The San Francisco call., 1898-05-05
TRANSFER OF
 THE ISLANDS Nothing Known Officially of Dole's Alleged
 Offer.
Minister Hatch Declares That Hawaii Is Ready to Cast It's
 Lot With Uncle Sam.
But It Is Yet to Be Seen Whether the Offer Would Be Accepted Even
 as "War Measure"
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK, May 4.-The Herald Washington correspondent ,telegraphs Dispatches from Honolulu, published this afternoon, stating that President Dole has offered to transfer the Ha- waiian Islands to the United states have caused considerable speculation among members of Congress ana olp- lomatic correspondents. UP to iate hour tonight no official confirmation or the news had been received py the State Department or Minister Hatch. When I saw Minister Hatch this even ing he said:
 "I have received no dispatches from my Government relating to Pfesloeht Dole's offer to raise the stars ana stripes over Hawaii, but l have no doubt that the news is true. All or ficial communications to me come through the hands of the Hawaiian Consul General in San Francisco. They are enclosed in his mail pouch and are opened by him and forwarded by tele- graph Under these circumstances it is hardly probable that I would receive any official news before tomorrow, at the earliest. Although I have no of ficial information I can say that Pres ident Dole's reported action is certain ly in line with the policy of my Gov ernment and goes to show that should it come to question of declaring neu- trality or assisting this country in the war with Spain, Hawaii is willing and anxious to cast it's lot with Uncle Sam"
 MT. Hatch also said that there was a large supply of cool at Honolulu ,1.s r at fIalr fc poSal of American Warships should this Government accept President Doles of fer and annex the islands.
 Upon the question concerning the probable procedure which would follow the receipt of an offer from the Ha- waiian Government to transfer the isi- ands to the United States, an official of the State Department said tonight: Should the news from Honolulu prove correct the matter will at once be re- ferred to Congress. The President has no authority to conclude the treaty or to accept President Dole's offer with out the consent of the Senate ana House. Should the offer come in the form of a treaty it is hardly probable that it would pass the Senate, as even under the present conditions and realiz- ing the necessity of a coaling station in the Pacific, there is considerable op- position among those Senator's who op- posed the action last fall
 Senator Hawley, chairman Of the Committee on Military Affairs, said when I saw him tonight that he was highly in favor of accepting the isi- ands.
 Just at present." said Senator Flaw ley. T am up to my eyes in military matters and have not given much at- tention to Hawaiian matters, but I can say that l am in favor of getting Ha- waii any way we can, and should the news published this afternoon prove correct and the matter come before the Senate, I shall certainly vote to accep, President Dole's offer If President Dole has made a definite offer to trans fer the islands to the United States as war measure the subject when placed before Congress will require but a ma- jority vote, which is easily attainable. 1"