The San Francisco call., 1897-06-24
Discussed by the Senate
Foreign Relations
Committee.
improbable That the Treaty
Will Be Passed Upon
This Session.
The State Department Practically
Completes Its Reply to the
Objections.

WASHINGTON, D. c., June 23.-The
Hawaiian annexation treaty formed the
principal topic of consideration by the
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
at its brief session to-day. The treaty
and accompanying papers were read and
referred TO sub-com mittee consisting of
Senators Foraker. Davis and Morgan,
with instructions to investigate the en- tire
question and report to the full committee
The papers read included the protest
made by Japan against the annexation.
The document did not call out much COM
ment, but all that was said was OF a char
acter to indicate that the members of the
committee did not regard it as likely to
lead to serious complications, though re.
quiring the most respectful consideration.
The sub com jttee will consider all the
complications likely to grow out of an.
nexation. including those referring to the
trade relations OF the island. This will
involve study of all of Hawaips treaties
with other countries. The inquiry will
require considerable time, and no effort
will be made by the full committee to
take the SUBJECT up until the sub commit
tee shall be able to report on all the de-
tails. The realization of this fact has led
the members of the com mittee to conclude
that 1t is i'm pro bable that the committee
as whole will be able to pass upon the
subject during the present session. The
com plexion of the committee is believed
10 be eight for ratification and three
against it. There is possibility that the
mum Der OF those In favor of it may be in
creased 10 nine.
The protest from Japan in connection
with the Hawaiian treaty which was re-
ceived by the Senate Committee on
Foreign Affairs to-day is considered In
a more serious light than was at first
made apparent. The committee took
exceptional precautions 10 prevent the
publication of its proceedings. The pro-
test was accepted as almost an ultima
tum on Japan's part to the effect that
the treaty must not be perfected. II is
not a protest against the form of the
document, as had been supposed in some
quarters, but against the document itself
or rather against the transaction, as being
opposed 10 Japan's interest. The specific
reason alleged for the protest is that the
consummat1on of the agreement between
Hawaii and the United States would dis
turb the existing trade relations of the
North Pacific and nulIify treaty rights
The State Department has practically
completed its reply to the Japanese pro-
test against the Hawaiian annexation
treaty, but has not yet delivered it. The
reply is understood to be disnitied in tone,
a strong legal defense of our position
which, without in any sense abating our
claims, does not disdain to support them
by much citation of precedent and inter
national law.
Sherman will contend that the status
OF japanese with reference to American
citizenship has meyer been definitely de-
termined and that restrictions against the
naturalization of coolies has not been
construed against Japanese within recent
years. The question is one for the courts
to decide. Annexation cannot therefore
be denial of the rights and privileges
granted to Japanese in Hawaii. The
Chinese exclusion act does not prevent
the admission of Japanese, and until the
EN- barge against coolie labor has been
held to apply to all Mongolians by the
United States courts Japanese residents
OF Hawaii may still hope to be secure
after annexation in all rights guaranteed