The morning news., 1897-06-18

annexation, in which it took rise, should
be accomplished. As time passed and
the plan of the union with the United
states became an uncertain contingency,
the organization of the Ha-
waiian commonwealth underwent
necessary changes. The temporary
character of it's first government gave
place to permanent state until the con-
stitution framed by the representative
electors of the islands, administrated by
an executive council chosen by suffrage
but self appointed, was succeeded by an
elective and parliamentary regime, and
the ability of the new government to hold
the republic of Hawaiia-an independent
place in the family of sovereign states
preserving order a. home and fulfilling in
ternational obligations abroad, had been
put to the proof.
Recognized by the powers of the earth
sending and receiving ENJOYS, enforcing
respect for the law and maintaining peace
within it's island borders, Hawaii sent to
the United States not a commission repre-
Senting a successful revolution, but the
accredited plenipotentiary of a constituted
and firmly established sovereign state
However sufficient may have been the au-
thority of the commissioners with whom
the United States government treated in
1893, and, however satisfied the President
may then have been of their power to offer
the domain of the Hawaiians Islands to the
United States, the fact remains that what
they then rendered was a territory rather
than an established government; country
whose administration had been cast down
by bloodless, but complete revolution
and community in a state of political
transition.
Now, however, the republic of Hawaii
| approaches the United States as an equal
and points for its authority to provision
of article 80 of the constitution, promulga-
ted July "a, 1894. whereby the President,
with approval of the cabinet, is expressly
authorized and empowered to make trea-
ty of political or commercial union be-
tween the republic of Hawaii and the Uni
ted States Of America, subject to the rati-
fication of the Senate. The present nego-
tiation is, therefore, as has been said, not
a mere renewal of the tender of the Ha-
Waiian territory made in 1893, but as re-
sponded to the purposes declared in the
Hawaiian constitution and the conferences
of the plenipotentiaries have been direct
ed to weighing the advantages of the DO
litical and the commercial union alterna-
lively proposed, relatively considering the
scope and extent thereof.
"It soon appeared to the negotiators that
purely commercial union on the lines
of the German zolverein could not SATISFY
the problems of the administration in
Hawaii and of the political associat ton
between the islands and the United States
Such commercial union would, on the
RONeFn@
ment of its chief source of revenue from
customs duties by placing it's territory in
relation of free exchange with the terri
tory of the United States, its main market
of purchase and supply, while, on the
other hand, 1t would entail upon Hawaii
the maintenance of an internal revenue
| system on a par with that of the United
States or else involve the organization OF
a corresponding branch of our revenue
service within foreign jurisdiction. We
have had with Hawaii since 1875 a treaty
of commercial union, which practically
assimilates the two territories with re-
gard to many of their most complete pro-
ductions and excludes other nations from
enjoyment of its privileges, yet, although
that treaty has outliVed other less favor
ed reciprocity schemes, its permanency
has at times been gravely imperiled. I'm
der such circumstance to enter upon the
| radical expedient of complete CONNER
clal union between Hawaii and the Unit
ed States as Independently sovereign with
out assurance of permanency, and
| with perpetual subjection to
the vicissitudes of public SEN
| timent in the two countries, was
not to be thought of. Turning then to
the various practical forms of the politi-
| cal union, the several phases of a pro-
| tectorate, an offensive and defensive allf-
ance, and national guarantee were pass
ed i'm review. In all of these the inde-
pendence of the subordinated state is the
distinguishing feature and with il the
assumption by the paramount state of
responsibility without domain The dis
| parity of the relative interests and the
distances separating the two countries
could not fail to render any form of pro-
| tective association either unduly burden
some, or illusory in its benefits, so far as
the protecting state is concerned while
any attempt to counteract this by tribu-
! nonpn00nra OF a of ct1Za
ain control would be a retrograde move
ment toward a feudal or colonial estab-
| lishment. alike inexpedent and incompat-
ible without national policy There re-
mained therefore the annexation of the
| islands and their complete absorption in
to the political system of the United
States as the only solution satisfactory
In all of the given conditions and prom
| ising permanency and mutual benefit. The
| present treaty has been framed on that
basis thus substantially reverting to the
original proposal Of 1898, and necessarily
| adopting many Of the features of that ar
| rangement. AS to most OF these the
| negotiators have been constrained and
| limited by the constitutional powers of
the government Of the United States.
'As in previous instances, when the Uni
ted States has acquired territory by
| treaty, IL has been necessary TO reserve all
the organic provisions for the action of
| congress. If this was requisite IN the case
| OF the transfer to the United States OF a
| part OF the domain OF a titular sovereign,
as IN the cession Of Louisiana by France,
| OF Florida by Spain, or Of Alaska by Rus
| sia. II IS the more requisite when the act
Is not cesslon, but union. involving the
complete Incorporation Of an alien SOW
erelgnty into the body polite of the Uni
| ted States.
For this, the only precedent OF our pO-
| litical history Is found In the uncompleted
| treaty concluded during President Grants
| administration Nov 29 1869. for the am
nexation OF the Dominican republic to the
United Statea.
Following that example the treaty now
signed by the plenipOtoniaries OF the
United States and the republic OF Hawaii.
/ reserves to the congress OF the United
| states the determination OF all questions
affecting the form Of the government OF
| the annexed territory, the citizenship and
elective franchise Of It's inhabitants and
the manner IN which the laws Of the Uni
ted States are 20 be extended to the ISL
lands In order that this independence OF
/ the congress shall be completely unques-
/ .ssa IN Ha s.l