The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-06-18


United States Of America forever. 1.
does not seem necessary TO the presen.
purpose of the undersigned TO review the
inciden. Of 1893, when similar treaty
| OF cession was signed on February Ia
| and submitted 10 the sera.e, being sub
| sequently withdrawn by the president on
the 9th Of March following. The nego-
tiation which has eliminated in the
| treaty now submitted has not been a
1893, but was initiated and has been con-
| Quoted upon Independent lines. Then an
abrupt revolutionary movement had
! brought about the dethror ement of the
late queen and set up instead Of the hith-
erto titulary monarchy. provisional
| government for the control and manage
ment Of public affairs and the protection
Of the public peace. such government 10
exist only until such terms OF union with
the United States should have been not
ed and agreed upon. Thus self-constitut-
ed, its promoters claimed for it only a
de facto existence until the purpose Of
| annexation in which it took rise should
be accomplished. AS time passed and
! the plan Of union with the United States
became an uncertain contingency. the
organization of the Hawaiian common
wealth underwent necessary changes;
! the temporary character of it's first gov
| scheme under a constitution framed by
the representatives OF the electors Of the
| islands; administration by an executive
council not chosen by suffrage but self
appointed was succeeded by an elective
and parliamentary regime. and the abil-
ity OF the new government TO hold, as the
| republic Of Hawaii an independent place
in the family Of sovereign states, pre-
serving order at home and fulfilling in
ternational obligations abroad, has been
put 70 the proof. Recognized by the
powers Of the earth, sending and receiv-
ing envoysJ enforcing respect for the law
and maintaining peace within its island
borders, Hawaii sends to the United
States, not a commission representing
successful revolution, but the accredited
plenipotentiary of a constituted ard firm
ly established sovereign state. However
sufficient may have been the power of
States government treated in 1898, and
however satisfied the president may Their
have been Of their power 10 offer the do
main of the Hawaiian islands to the
United States, the fact remains thai
what they then rendered was a territory
rather than established government, a
country whose administration had been
cast down by a bloodless but complete
revolution and a community in a state
OF political transition.
Now. however the republic Of Hawaii
approaches the United States as an equal
and points, as It's authority, TO this pro-
vision of article of the constitution pro-
mulgated July "a, 1894:
The president, with the approval Of
the cabinet, is hereby expressly author
lied and empowered to make treaty Of
political or commercial union between
the republic Of Hawaii and the United
States OF America, subject 10 the ratifi-
cation of the senate
''The present negotiation is, therefore.
as has been said, not a mere renewal OF
the tender of Hawaiian territory made
in 1893, but has responded to the purpose
declared in the Hawaiian constitution.
ard the conferences Of the plenipotentiar-
les have been directed TO weighing the
advantages of the political and CONNER
cial union alternative proposed here, del
atively considering the scope and extent
thereof 1t soon appeared to the neso-
tiators that purely commercial union
on the lines Of the German zo.lverein
could not satisfy the problems of the ad-
in Hawaii and of the polit-
ical association of the islands and the
United States. Such a commercial urion
would. on the one hand, deprive the Ha-
waiian government of its chief source of
revenue from customs duties by reducing
its territory in relation Of free ex-
change with the territory OF the United |
States, i:s mair market of purchase and |
supply, while. on the other hand, Il would |
entail upon Hawaii the maintenance OF |
an internal revenue system on par with |
that Of the United States or else Involve |
the organization Of a corresponding |
branch OF our revenue system within a |
foreign Jurisdiction. We have had with |
Hawaii since 1875 treaty of commercial |
two territories with regard TO mary Of |
their most important productions and |
excludes other nations from enjoyment |
Of its privileges. yet, though that treaty |
has outlived other less favored reciproc-
lty. its permanency has a times been
erave'y imperiled. Under such circum-
stances, 10 enter upon the radical eXper-
iment OF a complete commercial union /
between Hawaii and the United States
as Independently sovereign without as
surance Of permarency and with perpet-
ual subsection to the vicissitudes OF pub
lie sentiment in the two countries was
not 10 be thought Of.
Turning. then. 10 the various oracti-
cal forms OF political union, the several
phases Of a protectorate. an offensive
and defensive alliance and a national
guarantee. were passed in review. In all
Of these the independence Of the subor-
1irated state is the Distinguishing fea
,ure and with il the assumption by me
paramount state Of responsibility. with
put domain. The disparity OF the relative
interests and the distance separating The
Two countries could not fail 10 render
any form OF protective association either
lndu,y hurdensome or iliusory in its ben
afits. so fa- as the protective state Is col-
,erned. while any attempt TO counteract
his by tributary dependence or a meas
ire Of suzersin control would be retro
grade movement toward q feudsl o. col
,nial establishment, alike inexpeiient /
and unconditional with our national pal
cy.
There remained. therefore. the annex
alton OF the islands and their complsts
, hsn-n.inn inn he nnli.icai system os