The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-17

sistant Secretaries Day and CraGdock. as
sembled In conference at the state DEPART
ment at o'clock this morning and began
a careiui comparison of the text OF the
Hawaiian treaty. TIE treaty was signed
st go o'clock by Secretary Sherman for
the United States and Messrs Hatch,
Thurston and Kinney for Hawaii
Inc treaty reached the senate chamber
at O'Clock today. The senate at once
went into executive session. and as soon
as the doors were closed the message Of
President Mckinley, ACCOMPANYING the
treaty. and the treaty itself. were read to
the senate. They were attentively listen
ed to.
In one part of the chamber there was a
group of senators who bitterly opposed the
ratification of the treaty Among them
were Senators Gray. Mills. Pascoe, White
eanery. Pethgrew and McEnery As soon
as the reading of the documents was COM
pieied. Senator Davis. chairman of the
committee on foreign relations moved that
the message and the treaty be made pub
lie Senator Gray objected to a vote on
the motion. and. under the rules a single
objection carried the motion over until to-
morrow.
Senator Davis gave notice that at thenext
executive session he would press the mo-
ton Tor publication. as all the essential
facts and almost a verbatim copy of the
treaty had been published in the press of
the country
There was some discussion as 10 when
the treaty might be considered. and Sem
ator White asked If II was the intention
to push II at this session, and upon the
reply being made that II was possible
the California senator said:
Il desire to announce that 1 am rre-
pared to stay here all summer to prevent
the ratincation. which I consider q very
bad proposition"
I'm join YOU" said Pettigrew
The message of the president was not q
very long document. 1t dealt with hir-
torical facts concerning the islands a.i
showed that the United States and Hawaii
yearly grow more closely bound to each
other. This was not really annexation.
! he said. but a continuation of existing re-
lations. with closer bonds between people
closely related by blood and kindred ties.
Since 1890, says the president. the predor,-
nance of the United States has been
known.
The sending Of the first envoy there
brought the islands in closer relations
with the United States. and their rem
tions grew more firm by succeeding events
At the time the tripartite agreement was
made for the government Of Samoa, he
says, Great Britain and Germany
wanted to include Hawaii in the group
over which protectorate was established
but the suggestion was rejected by the
United States. because this government
held there already existed relations BE-
tween Hawaii and the United States
which placed the islands under the spe-
cial care Of this country ard this govern
ment COULD not allow any other conn
try 10 interfere In the affairs of Hawaii
The annexation OF the islands, said
the president. and making them a part
of the United States was In accordance
with the established policy of this coun-
try.
The president called attention TO the
fact that a legitimate ana existing gov
errlment OF Hawaii offered to annex the
islands 10 the United States in ISL but
on account OF what was deemed best pol
icy the annexation was not accepted by
this country. He stated that the United
States virtually exercised a protectorate
over the islands since the first AmerI-
lean mission and guaranteed the auton-
omy 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 interests
predominated and we had grown 10 con-
slider them under our own protection.
| The present treaty was in the light of
consummation OF what had practically
been in existence for years. Referring to
the treaty negotiated under the Harrison
administration, President Mckinley said
that the failure TO accept the profYer Of
annexation in 1888 while not a subject of
congrafElation. was not wholly without
its value. as II 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 its rights
to yield the sovereignty OF the islands.
The treaty proved TO be a simple dccu-
nlent OF six articles based In its essentis..
to-
Hon John w Foster during the adrlinis-
tration OF President Harrison. The islands
are ceded practically without conditions.
leaving the United States to pursue it's
own course with reference to their man
agernent. The first article reads as fol-
lows.
.~The government OF the Hawaiian isl-
anis hereby cedes. from the date Of the
exchange OF tlls ratifications OF this treaty.
absolute and without reserve. 10 the Uni
ted States forever al rights Of sovereignty
OF whatsoever kind In and over the Ha-
wasian islands and their dependencies. re-
nouncing in favor OF the United States ev-
cry sovereign right % which. as an irie-
rendent nation. IL IS now possessed. and
heuceforlh said Hawaiian islands shall be-
come and ne en integral part OF the terri
tory OF the United States"
The Hawaiian government cedes 10 tba
United States the absolute Ownership OF all
the public lands PUBIC bGt!3trks. i1rls.
harfors f0rttdcati0ns. military and naval
equipments and all other government
property. Il is specifically provided, how
ever that The existing land laws of the
United States shall Hot apply 10 the public
lands Of Hawaii. but THAI Special laws
shall be made from tire to tirae for their
disposition. the proceeds og any sales ~
these lands to be A f;l. q 10 educational
purposes Ia the Islands.
The islands are, for the present, 10 con-
stitafe a territory OF the United States.
their iocai laws remaining ii force untA
new ones are enacted. A local legislature
Is proyt3e8 for hut the veto power IS vest
81 entirely IN tie president OF the United
States
4 commission cf Eve s-sTsons- consisting
os three Americans ard two Hawaiians.
20 na nominated by the president and coa-
H-yned by the senate. - provide! for the
rsgirrsose OF formulating Ghs mode o. gov
ernraen: fer me islands
The treaties os the United ass.ss with
other countries are SUBSTITUTED roT tae
the treaties ~ Haxan gith sae SAME cseun-
tries In controlling international Tebatscns
of tEs islands
Further sTz-ss tg~atseu ox G'siuess facorers
10 the islands b. proafnased. and the laws
restricting Chinese Immigration 70 she
a.