Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-12-18
FOSTER ON ANNEXATION
Declares Our Government Should
Not Let. Hawaii Slip.
ISLANDS WOULD GO TO ENGLAND.

The Ex-Secretary Thinks That If Con.
gress Rejects Annexation the Amer
leans Now in Control There VIII
Turn to Great Britain.
Washington, Dec. 16.-Ex-Secretary
Of State John W. Foster, who, while
@ member of the Harrison cabinet ne
gotiated the first treaty annexing Ha-
wall to the United States, and who has
since visited the islands and taken
much interest in their acquisition, when
asked today as to the status of the
annexation question said:
1.-THE opponents in congress of Ha-
waiian annexation will not have dis
posed of the question by voting against
and defeating this measure. They
must decide what shall be the policy
and conduct of the United States to-
wards the. islands for the future.
Having refused the application Of the
island government for incorporation
into our Union, such an act necessarily
carries with it the right Of the former
70 determine its own political destiny,
nninfiuenced by considerations affect
ing the United States.
but such a course would present
embarrassments to congress Of no
small moment. During the last admin
istration of President Cleveland the
house of representatives resolved that
foreign intervention in the political
affairs of the islands will not be re-
garded with Indifference by the gov
eminent of the United States During
the same session the senate, by a
unanimous vote, went a step further
and declared that any Intervention of
the political affairs of these islands by
any government will be regarded as an
act unfriendly to the United States
These differences were in line with the
policy of our government for a half
century, but 1t is possible and COM
petent for congress to change the poll
Icy of the government at any time. Its
rejection of annexation would in effect
nullify the declarations cited, but there
would still be another serious embar-
rassment to be disposed of, to wit, the
reciprocity treaty.
1T would be easy to annul the COM
mercial clauses of that convention, and
that would be in harmony with the
views long cherished by many of our
public men, but the political clauses of
that treaty present a different Ques-
ton. They are two in number: First,
stipulation on the part Of Hawaii not
to lease, dispose of or create any lien
upon any port. harbor or other terri
tory to any other government; and,
second, to grant to the United States
the exclusive right to Pearl river har-
Dor as. q coaling and naval station. The
first of these political clauses might
terminate with the treaty, and after the
rejection of annexation it would be in
consistent on our part to insist upon
Its maintenance. The second clause,
however, is held by the senators who
ratified the treaty to be a permanent
grant.
"The denunciation of the reciprocity
treaty would still leave US with the
grant of the Pearl harbor. 1t is the
only place suitable for a naval station
In those islands or anywhere within a
radius of 1000 miles. Whatever may be
the sentiment of the American people
as to annexation, doubt whether any
considerable body of them would APP
prove of our surrender of this very val
liable station for our growing navy, and
for which we have paid so dear a price
In our reciprocity arrangements. And
yet with the rejection of annexation we
must look forward to the certainty of
its eventual surrender, as our occupa-
ton would be impossible with the ISL
and under the domination of powerful
government.
tIt is plain that the islands cannot
long maintain their autonomy. The
most threatening present danger is
from Japan. That country may be per-
fectly sincere in it's declaration that
1t does not seek the annexation Of the
islands, but the current of events, If
not checked, will lead inevitably to that
result. The operation of the existing
immigration treaty, as interpreted by
Japan, will soon bring about the
supremacy of the Japanese in the ISL
ands. The authorities of the republic
and the empire are now at issue as to
this treaty. It requires no prophet to
feresee which construction Of 1t will
prevail If the islands are not annexed
to the United States or some power
does not intervene.
But I do not think the islands will
pass under the dominion of Japan. If
the people of American origin now in
control of the government are rejected
by congress they will, in my opinion,
turn to their kinsmen, the English and
Canadians. / feel sure that when 1t is
finally determined that they are not
to be annexed to the United States
they will lose no time in opening nego-
tiations with Great Britain, and the
result of those negotiations will be
neither slow nor uncertain.
Mr.. Seward, one of the most far
sighted of our statesmen, declared in
the senate half a century ago: "The
Pacific ocean, its shores, it's islands and
the vast regions beyond, will become
the chief theater Of events in the
worlds great hereafter Possessed
with this idea, he brought into our
union the vast outlying territory of
Alaska and sought the annexation of
Hawaii. His prophecy is becoming a
reality today In the wonderful deyel-
opment of the commerce Of the Pa
cif1c. The opportunity which he sought
In order to give our country supremacy
In this vast trade will be thrown away
and transferred to our greatest rival If
we reject annexation now"