The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-23
UNANIMOUSLY RATIFIED
ACTION OF HAWAII SENATE ON THE
ANNEXATION TREATY.
President DOIe's Message Reviewing
the NegOtiations-Scare story Com
cerninE Japanese Soldiers.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 22.--Although
the steamship City of Peking, which ar
rived last night from Honolulu, brought
the news that the annexation treaty had
been ratified by the Hawaiian Senate on
the Sth inst, no details were obtainabe
until this morning. the mails having been
delayed in quarantine for twelve hours
From advices she brought from under date
of the 14th inst, the following particu-
lars are obtained;
The Hawaiian Senate met in extra ses-
sion on the Sth inst. When the Senate was
called to order the Presidents message,
urging the ratification of the treaty, was
read, as was also a protest on behalf of
the Hawaiians who opposed the measure.
The Presidents message stated that under
the authority conferred on him by the Con-
stitution and with the approval of the
Cabinet, he had negotiated treaty of po-
litical union with the United States of
America and the republic of Hawaii, which
was signed by the plenipotentiaries of both
governments in Washington June 16, 1897.
He transmitted the same to the Senate for
consideration of the ratification thereof
under its consttutionality, and called at
tention to certain significant events which
bore on the matter. He touched on the
adoption of the policy of annexation by the
provisional government on June II, 1898, and
stated that the reasons which then neces-
STATED that policy still existed and that
subsequent events had emphasized their
1mpoI tance. In conclusion, he called par
ticular attention to the fact that the treaty
contained an important provision regard
ing the maintenance of the existing Ha-
Wai1an laws and customs not inconsistent
with the treaty under consideration. The
injury which inevitably follows sudden po-
litical changes was therefore precluded
Both papers were referred, with the text
of the treaty, to the foreign relations COM
mittee for consideration. On the follow
ing day that committee reported favoraby
and on it's recommendation the Senate
unanimously adopted a resolution ratifying
the treaty. In answer to the Hawaiian
protest adopted at mass meeting on the
9Th the committee said, in part: ''The
legislature of the republic has at its last
two sessions passed joint resolutions fd-
Voring annexation, and the annexation of
the islands to the United States was of the
fundamental grounds for the establishment
of this government We recommend that
the protest be laid on the table, and, in do
ing so, deem it our duty to say that, in our
opinion the protestants are protesting
more on the grounds of sentiment than
that they fully believe annexation would
not promote the best and most lasting pros
perity to these islands and all classes of
people now residing thereon. This re-
port was unanimously adopted by the SEN
ate.
Commenting upon the action of the upper
chamber, the Iuso newspaper, organ of the
Portuguese residents, of Sept. l3, said: The
Senate of the Republic Of Hawaiia has
unanimously ratified the convention which
cedes Hawrii to the United States, not
only with all mercantile property with
doubtful title but also tying up privileges,
which about 5000 voters of the Portuguese
colony enjoy and have enjoyed, and Whlch
can only be recovered If the Congress OF the
United States, from a sense of justice ana
equity, shall concede to US the privilege to
which we have a right. The session was
closed on the 10th, to be convened again
next March in regular session..
Despite the action of the Senate, the op-
ponents Of annexation are continuing their
Tight and the leaders of the movement ex-
press the utmost confidence in their ability
to defeat annexation Before the Peking
left a call had been issued for an immense
mass meeting, to be held on the 18TH and
the indications were that 1t would be one OF
the largest ever held on the islands.
The steamship Australia. having on board
United States Senator John T. Morgan of
Alabama Congressman A. s. Berry, ]. G.
Cannon, H. c. Loudenslager and j. A.
Tawney, arrived in Honolulu on the 14th.
ator Morgan stood the voyage exceedingly
well and was in excellent health
The Hawaiian annexation treaty, which
was submitted to the United States Sen
ate on June l6, but has not yet been acted
on, provides for the cesslon to the United
States of all rights of sovereignty over the
Under it the islands would constitute a Ter
ritory of the United States, with a local
Legislature, subject to veto power vested
in the President. All the treaties of the
United States with other countries would
be substituted for those now in force with
Hawaii. The further immigration Of Chi
nese to the islands is to be prohibited and
our laws on the subject are TO be extended
to Hawaii. The treaty provides for the as
sumption by the United States of the Ha-
walian public debt OF $4.GoOOOO. The docu-
ment Will probably come up for considera-
tion, rejection or ratification by the Senate
when Congress meets in December.