Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-06-17
The HAWAIIAN TREATY.
It Now Awaits the Action of tho
National Senate,
CHANCES FOR IT'S RATIFICATION.

The Hawaiian Government Agrees to
Absolute submission 10 washington,
the President Having Veto Power
Over Acts of the Local Legislature.
Washington, June 1.-THE treaty
for the annexation of the Hawaiian
islands reached the senate chamber at
o'clock yesterday afternoon. The
senate at once went into executive SEES
sion. and as soon as the doors We're
closed the message OF President Me-
Kinley accompanying the treaty and
the treaty itself were read to the sem
ate. They were attentively listened to.
The treaty was signed at the state
department by Secretary Sherman for
the United States, and Messrs. Hatch,
Thurston and Kinney for Hawaii
In one part of the chamber there was
a group of senators who will bitterly
oppose the ratification of the treaty.
Among them were Senators Gray,
Mills, Pasco, White, Caffery, Peltigrew
and McEnery.
The message of the president was
not a very long document. 1t dealt with
UlSlOllCttl ldClo COtACCAAtAlAG etAC ASiNANtss
and showed that the United States and
Hawaii yearly grew more closely bound
to each other. This was not really an
nexation, he said, but a continuation
of existing relations with closer bonds
between the people closely related by
blood and kindred. Since 1920, said the
president, the predominance of the
United States had been known. The
sending of the first envoy there brought
the islands in close relations with the
United States, and those relations had
grown more firm by succeeding events.
Referring to the treaty negotiated
under the Harrison administration,
President Mckinley said that the fail
ure to accept the proffer of annexation
in 1898, while not subject of congratu-
lation, was not wholly without its
value, as it had demonstrated that the
existing government could maintain
itself, and no question could be raised
of the authority of the present gov
eminent to negotiate the present treaty
or of its right to yield the sovereignty
of the islands.
Under the treaty as signed, the ISL
ands are for the present to constitute
local laws remaining in force until
new ones are enacted. A local legisla-
ture is provided for, but the veto power
is vested entirely in the president of
the United States. A commission of
five persons, consisting of threee Amer
leans and two Hawaiians, to be nomi-
mated by the president and confirmed
by the senate, is provided for the pur-
pose of formulating the mode of gov
eminent for the islands.
The treaties of the United States
with other countries are substituted
for the treaties of Hawaii with the
same countries In controlling the in
ternational relations of the islands.
Further immigration of Chinese labor
ers to the islands Is prohibited, and the
laws restricting Chinese immigration
to the United States are made to apply
to the prevention of Chinese removing
from Hawaii to this country. This
government agrees to assume the debt
of the island republic to the extent of
81 000, 900.
At the japanese legation the docu-
ment filed by the Japanese minister on
Tuesday is not regarded as a protest
against the Hawaiian treaty, but is
considered as a request for official in
formation. There appears. however,
to be no doubt that as soon as Japan
is notified officially of the signing of
the convention our government will be
informed that Japan expects and de-
mands recognition and all the rights
and privileges which she now enjoys
under her existing treaties with Ha.
wall. While peaceful annexation of
the islands would abrogatR the exist
ing treaties of that country with for
eign powers. Japan probably viii con-
tend that the United States must as
sumo and respect Hawaii's obligations
to those powers.
1t is also a Japanese contention that
under the new treaty, to go into effect
in 1899, special legislation cannot be en-
acted to exclude their citizens, as has
been done to Chinese under the Chinese
exclusion act.
Senator Davis, chairman of the SEN
ate committee on foreign relations is
very ardent anneXationist, and the
| treaty in his hands will be pushed with
vigor While he will not attempt to
have it considered if it interferes with
the tariff bill, which has the right OF
way over everything now, he will have
early action in committee, SO that the
treaty will be taken UP whenever OPP
portunity offers. While there is a very
| large sentiment in favor of ratification
| it will be necessary to convince q
number of senators whose votes are
necessary that the treaty is a proper
measure, as these senators are among
the doubtful men in the senate who
have taken no stand either for or
| against the measure.