Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-13
Administration Ready to Raise the
Flag Over Hawaii.
DEPENDS G yAPAFs ATTITUDE
May Not Wait for Action on the
Treaty.
THE COMMITTEE MEETING

Japan nor the persistent opposition of the
sugar trust, 1t is believed, can weaken the
position of the administration.
Inc Foreign relations committee of the
Senate is to meet tomorrow, and Senator
Davis, the chairman of the committee said
this morning that he was going to try to
secure favorable report on the Hawaiian
treaty at that meeting. He said that he
ala not know that it would be possible to
hold a quorum to act on the matter at this
session. but that it was his desire to have
the report In the Senate ready to be acted
upon.
Neither Senator Frye, Senator Lodge nor
senator Gray, members of the committee
were at the Capitol today. Senator Frye
has gone to Maine with the intention of
remaining until the tariff conference report
Is ready to be voted on in the Senate. 1t
IS not certain whether Messrs. Lodge and
Gray will be able to attend the committee
meeting.
Depends on Japnn's Attitude.
1t is not the present expectation that the
treaty CT annexation will be taken up at
this session, but a situation exists which
may hasten the matter. 1t is believed thai
If the attitude of Japan toward Hawaii be-
GENES more threatening it will force ar
nexation at once. though the friends of
velopments render speedy action necessary.
The administration is prepared to take
pos session OF the Islands at once upon any
hGsiile movement being made by Japan.
NO hostile action Is anticipated, but the
administration is forcarmed against any
contingency. The American flag will be
raised over the islands without waiting, for
action on the treaty if it becomes neces-
Sary.
Nothing to Prevent Taking Possession
senator Davis. though refusing to dis
cuss the question whether or not there was
a probability of Admiral Beardslee raising
the American flag in Hawaii. said that
there was nothing 10 preclude our taking
possession of the islands at once if it was
deemed necessary. If the American flag
were raised it would fix the authority of
the United States until Congress should
act ana no doubt Is entertained that Con-
SresS Will act favorably to annexation.
Government officials Reticent.
Secretary Sherman, Secretary Long and
the officials of the State and Navy Depart
ments observe their usual reticence con-
corning the Hawaiian situation, and it was
impossible today to get any one of them
to admit or deny the statement to the eff
feet that orders have been sent to Admiral
BeardSlee commanding the Pacific station
who is now at Honolulu on the cruiser
Philadelphia, to land marines and take
pooocSoioh VI TIE lSldnGS at the flrSt inCi-
cation of aggressive interference by Japan.
with or without the ratification of the
pending annexation treaty
Such step, If taken, would be under the
act OF Congress announcing the policy of
this government to protect the Hawaiian
republic from. all foreign interference
IL is heid by some officials that the seiZ-
ure of the islands even with the consent of
the Hawaiian government under existing
conditions. would be an unwarranted pro.
ceeding, and might lead to serious comDli-
cations with Great Britain, Japan, Portu-
there
They admitted however that the Pres
ioent has ample authority from Congress
to use the full strength of the army and
navy to protect the islands from invasion.
to open rupture with a foreign power.
According to the best Information obtain
able no such contingency is anticipated
Nevertheless, IL has been deemed pru-
dent to be prepared to enforce whatever
cource of action may be determined upon,
and the first step in that direction Is the
maintenance of strong naval force in
Hawaiian waters.
WErships ut Honolulu
There are two war ships at Honolulu
at present, the cruiser Philadelphia and the
corvette Marion. the latter Of the old navy
These are both in need Of repairs and
will be brought to San Francisco for that
purpose as soon as possible. Other and
better vessels will take their places, but
1t will be many weeks before the change
can take effect.
Orders were mailed yesterday for the
Marion to return to San Francisco, but
they will hardly be delivered under
months time, and 1t will take the Marion
nearly as long to make the trip. The
cruiser Baltimore was originally destined to
relieve the Philadelphia at Honolulu, but
according to latest reports she will hardly
be ready for sea before October.
The department Is therefore considering
the ACCESSIBILITY Of sending the big battle
ship Oregon to Honolulu in her stead She
is now coaling in Puget sound for cruise
to San Francisco and could be made ready
for trip to Hawaii in a few weeks. AT
any rate, the Philadelphia will remain at
Honolulu until relieved by some ether YES
SELL and 1t is not improbable that she may
remain there even after the arrival of the
Oregon and the Baltimore in the event that
either both of those vessels are dis
patched to the islands
In Event of Trouble.
In the unexpected event of trouble aris-
ing, the gunboat Bennington, now on the
Pacific coast, would be sent across at once
in company in advance of the Oregon
There are several other vessels on the Pa
cific station available for active service on
short notice.
1t is said at the Navy Department, how
ever, that no serious change in the Situa-
ton has occurred, and that none is antic-
ipated The Japanese cruiser Naniwa is
at Honolulu, and another Japanese war;
ship is at San Francisco, but 1t is not be-
lieved at the Navy Department that they
would attempt to interfere with the an
EeXation of the islands in case of the rat
ification of the treaty. The situation would
be freed from many embarrassments, how
ever. If the Senate would promptly ratify
the treaty. :!
The President Embarrassed.
The uncertainties of the situation embar-
rass the President IN his action, and open
the way for possible foreign complications,
which otherwise could be easily averted It
is argued that once the treaty Is ratified
the administration would have no difficulty
in reaching an amicable understanding
with Japan for. the honorable settlement Of
the diplomatic questions involved
The Question of Arbitration.
The Japan government has not vet re-
sponded to heeoffer of the Hawaiian gov
eminent to submit the immigration contro-
versy to arbitration, but it is not improba-
BILE that she will ultimately agree TO such
course provided the United States s;ill
guarantee the payment Of indemnity in The
event 1t should be found that Hawaii yio-