The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-15


11D ANNEXATION o. HAWAII.
The dispatch from Washington an
1ounefng that . treaty IL being drafted
1W ~ edinexatton OF Hawaii VIII cause
suspsG2e. The project has dropped into
The BACKGROUND laseIy. but the aamiais-
trattnn hAs evidently had the matter un-
der eefIors consideration. President Nc
Kiulsy hiss shown already that be does
not permit sentiment to warp mis- judg-
n1aut. and n after mature deisheration
hlD government recommends that policy
y may b< safely assumed that the csbs-
Mt n satisfied IA to the wisdom of pur-
suing e.
These alrs many responsibilities to be
o&QuI6ers4 IN assuming any sort OF con-
mol over The lafaf.ds Some OF them are
- grave khat II has hitherto beeen con-
e1derod unwise 10 add such burden to
country happily free from any territory,
agcepf Alaska, not closely within it's con-
1lneutnl boundaries. The Indebtedness.
ne character Of the population. the treaty
relations of the government with other
powers. and the Isolation OF the islands
form ct1ndition which must Inevitably
cause thia country more or less annoy
ance.
Wa are confronted. however. with the
probability of England, Germany or
Japan acquiring domination over .ha
isispds. and this the American people
would rearnt. Annexation Is probably
the choice OF the less OF two evils There
II little doubt that II the question were
PIT to popular vote In the country an
nexation would be indorsea by a ma
5orisy sun ciently large B justify the gov
eminent iil ohestng.
The details Of the proposed treaty are
not knowit get. ard the only inportan,
feature so far published 10 that relating
20 the form OF government. The propo-
sition to ranke Hawaii county OF Cali
fornia wolld DO stoui,y resisted The
government 1t needs IL Of far more ar.
bltrary kistd than that afforded by coua.
" organization. Even as a territory IT
would be very injudielons to permit for
che present an independent legislative
body. The Internal dissens.ons are suct,
that the control must be In the hands Of
. governor directly responsible to the
FEDERAL authorities. Local organizations
a. q municipal character might be nor
Uitted. but even these would have TO be
subject to general control until the
status Of the foreign population and tho
= ha 0AaEx
- harmony. The foreign population con-
01sts of two elements a. distinc, as tho
ksnakas from tho whites One class a,
Foreigners ia made up of American. Eng
&sh and German merchants anc plaats-
eocn owners: the Chinese and Japaness
coolies constitute another class. To this
latter must be added a gathering of n.
0teratcs faom other countries who will
have to be treated much as the natives
ore.
t0r some time II would he necessary IA
hccp . naval establishment In the vicinity
- the Islands. and military force rntrh,
also be dotirabIe. The ruling class In,
no patriotic impulse: II Is n mere settle
ment OF merchants whose business inter.
osfs are their sole motive. Ia the direction
~ Affairs under the United States govern.
ment they would seek 10 rrosnote tibet,
rival interests. and justice viii cali ear a
nlce Discrimination IN adjusting them
Tho great number OF contrse, lshorer,
would also have 10 be considered auf
eltosether the project es making n.
islands county az California seems Z,
be wholly out Of the question. The rem
sionina OF the queen sna the princess |,
. small matter which neei give us y,
concern.
On the other hand. the acquisition of -,
islands would afford us only Indirect az
vantaxes and these nasty 81 a sfra.ess,
character. powerful enough. however,. Il
Induce rs ret 40 rerfaig AIRY other rc,,n
try to control them. The appostuns tirs,,
20 act muss Re determined by those In
position - best know the conditions