The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-11-02
WHAT FORM OF GOVERNMENTS


$ nexation treaty by the American
) Senate, approaches, an increasing
: number of the American paper
discuss the form of local govern
l ment, which should be established
here.
The Boston Transcript, which
opposes annexation, comedies thai
it will probably take place ant
then asks, what shall the govern
.ment be! 1t discusses the question
rather fairly, and suggests the
colonial system, in imitation of the
British government of Colonies,
but it has no definite plan of its
own. Our enemy, the Argonaut,
even discusses the matter with fair
mess. 1t states that President Jor-
dan of the Stanford University has
proposed a scheme to Congress for
the government of Alaska as a
colony, and it suggests that the
same scheme may be applied to
these Islands. 1t intimates that
while Congress has the right to ac-
quire territory, for the purpose of
creating a State, it has no power,
under the Constitution, to acquire
territory for colonial purposes only.
This may be true enough as a bald
legal proposition, but if the terri
tory is acquired, and the colonial
form of government established, it
is rather difficult to prove the
fact that Congress intends to per-
retain given territorial
area, under colonial system. What
any one Congress may do by law
within its Constitutional powers,
another Congress can undo.
The Commercial Advertiser, On.
", says that "a garrulous Senator
from the Pacific Coast (D declares
that annexation is certain and the
only question for debate is, what
shall the form of government be?
This paper reflects the conservative
sentiment of New York City, that
refuses, through its great CONNER
cial bodies, the Chamber of Com
merce, the Produce Exchange and
the Board of Trade, to favor annex
alton. But, on the other hand, it
is inclined to believe that annexa-
ton is probable. 1t says:
IF the Hawaiian Islands are to be-
come American territory; if, indeed,
any remote territory with alien popu-
lations is to be incorporated with the |
United States, it is absolutely neces- |
sary to devise for such territory a |
form of government different from any |
yet applied to American territory, ex-
cept experimentally and rather care
lessly in Alaska. Indeed, we have in
Alaska problem not greatly different |
from that which will confront us in |
Hawaii. The rush of emigration to |
Alaska calls for complete system of
police administration. and yet Alaska
it not fit for territorial government, |
and probably never will be fit for State
hood.
Alaska was our first step in expan
sion over sea- though we escaped mar
rowly almost simultaneous acquisition |
of territory in the West Indies, and,
with our restless political and CONNER
cial ambition, are likely before long to |
find ourselves saddled with islands in
both oceans. This will bring many
and new civil, military and
social obligations, not the least of
which is to frame some form of pro-
vincial government for communities
not fit, and never likely to be fit, for
the duties and responsibilities of Am
erican Statehood"
We recall again, as we did sever
al days ago, the strange incident or
conjunction of affairs by which the
revolution in Cuba, the revolution
in Hawaii and the gold discoveries
in the Klondike, continue at the
same time to force the American
people to take up seriously the
question o f colonies, and intelli
gently dispose of it.
If Congress should settle down
to a debate on the merits of colon
ial system, which will embrace not |
only Hawaii and Alaska, but all of
many islands Of the West Indies
group, it will be one of the most |
debates of the latter
part of the century.
The United States have reached |
the Pacific with their institutions