The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-12
HAWAII AND CUBA.

The two important features Of President
McKinley's first annual message. so far as
our foreign relations are concerned, will be
Hawaii and Cuba Both are interesting as
we'll as important. The annexation of Ha-
wall. if made, will be the first acquisition
of territory we have made since the pur-
chase Of Alaska in 1867 and distinctly new
departure in the way of acquiring insular
possessions so distant from the main
land. The question has been pretty thor
oughly discussed by the press, and the pre-
ponderance of public opinion is decidedly
in favor of annexation. The indications are
that the preponderance of opinion in the
| United States Senate is the same way, and
that the treaty of annexation will be rati-
| fed soon after Congress meets. This treaty
was signed at Washington in June last by
| Secretary of State Sherman, representing
the United States, and by three special
commissioners representing the Hawaiian
government, and was sent to the Senate
the same day. 1t has already been ratified
by Hawaii, and only awaits ratification by
the Senate to become operative. Being on
the calendar as unfinished business it can
be called up Immediately after the Senate
convenes, and probably will be. There will
be some opposition to it's ratification, but
it will probably receive the necessary two
thirds vote The President is already on
record in favor of annexation. In trans
hitting the treaty to the Senate with a
special message he said:
Not only is the union of the Hawaiian
territory to the United States no new
scheme, but 1t is the inevitable conse-
quence of the relation steadfastly main
tanned with that mid-Pacific domain for
three quarters of century. While
it's failure in 1898 may not be a cause of
congratulation, it is certainly a proof of
the disinterestedness of the United States,
the delay of four years having abundantly
sufficed to establish the right and the abil-
ity of the Republic of Hawaii to enter as a
sovereign cOntractant. upon q conventional
union with the United States thus realiz-
ing purpose held by the Hawaiian peo-
pie and proclaimed by successive Hawaiian
governments through some seventy years
of their virtual dependence upon the benev-
olent protection OF the United States.
Un6er such circumstances, annexation is
not change, it is a contamination.
1t is evident from this that the President
is decidedly in favor Of annexation. The
Journal ventures the prediction that he
will strongly recommend it in his message
and use his influence to secure the ratifica-
ton of the treaty as soon as possible The
status of the Cuban question will probably
add to the Presidents anxiety to have the
Hawaiian question disposed of and out Of
the way. Both are open questions and both
| involve possibility remote, perhaps, but
still a possibility of war. Japan's protest
against the annexation of Hawaii has not
been withdrawn nor modified and while
there is no reason to expect that 1t will
lead to trouble it might do So The Cuban
question is full of the possibility of war,
and may lead to trouble with Spain at any
time. 1t is a continuing question and can
not be closed promptly and easily as the
Hawaiian question can. AS the administra-
ton will not care to have two open ques-
tons of this kind on it's hands any longer
than is absolutely necessary it is probable
the President will recommend very prompt
action on the Hawaiian question so as to
leave the administration free to deal vigor-
ously with the Cuban question. The two
subjects together are likely to furnish a
very interesting feature of the Presidents
message