The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-17
MESSAGE AND TREATY.
President Mckinley's Remarks on
Transmitting the Document.

to-day The Senate at once went into eX-
eoutive session, and, as soon as the doors
were closed, the message of President Nc
Kinley accompanying the treaty and the
treaty itself were read to the Senate.
They were attentively listened to. In one
part of the chamber there was group of
senators who will bitterly oppose the rati-
ficltion of the treaty. Among them were
Senators Gray Mills, Pasco, White, CAT
fey, Pettigrew and McEnery. AS soon
as the reading of the documents was COM
pleted Senator Davis, chairman of the COM
mittee on foreign relations, moved that the
message and treaty be made public SEN
ator Gray objected to a vote on the mo-
ton, and, under the rules, single obJec-
ton carried the motion over until to-mor-
row. Senator Davis gave notice that at
the next executive session he would press
the motion for publication, as all the es-
seatial facts and almost verbatim copy of
the treaty has been published in the press
of the country. There was some discussion
as to when the treaty might be considered,
and Senator White asked if 1t was the in
tention to push it at this session, and on
reply being made that it was possible, the
California senator said: Il desire to an
| nounco that l ain prepared to stay here all
summer To prevent lIG WHICH L
consider a very bad proposition"
"Tn join you," said Senator Pettigrew,
of South Dakota
THE MESSAGE.
The message of the President was not a
very long document. 1t dealt with histori-
cal facts concerning the islands, and showed
that the United States and Hawaii yearly
grow more closely bound to each other.
This was not really annexation, he said.
but continuation of existing relations with
closer bonds between people closely related
by blood and kindred ties Since 1920, said
the President, the predominance of the
United States had been known. The send
ing of the first envoy there brought the
islands in closer relations with the United
States, and those relations had grown more
firm by succeeding events. AT the time the
tripartite agreement was made for the
government of Samoa, he said Great Brit
ain and Germany wanted to include Ha-
waii in the group over which protec-
torate was established but the suggestion
was rejected by the United States because
wthis government held that there already ex-
isteds relations between Hawaii and the
United States which placed the islands un-
der the especial care of this country, and
that this government could not allow an
other country to interfere in the affairs of
Hawaii The annexation of the islands,
said the President and making them part
of the United States was in accordance
with the established policy of this country.
The President called attention to the fact
that legitimate and existing government
of Hawaii offered to annex the islands to
the United States in 1851, but on account
of what was deemed best policy the an
nexation was not accepted by this country
He stated that the United States virtually
exercised a protectorate over the islands
since the first American mission and guar
anteed the autonomy of the government of
the group The islands had been largely
settled by our own people, and our people
were now interested in them. American in
terest had predominated and we had grown
to consider them under our own protection.
The present treaty was in the light of a
consummation of what had practically been
in existence for years. Referring to the
treaty negotiated under the Harrison adj
minstration, President Mckinley said that
the failure to accept the proffer of annexa-
ton in 1893, 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 government to negotiate the
present treaty or of its right to yield the
sovereignty of the islands.
TERMS OF THE TREATY.
The treaty proved to be a simple docu
ment of six articles based in its essential
details on the treaty negotiated by Hon.
John W. Foster during the administration
Of President Harrison. The islands are
ceded practically without conditions, leav-
ing the United States to pursue its own
course with reference to their management.
The first article reads as follows:
THE government of the Hawaiian ISL
ands hereby cedes, from the date of the
exchange of the ratitcationS OF this treaty,
absolute and without reserve, to the United
States forever, all rights of sovereignty of
whatsoever kind in and over the Hawaiian
islands and their dependencies renouncing
in favor of the United States every sover-
eighty right of which, as an independent
said Hawaiian islands shall become and be
an integral part of the territory Of the
United States
The Hawaiian government cedes to the
United States the absolute ownership of all
the public lands, public buildings, ports,
harbors, notifications military and naval
equipments and all other government prop
erty 1t is specifically provided, however,
that the existing. land laws of the United
States shall not apply to the public lands
of Hawaii but that special laws shall be
made from time to time for their disposi-
ton, the proceeds of any sales of these
lands to be applied to educational purposes
in the islands,
The islands are for the present to con-
stttute a territory of the United States,
their local laws remaining in force until
new ones are enacted A local legislature is
provided for, but the veto power is vested
entirely in the President of the United
States. A commission of five persons, con-
sisting of three Americans and two Ha-
waiians to be nominated by the President
and confirmed by the Senate, is provided
for for the purpose of formulating the
mode of government for the islands. The
treaties of the United States with other
countries are substituted for the treaties of
trolling the international relations of the
islands. Further immigration of Chinese
labOrers to the islands is prohibited and
the laws restricting Chinese immigration to
prevention of Chinese removing from Ha-
waji to this country. This country agrees
to assume the debt of the island republic
to the extent of S40O0,000.
The five commissioners provided for in the
treaty are expected " make recommenda-
tions to Congress as to new laws, and also
as regards the form of government The
present form of local government is TO con-
tinue in the islands for the present, except
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