The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-12-17

intimate comercial dependency upon
this country. At the same time it has
been repeatedly asserted that in no
event could the entity of Hawaiian
statehood cease by the passage of the
Islands under the domination or in
fiuence Of another power than the Unit
ed States. Under these circumstances
the logic of events required that an
nexation, before offered but declined,
should in the ripeness of time, coming
about as a natural result of strengthen
ing the ties that bind is to those ISL
ands, be realized by the free will of
the Hawaiian State
The treaty was unanimously ratified
without amendment by the Senate and
President of the Republic of Hawaii
on the 10th of September last and only
awaits the favorable action Of the Am
erican Senate to effect the complete
absorption of the Islands into the do
main of the United States. What the
conditions of such a union shall be.
the political relations 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 Fede-
raj laws to the Territory or the enact
ment of special laws to fit the peculiar
conditions thereof, the regulation of
needs labor therein, are all matters
which the treaty has wisely relegated
to Congress. If the treaty Is con-
firmed, as every consideration of dig
nifty and honor requires, the wisdom
of Congress will see to it that, avoiding
abrupt assimilation of elements per-
haps hardly yet fitted to share in the
highest franchise of citizenship and
having due regard to the geographical
conditions, the most just provisions
for self rule in local matters with the
largest political liberties as an inte-
grail part of our Nation, will be accord
ed to the Hawaiians. No less is due
to people who, after nearly five years
of demonstrated capacity to fulfill the
obligations of self-governing statehood.
come OF their free will to merge their
destines in our body polite
The questions which have arisen be-
tween Japan and Hawaii by reason Of
the treatment of Japanese laborers
em1grating to the Islands under the
Hawaiian-Japanese convention of 1888.
are in satisfactory stage of settle
ment by negotiation. This Government
has not been invited to mediate. and
on the other hand has sought no inter-
vention in that matter further than to
evince its kindliest disposition toward
such speedy and direct adjustment
by the two sovereign states in interest,
as shall compOrt with equity and hon.
or. 1t is gratifying to learn that the
apprehensions at first displayed on the
part of Japan lest the cessation of Ha-
waits national life through annexation
might impair privileges to which jap
an honorably laid claim, have given
place to confidence in the uprightness
OF this Government and the sincerity
OF its purpose to deal with all possible
Interior questions in the broadest spirit
of friendliness.
A subject of large Importance to our
country and increasing appreciation
on the part of the people, is the COM
pletion of the great highway of trade
between the Atlantic and Pacific
known as the Nicaragua canal. It's
utility and value to American COM
merce is universally admitted. The
commission appointed under date of
July 24th last to continue the surveys
and examinations authorized by the
act approved March 2, 1886 in regard
to the proper route, feasibility and cost
OF construction of the Nicaragua plans
of the entire work of construction of
such canal, is now employed in the
undertaking. In the future shall take
occasion to transmit to Congress the
report of this commission, making at
the same time Such furfhor crrcrs
tlons as may then seem advisable.