
or sovereignty there, II offered by their
inhabitants or government.
Meanwhile, however, Franco had
completed tho conquest OF Tahiti and
in 1880 n French admiral and NJ,
Perrin, a French commiaaiouor, pro.
sonted demands in Honolulu, "tanta.
mount" as Secretary Webster said
Juno 10, 1851, to Minister Riyes, In
Paris, ITO tho s%ubjugation Of the islands
TO tho dominion Of France" Mr.. Cal.
| houn, Mr.. WebsteF's predecessor in the
state department, hadalready addressed
ono protest 10 the French government
Mr.. Webster repeated tho objections Of
OUR government again whom Mr.. Sever.
anco succeeded Mr.. Rlvos at Paris In
Language such rs is only used to friendly
power whom force is roady to make
effective, firm but courteous demands