The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-05-06
STATEMENTS SUBMITTED TO TIE
SENATE.
Hawaiian Treaty Upheld.-Argumants
Made in Favor of Reciprocity.
What the Island Republic May Do.

and at present a special commissioner
from that country, has submitted to
the Finance Committee of the Sen
ate a statement of the reasons why
the Hawaiian reciprocity treaty ought
not to be abrogated by the tariff bill
and why it should not, on its me"'ts,
be abrogated at all.
After pointing out that the treaty
provides that it shall remain in force
for twelve months after notice of ',h-
rogation, the statement says in part:
at is proposed, however, to practical
ly abrogate the treaty by putting
tariff on Hawaiian products imported
into the United States, which are free
by treaty, regardless of the treaty. 1t
is submitted that this suggestion
should not be followed for four rea-
sons, viz: First-It would be delib
crate violation of solemn treaty.
There is no overwhelming necessity
shown for immediate action of so
grave a character as to require repu-
diation of an international treaty.
"Secopd-The imposition of a duty
on Hawaiian products. especially with
out the notice required by the treaty,
would disarrange and throw into con-
fusion all of the mercantile and finan-
cial interests existing between the
Islands and the United States, and
suspend, curtail and ruin not only
many Hawaiian citizens, but great
numbers of Americans, both in Ha-
waii and the United States, who have
made investments to the amount of
approximately $40,00O,000 upon the
faith of the treaty.
"Third-The tariff bill is revenue
measure, and should not be complicat-
ed by importing into it far-reaching
questions of foreign policy-questions
upon which there is a great diversity
of opinion and involving far more than
the mere dollars and cents to be de-
rived from duty on Hawaiian prod
ucts.
"Fourth-What the future policy of
the United States concerning Hawaii
is to be is a question of the first i'm
portance and of broad national policy.
1t should be considered by itself in
such manner and under such condi-
tions as to present all phases of the
question, and not the single financial
phase which is primarily raised by
the tariff bill"
The statement then discusses the
policy of the United States toward
Hawaii and says: with Hawaii in the
hands of any hostile power, the only
coaling station from Nicaragua to
Hong Kong. from San Francisco to
! Samoa, would be closed to American
which hostile descents could be made
upon the Pacific Coast and its com
merce destroyed. With Hawaii in the
control of the United States the base
of supplies of hostile naval force is
thrown back to the entire width of the
Pacific, a practical prohibitive dis
be carried to steam across the Pacific
and return, a. distance of from 1000 to
5000 miles, to say nothing of coal con-
sumption in operating on the Pacific
Coast, a quantity far beyond the ca
pacity of any warship in existence.
American control of Hawaii is, there
fore, a practical insurance against ma
val attack on the Pacific Coast and on
shipping in that vicinity.
"The objective point of United
States policy has been political and
not financial advantage. The recipro-
city treaty was not primarily intended
as an experiment in reciprocity for
the purpose of extending American
trade. The object in view was not
dollars, but that which dollars could
not buy-the creation and mainten-
ance of friendly state. The public
history of Hawaii and the United
States during the past few years has
demonstrated that this policy has
been successful. Is it good policy for
the United States to now about face
and abandon the accrued benefits Of
six years OF craftsmanship"
Under the head of "Hawaii's Course
if the Treaty Is Abrogated," the state
ment says: "If the treaty is abroga:.
ed, Hawaii will be free to make such
arrangements with other countries as
circumstances may require. Strong
and steadfast as is the American feel
ing in Hawaii, if the island products
are barred out of the American mar.
ket by practically prohibitive duty
Continued on Page Five.)