Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-02-13
NE WILL MAKE 4 TEST CASE
Senator Frye Opens Up the Hawaii
an Question.
Proposes That This Nation Improve
Pearl Harbor which Would
show Whas Rights We
Have There.

Washington, Feb. 6.-The Hawaiian
question has been revived In the senate
by Senator Frye OF Maine. He intro
duced an amendment to the sundry civ
II bill. appropriating $4,000 o for the i'm
provement of Pearl Herbor. For the
United States to spend money In i'm
proving Pearl Hsrbor would be. In the
opinion Of the senator an act OF SOW
e~reignty, which, IL allowed to pro-
coed, would establish the tact OF Amer
lean possession. In speaking OF the
matter, Mr.. Frye aid
II have several objects in introducing
this amendment. One OF these IL that /
believe that IL would be well for the
United states to exercise an act Of SOW
ersignty In Pearl Harbor. Our jurisdic-
ton over Pearl Harbor dates from the
convention OF 1887. The question was
raised then by Mr.. Carter. he Hawaiian
minister, whether the exclusive right
accorded TO the United States TO enter
Pearl Harbor amounted TO a permanent
cession or whether the privileges we
enjoy were to come to an end whenever
the treaty should expire. AT the time
Secretary Bayard Informed Mr.. Carter
that he could discern nothing in the
clause relating to the harbor which
amounted To a subtraction from Hawaii
AN sovereignty, or which imposed a
longer duration To the jurisdiction of
the United States over the harbor than
the life OF the treaty itself.
Il think that In view OF his state
ment by Bayard. IL would be a good
thing for the United States to do some
thing which would show clearly how
far our Jurisdiction extends | do not
imagine hat any objection would be
made by the present government OF Ha-
wall TO an excess OF sovereignty by the
United States. AT any rate Il win do
no harm to make the attempt.
But this is not the only reason l ln-
troduced the amendment. i think liz
high time that Pearl harbor should be
fitted for the objects intended under the
convention through which IL came un-
der American control. This Is the finest
harbor in the Pacific. Ii is big enough
10 ffoat bOth the American and British
navles without crowding. and the only
thing needed TO make It available IL to
clear away the bar at It's mouth, which,
Admiral Walker has reported, can be
lone at a cost OF 100000 at the outside.
At present no very good harbor I'm the
Hawaiian islands is available for us.
That at Honolulu is by no means ade-
quate. When 80 small an expenditure
Ii necessary to accomplish such good
results. / think Il would be unwise not
to make H."
rs this a step preliminary to annexa.
tom"
1T Is too early TO talk about hat now.
but II the islands are ever TO be an
nexed, of course 1t would be an advan-
tage 10 have the harbor improved.
When the amendment up Ii may
bring on more or less Of a debate about
annexation
do O think the country is favor
able to anneXation?'
Il have no doubt OF Il. Not much
may be said now. but IL the question
should be brought up seriously you
would quickly discover what the feeiins
is"
But how about the report that Nc
Kinley Is opposed TO annexation"
Il do not believe he ever said my
thing OF the kind, but l have no doubt
the sugar interests are as hostile 10 an
nexatlon as they nave been all along.
The opposition has been due chiefly to
sugar. | am not so sure but that the
United States viii be compelled 10 lake
the islands, whether they are wanted
or not. Japan is looking thai way, and
the japanese on the island are Begin
ming to agitate for suffrage, which
would put them in practical control. IL
anything of that sort should be serious
ly threatened there would be nothing for
the United States but 10 step In and
take charge