The record-union., 1897-06-21
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
Extracts From Editorial Expression Of
Journals
VI the State and the Coast on SUBJ
iects of Living and News
Interest.

San Diego Union: Japanese diploma
cy has been of powerful assistance 10
the Hawaiian annexationists, anu
should the treaty that was sent to the
Senate yesterday be ratified there is
no question that the result will be very
largely due to the course which Japan
has taken. Her aggressive attitude TO-
ward the Island Republic has made
converts to the annexation plan, ana
many people who at first were opposed
TO it are inclined to welcome 1T as the
most practical method of saving Ha-
wall from Japan'S evident purpose TO
absorb the islands. Now that treaty
of annexation has been negotiated
Japanese diplomacy once more comes
to the aid of the people who wish to be-
come part of the United States, and
while Japan's prompt protest is likely
to be regarded as a piece of impudence,
it may very probably clinch the matter
of annexation.
BUT THE LEGISLATURE DID PASS
THEM
Stockton Independent: The Highway
Commissioners regret that the Legis-
lature did not follow their advice and
pass laws to make them anything but
an advisory body, but they will con-
tinue right along with the experiment
of road building with typewriters, pens
and pencils Instead of being an adj
visory body the Commissioners are now
seeking advice and have issued circu-
lars asking Boards of Supervisors, ETC.,
to keep them informed as to what the
Attorney General says to them on the
fo1,
seems to understand. This information
with such suggestions as Supervisors
may choose to make is to be distribut-
ed to other Supervisors, who may not
guess the same way, and thus the
Highway Commissioners propose to be
come a sort of clearing house of guess
work on the subject of road making in
order to put in their time according TO
so much of the law as is ineligible,
to wit: That which prescribes their
salaries. This is the net result of two
years of observation in travelling all
over the State and gathering informa-
ton which the Legislature regarded as
of so little value that it used none of
it in making new laws, yet committed
the absurdity of continuing the COM
mission which it said in effect was
useless. Vive Ia humbug.
THE ANNEXATION TREATY.
Los Angeles Times: Opinion will
necessarily be divided as to the ex-
pediency and wisdom of annexing the
Hawaiian Islands to the United States.
There is much to be said both in favor
of such action and against it. The
pros and cons of the question need not
be rediscussed at this time. The ex-
ic~anoieC Of fba sim atiOO vvpTep such
some decisive action on the part of
the United States was imperative. A
crisis in Hawaiian affairs was immi
nent, and the Administration has met
that crisis with a formal treaty of an
neXation. Whatever may be the effect
upon the United States of the ratifica-
ton of that treaty, its effect would Ger
tainly be to protect the islands effec-
tually against the designs of any and
all other nations. No Government will
venture to oppose the annexation of
Hawaii to the United States, though
there may be some protesting and a
little harmless buster.
There can be no doubt that if the
pending treaty of annexation had not
been made, Japan or some other ma
ton would have sought in the near fu-
ture to acquire sovereignty over the
islands. Any such attempt has been
effectually blocked for the time being,
even if the treaty should fail of rati-
cation in the Senate. This fact probe-
bly, explains the Presidents action in
fastening the submission of the treaty
It has cleared the atmosphere, put the
Hawaiian question on a definite basis,
and will serve to stay proceedings I'M
til the case can be fully considered
ANNEXATION INEVITABLE
Stockton Independent: Objections to
the annexation Of Hawaii are properly
those of policy. Those who urge that
the present Government of that Re-
public is not the rightful one, and that,
therefore the United States has no
right to negotiate with it, are illogical.
If that principle is carried out to its
logical conclusion the Government of
the United States has no more moral
right than that Of Hawaii, for both
owe their origin and power to revolu
ton The right Of the Hawaiian Gov
eminent to sovereignty has been duly
recognized by all the nations, and
that ends the legal question. The
matter is then narrowed down to
question of policy or impOlicy as far
as this Government is concerned. The
annexing Of a country like Hawaii,
with its unassimilable population,
large portion of which is leprous, is
not merely doubtful policy, but is
positively bad policy. The provision of
the treaty that forbids the immigra-
ton of Monaghan laborers to the
islands or thence to this country is well
enough, but there are already too many
such in Hawaii to make it a desirable
part of the United States. San Fran
cisco business men are generally in
favor of annexation, but in their dis
cussion Of the subject they employ
none but trade arguments, regardless
of the many economic reasons why an
nexation is not desirable. An applica
ton of the converse of the principle of
the Monroe doctrine is against it.
Americans hold firmly to the principle
that no monarchs shall acquire new
territory on this hemisphere, and to be
consistent they should also hold that
Governments on this hemisphere should
not go abroad for the spread of en-
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