The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-26

under the suspicion of being Influenced
by the trust. Should the trust be found
actively opposing annexation the coun-
try will be heard from. A good ma
iority of the senate agree with the
president that there are a number OF
ways in which annexation will prove
advantageous to this country. But
two-thirds are necessary and it is not
certain that two-thirds can be conf
IDENTIFY counted upon.
In other quarters there seems to be
great anxiety for fear we shall stand
in peril, in the course Of a century or
two. Of a suit for enormous damages,
brought by the heirs and descendants
of ex-Queen Liliuokalani. This alarm
appears to be entirely unnecessary,
since when a revolution Of the people
rises up and uproots monarchy, es-
tablishes a republic in its place and Is
recognized by the other nations Of the
earth, as has been the case of Hawaii.
the new government is perfectly legal
and regular, and must stand. 1t Is diff
cult to see how any power on earth
could overthrow the republic OF Ha-
wall. which has been regularly estab-
lished.
Added 10 these is the statement that
Secretary Sherman is opposed to annex
alton and that he so stated to the Port
uguese minister in Washington. TAX
ing this as a cue some Of the newspa-
pers have seriously asserted that Secre-
tary Sherman must leave the cabinet.
There seems little doubt that Sherman
will retire, from the fact that he is
aging so rapidly Of late and is troubled
with forgetfulness, but it will not be
on account Of any disagreement with
the president. According to Secretary
Sherman himself, who must be consid-
cred fairly good authority, the story
that he is opposed to the Hawaiian
treaty Is fake. He says he never told
the Portuguese minister that he was
opposed to annexation, and the Port
uguese minister very promptly seconds
the denial That ought to settle 1t.
Secretary Sherman has been in public
life too long to make the mistake of
publicly opposing the administrative
policies of his chief. If he did not IA
Tor annexation he certainly would be
discreet enough to say nothing in pub
lie after he had expressed his views
to the president.
Perhaps the story arose from the fact
that Secretary Sherman has been
known to be opposed to territorial ag-
erosion as a general principle. He ad-
mits that his views have not changed
in that respect, but he regards Hawaii
as an exception. The situation is such
that il the United States does not in
terfere some other nation will acquire
Hawaii, to the manifest injury of
American interests there. A policy that
proposes to annex a country whose rep
resentatives have come to the United
States and asked to be annexed can
hardly be condemned as hostile to Ha-
wall Secretary Sherman is sound on
Hawaii and consistent on the question
of annexation.
Ever since the establishment Of the
republic Japan has been slyly schemins
to gain a foothold in the islands. These
entertainments have already been push
ed TO the danger point. and if they are
permitted to continue it will not be long
before Japanese influence will dominate
every inch of Hawaiian territory. Sup
pose the United States were to remain
inactive and let Japan carry out its pol
icy. What would the same Democrats
and MugwumpS who are now oppos-
ing annexation say to such a course?
Would they not be the first to denounce
the administration for the weakness of
its foreign policy? Would they not la
ment as a national calamity the as
cendancy Of an oriental power at a
place where American influence had
been supreme for three-quarters Of a
century?