Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-30
ACQUISITION OF HAWAII
What Must Be Done After the Treaty is
Ratified.
Provision for Temporary Form OF
GOvernment-F1ve Commission.
ers to He Chosen:

Ratification Of the annexation treaty is
but the preliminary step in effecting the
political union between Hawaii and the
United States. A great deal of hard work
by the legislative branch of this govern
ment will be required to shape measure
for assimilatfng this acquisition of terri
tory and peoples. In his message trans
hitting the treaty to the Senate the Pres
fdent said: THE organic and administra-
tive details of Incorporation are necessarily
left to the wisdom of the Congress, and
cannot doubt, when the function of the
| constitutional treaty-making power shall
| have been accomplished. the duty of the
| national legislature In the case will be
performed with the largest regard for the
| interests Of this rich insular domain and
| for the welfare of the Inhabitants thereof"
| Provision of the Treaty.
The treaty itself prescribes the first move
| to be made after ratification. Article 3
| says, in part: Until Congress shah pro-
vide for the government of such islands
all the civil, judicial and military powers
| exercised by the officers of the existing
government in said islands shall be vested
| in such person or persons and shall be eX-
| ercfsed in such manner as the President of
| the United States shall direct; and the
| President shall have power to remove said
| omcers and fill the vacancies SO occa-
| sioned.'
| 1t is this feature of the case it is said,
| which Is now under consideration by the
| President Considerable time must elapse
between the ratification of the treaty and
| the action OF Congress in providing n stable
| form OF government. During that interval
the sovereignty of the existing Hawaiian
republic having been coded by the treaty
absolutely and without reserve to the
United States, there will be no general
form of CIVIL judicial or military govern
ment Tor Hawaii except as the President
may Stipulate.
1t Is considered possible by some that the
President will reinvest power temporarily
| in the existing judicial and executive au-
thorities Of the islands. The treaty pro-
| V1des that the municipal control shall re-
main as 1t now exists, and that the present
customs laws shall continue to be in force
until the customs regulations of the United
States shall be extended by act of Con-
gress.
Commissioners to BE Selected.
Having provided a temporary form of
government for the new territory, the
| next step to be taken in the proceedings
| is stipulated by article of the treaty,
as follows:
THE President shall appoint five COM
mfssioners, at least two of whom shall be
residents of the Hawaiian Islands, who
snail as soon as reasonably practica BILE
recommend to Congress such legislation
| concerning the territory Of Hawaii as they
| shall deem necessary or proper
7 Even after this duty is performed there
| is to be further consideration of the mat
| ter in committee. The act for the govern
ment of the new territory will probably be
| presented to the House and Senate by the
committee on territories of the respective
houses. The passage of the act will I'M
! doubtedly be facilitated, it is thought, by
the work of the special commission, as
| their recommendations will have ten
dency tc reconcile the differences of opin-
| ion likely to arise between the Senate and
House over the ways and means of govern
| ment