Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-23

Certain Privileges They Enjoy
Under the Little Republic-Sev-
eral American Statesmen Study
ing the Situation at Honolulu.
San Franisco, September 22.-The
steamer CITY of Picking, which arrived
in port last evening and was at once
placed in quarantine, brought ad-
vices from the Hawaiian Islands up to
and including the 14th inst. The SEN
ate convened on September 8, but
owing to the death Of ex-senator U.
Rhodes. President of the Legislature,
it adjourned until the follawing day.
The session on the 9th lasted less
than two hours, but in that time the
annexation treaty was presented and
ratified without a dissenting. vote.
Despite the action of the Senate, the
opponents Of annexation are contlnu-
ing their fight, and the leaders of the
| movement express confidence in their
ability to defeat annexation. Before
| the Picking left call had been issued
for a mass meeting to be held on the
18th. and the indications were that it
would be one of the largest ever held
| in the islands Some Of the anneXa-
! tionists hoped to be able to have Sem
ator Morgan address the meeting with
| the object of changing the sentiment
of the natives. but there was little
| likelihood of their plan meeting with
success
The steamship Australia, having on
board United States Senator John T.
! Morgan, of Alabama; Congressman A.
| S. Berry, ]. G. Cannon, H. G. Louden-
slayer and ]. A. Tawney, arrived in
Honolulu on the 18th. They were ac-
corded a warm welcome. Senator Nor
gan stood the voyage exceedingly well
and was in excellent health. The
| Hawaiian Star of the following day
| published this interview with him:
81 have nothing Of definite nature to
say to the newspapers now, as | must
have an opportunity to study the sit
nation from a new point of view.
You NAV say that l an pre-disposed
in favor of annexation. I have been
! an annexationist practically for thirty
YEATS. ever since the question has been
agitated.'
Commenting upon the action of the
| Senate, the Iuso, the organ of the
Portuguese residents of the islands,
said: "The Senate of the Republic of
i Hawaii has unanimously ratified the
convention which cedes Hawaii to the
United States, not only with all mer-
camille property with doubtful title,
but also tying up privileges, which
about 5000 voters of the Portuguese
colony enjoy and have enjoyed, and
which can hardly be recovered if the
Congress of the United States, from a
sense of justice and equity, shall con-
cede to us the privilege to which we
have a right. The session was closed
on the 10th, to be convened again
next March in regular session. If
perchance the annexation should be
consummated, which we doubt, the
| Portuguese colony as a political factor
ceases to exist, because in the foreign
press both here and in the United
States it has been indicated with suffi-
1 cient clearness that they fear the in
fuence Of the Portuguese vote in case
this privilege should be conceded to
them. independence and good gov
eminent of Hawaii means prosperity
for the colony, but annexation without
the privilege we speak Of means ruin"
The delegates which we're chosen to
the American Union party convention
have completed their platform, which
was to be presented for adoption at
the convention to be held on the even
ing of the 18th. The platform as ar
ranged was short and applied solely
| to island affairs. One of the planks
| pledged the party to annexation first
last and all the time. T. B. Murray
| issued a call for a meeting of the
| American League on the 14th. 1t was
| the purpose to reorganize the League.
Mr.. Murray has announced his determ-
ination to retire from the presidency.
The Hawaiian annexation treaty
which was submitted to the United
States Senate on June 10th, but which
has not yet been acted upon. provides
! for the cession to the United States
/ of all rights of sovereignty over the
! islands and all public land and prop
erty. Under it the islands would con-
stitute a territory Of the United States.
with a local Legislature subject to a
veto power vested in the President.
All the treaties Of the United States
with other countries would be substi-
tuted for those now in force with
Hawaii The further immigration of
Chinese to the islands is to be prohib-
tied and our laws on the subject are
to be extended to Hawaii The treaty
provides for the assumption by the
| United States of the Hawaiian public