Rock Island Argus., 1897-12-07
FAvORs HAWAIIAN ANNEXATION.
Says That Every Consideration of Honor
and Dignity Requires the Same.


and Dignity Requires the Same.
By a special message dated the 18th
day Of June last, laid before the sem
ate a treaty signed that day by the
plenipOtentiaries of the United States
and of the republic of Hawaii having
for its purpose the Incorporation of the
Hawaiian islands as an integral part
of the United States and under its SOW
ereignty. The senate having removed
the injunction Of secrecy. although the
treaty is still pending before that body,
the subject may be properly referred
TO in this message because the neces-
sary action of the congress is required
to determine by legislation many de-
tails of the eventual union, should the
fact of annexation be accomplished, as
l believe it should be. While consist
emily disavowing from a very early Pc
riod any aggressive policy of absorp-
ton in regard to the Hawaiian group
long series of declarations through
three-quarters of a century has pro-
claimed the vital interest Of the United
States in the Independent life Of the ISL
ands and their intimate commercial de-
pendence upon this country. At the
same time it has been repeatedly as
serted that in no event could the entity
of Hawaiian statehood cease by the
passage of the islands under the domi-
nation or influence Of another power
than the United States.
Under these circumstances the logic
Of events required that annexation.
heretofore offered but declined, should
in the ripeness of time come about as
the natural result of the strengthen
ing ties that bind US to those islands,
and be realized by the free will of the
Hawaiian state. That treaty was unan-
imously ratified without amendment BY
the senate and president Of the republic
Of Hawaii on the 10th of September
last, and only the favorable action of
the American senate to effect the COM
plete absorption of the islands into the
domain of the United States. What
the conditions of such q union shall be,
the political relation thereof to the
United States. the character of the To-
cal administration, the quality and de-
gree of the elective franchise of the
inhabitants, the extension of the fed
eral laws to the territory or the en-
actment of special laws to fit the pc
culiar condition thereof, the regulation,
II need be. of the labor system therein
are all matters which the treaty has
wisely relegated to the congress.
If the treaty Is confirmed, as every
consideration Of dignity and honor re-
quires, the wisdom Of congress will see
to 1t that, avoiding abrupt assimila-
tfon of elements perhaps hardly yet fit-
ted to share in the highest franchises
OF citizenship, and having due regard
to the geographical conditions, the most
just provisions for self rule in local
matters, with the largest political lib
critics as an integral part of our ma
tion Will be accorded to the Hawaiians,
No less is due to a people who, after
nearly five years of demonstrated ca
pacity to fulfill the obligations Of self
governing statehood, come Of their own
free will to merge their destinies in
our body polite.
The questions which have arisen be-
tween Japan and Hawaii by reason of
the treatment of Japanese laborers en-
igrating to the islands under the Ha-
waiian-Japanese convention Of 1888 are
in a satisfactory stage of settlement
by negotiation. This government has
not been invited to mediate, and on the
other hand has sought no intervention
in that matter further than to evince
its kindliest disposition toward such a
speedy and direct adjustment by the
two sovereign states in interest as shall
comport with equity and honor. 1t is
gratifying to learn that the apprehen-
sions at first displayed on the part OF
Japan lest the cessation of Hawaiia &
national life through annexation might
impair privileges to which Japan hon.
orably laid claim, have given place to
confidence in the uprightness Of this
government and in the sincerity of its
purpose to deal with all possible ul.
terror questions in the broadest spiri,
of friendliness.