Evening star., 1897-04-28
tHE HAWAIIAN TREATY
Ex-Ainister Thu1ston's bkfgument Against
It's Abogation.
1t Would BE a Via1Ation of Good
Faith and WO1k a Post.
tive Harm.

Mr.. TnurSton, ex-minister from Hawaii
has presented a written argument to the
fiji ance subcommittee. urging reasons why
the Hawaiian reciprocity treaty should not
be abrogated. He calls attention to the
fact that the treaty provides for twelve
months notice before abrogation, and then
says that the proposition to place duties
on certain Hawaiian products imported to
the United States would, IL adopted, be
violation Of the treaty.
lie presents the follc wing arguments
against abrosating the treaty:
!. 1t would be a deliberate violation of a
solemn treaty. There Il no overwhelming
necessity shown for immediate action of so
grave a character es to require repudi alton
of all int rnationai treaty.
>. The imposition of a duty on Hawaiian
products, especially without the notice re-
quired by the treaty, would disarrange and
throw into confusion all Of the mercantile
and financial interests existing between the
islands and the United States, and sus-
pend, cur.ail and ruin not only many Ha-
waiian citizens. but great numbers of
Americans, both in Hawaii and the United
States. who have made investments to the
amount cf approximately $4OeO0,OO0 upon
the faith of the treaty.
3. The tariff bill is a revenue measure
and should not be complicat ed by import
eign policy-quasticns upon which there is
great diversity of opinion, and involving
far more than the mere dollars and cents
to be derived from duty on Hawaiian
products. --.'.'
4. What the future policy of the United
States concerning Hawaii is to be is
question of the first Importance and of
broad national policy. 1t should be con-
sidered by itself in such a manner and
under such conditions as to present all
phases of the question. and not the single
narrow financial phase which is primarily
raised by the tariff bill.
He further says on the general subject
of the relations between the United States
and Hawaii:
ut is submitted that as the years have
passed and the policies of Intervention and
non-intervention with affairs beyond the
limits of the republic have alternately
waxed and waned. one consistent and per-
sistent policy has been pursued by the
United States concerning Hawaii, Wig:
That the preservation of the Hawaiian
Islands from the control of any other ma
ticn is essential to the welfare Of the
United States.
THE enunciation of this principle has not
government. The policy of the United
States has been that of exclusion of other
nations from Hawaii. development Of Amer
lean interests and ultimate American con-
troll
After making all due allowance for
United States philanthropy and generosity,
the fact remains that the moving cause of
United States policy concerning Hawaii
has been the conviction that the possession
or friendly neutrality of9Hawaii is a po-
litical and military necessity to the United
States interests in the Pacific.
with Hawaii in the hands of any hostile
power. the only coaling station from Mica
ragna to Hong Kong, fnea San Francisco
to Samoa, would be closed to American
cruisers. and made a center from which
hostile descents could be! made upon the
I'd ffn nocf ~y,1 ftr
with Hawaii in the control of the Unit
ed States. the base of supplies of hostile
naval force Is thrown back to the entire
width OF the Pacific-a practically prohibi-
tive distance, as coal enough would have to
be carried TO steam across the Pacific and
return. a distance from 7 800 to SeO miles
to say nothing of coal consumption in oper-
ating on, the Pacific ooasbG quantity far
istence. American contpo4o OF Haw waHo fs;
therefore, a practical insurance against ma
val attack on the. Pacific coast. and OH
shipein2 In that vicinity.
The objective point of United States
policy has been political, anH mot financiaI
advantage. The reciprocity treaty was not
primarily intended an experiment in reci-
brocity for the purpose of extending Amer
lean trade. The object in view was not dol
lars; but that which dollars could not buy
the creation and maintenance of a friendly
state.
The public history of Hawaii and the
tHilcu otdteS uuTlTS lHe past 1ew years
has demonstrated that this policy has been
successful.
rs it good policy for the United States
to now about face and abandon the accrued
benefits Of sixty years of statesmanship?"
Mr.. Thurston summarizes the benefits and
losses which have accrued to the United
states by virtue of the treaty. as follows:
l. Remission by H8waM of duties on
American products. $2l 100000
Profits made by American citizens from
freighfs. commissions shipbuilding, insur-
a1ce. sugar and sale of merchandise, $52,-
251 1886
Existing s,izsns pr property acquired by Amer-
9iO
Against this there must be offset the du-
ties RENTED by the United States. amount
ing to $55, ,S99,2n.
Net financial benefits which have accrued
tue of the treaty. s61 ,OS3 $50.
Disadvantages Of Abrogatio..
Mr. Thurston sums up under the head OF
Results If the treaty is abrogated'' as fol-
lcws:
IF the treaty is abrogated the following
disadvantages will accrue to the United
States and Its citizens:
l. Hawaii will levy duty on all United
States products which are free under the
treaty.
2. Hawaii will probably enter into. reci-
pfocal commercial relations with other
countries which are commercial rivals of
the United States. which will largely divert
Hawaiian trade and the profits arising
therefrom 10 those countries
3. The same causes which have practically
driven American shipping out of the trade
OF every other country will operate to elm
IL ate 1t from the Hawaiian trade.
4. The political control, for which Ameri-
can statesmen have been striving for sixty
years, and have SO successfully accom-
plished, will be abandoned at a stroke, and
America will be srelegated from the domi-
nant position which It row holds to the
position which 1t occupied in 1912, when
England and France alternately bullied and
took possession of the islands, and claimed
equal and even superior rights to the Unit
Instead of the United States remaining
the practical suzerain ppWer over Hawaii,
as 1t now is. by the voluntary act of the
United States Hawaii viii be turned loose
to become the prey Of the first great power
which chooses to gather lin, and the Unit
ed States win have piaesa itself upon an
equality with England. Ffance and Japan
to thereafter engage in A. scramble for the
control Of Hawaii under HE disadvantages
OF sef-infiicsed handicap,i'
Heavy Reading W. Anthers.
From the Ladies' Home Journai
The amount of labor tiqAt goes to the
v.nlrt rtv,rr So II