The times., 1898-05-18
THE HAWAIIAN QUESTION
Reports of the House Commit
tee Finally submitted.
REED REFU ES TO YIELD
1t Is Not Thought, However, That He
VIII Force the House to Revolt,
Hut VIII Submit When the Limit
Is acknowledgements of the Ma
jOrity and Minority Reports.

week, the majority and minority reports
of the House Committee on Foreign At
fairs on the resolution to annex the Ha-
waiian Islands were submitted yesterday,
Chairman Hit, OF the committee. acting
as the friend and representative of the
President, labored until the last moment
to procure a special resolution from the
Committee on Rules providing for the
consideration of the Hawaiian resoiu-
ton; but Speaker Reed refused to yield
even to direct arguments from the Whito
House. He does not say that special
rule viii be denied; on the contrary, he
said 20 Chairman Hit that arrangements
would be made for consideration of the
Hawaiian resolution lin due time"
The prevailing opinion is that Speaker
Reed will not resist the pressure for the
passage of this resolution to the point OF
provoking open revolt in The Republican
ranks. He is playing for delay and will
stave the matter Off just long as he
deems it safe to HIS own interests.
The Majority Report.
The majority report states that the
proposition of annexation Is not new,
and adds that for more than fifty years
1t has been apparent that so small and
feeble a government could not maintain
its independence. and that it must ulti-
mately be merged into a greater power"
The history of the islands is then re-
viewed. The treaty of 1899 that was with
drawn by President Cleveland and that
Of 1897 are mentioned. The report then
states:
There is, therefore. no undue pressure
on the part of the United States as a
greater power; no surprise of anyone; no
possibility of objections by other govern
ments. 1t is simply the obvious result of
the natural course of events through a
long period OF years thus completed with
the cordial consent OF the sovereign pow
ers Of both governments The only ques-
ton involved IS whether the proposed pos
session Of the Hawaiian Islands would be
advantageous 10 the Upited States"
Their Strategic Importance.
Coming down 70 the present impor-
! tance of the question the report says:
Recent events in. the existing war with
Spain have called public attention to
what has long been discussed by mill
tary and naval authorities-the inesti-
| mable Importance to the United States
| of possessing the Hawaiian Islands in
! case of war with any strong naval power.
| They lie facing our Pacific Coast. Their
| strategic Importance Is vastly increased
| by the fact that they are separated by
| thousands of miles from any other and
more distant group in the northern Pa
| cific Ocean, anu are the only group facing
| our coast. In the possession of an enemy
| they would serve as n secure base for
! attacking any and all OF our Pacific Coast
| cities. In our possession they would de-
| prive the enemy's fleet of all facilities
| for coaling. supplies or repairs. and
| speedily paralyze all his naval operations.
| The first object of an enemy attacking
| us on that side of the Republic would
| be TO secure these Islands. and in their
present condition their possession would
| fall to the stronger naval power.
THE leading nations-England, France,
Germany, Japan, Spain and the United
| States-have each a Pacific squadron.
| Every one of these squadrons is stronger
than ours save that of Spain. which is
! the weakest. Had the war with which we
are now engaged been with any OF the
| other powers they might have woTsted
| our fleet and seized the Hawaiian ISL
ands which are not defended by any for
| titiCa tions or cannon, thus exactly re-
| versing the recent good fortune at Ma
| Mia. They would then have had con-
| yenient base of supplies. coal and repairs,
| from which TO actively harry and devas-
| tate our coast. But were we in complete
/ possession of the Hawaiian Islands and
| they properly prepared for defense which
] eminent officers Of the Army and Navy
| stated to the committee could be done
| at q cost of $3.50, ,GG0 our feet even II
| pressed by a greatly superior sea power,
! would have an impregnable refuge at
| Pearl Harbor, backed by a friendly pop
1 rfa+I
| of the large city of Honolulu and a small
| but fruitful country. Holding this all
| important strategic point, the enemy
| could not remain In thai part of the Pa
| eiffc, thousrnd miles from any base.
| without running out OF coal sufficient to
| get back to their own possessions The
islands would secure both our fleet and
| our coast"
The testimony of Gen Schoheld as to
| the value of the islands to the United
| States from a strategic standpoint is
| quoted. 1t has been published in The
| Times.
Looking to the Future.
I'VE must" say the committee, 'face
the future in dealing with this pro-
posed annexation 1t is impossible
for the Republic of Hawaii to main
tain for a permanent existence preserv-
ing in force the Influences which are now
in the ascendant there and which are cor
dial and friendly to the United States.
OF its mixed population of 109, 900 a pow
erful element is Japanese-24, 407-of whom
1922 are males, almost all of them are
grown men, for they are not divided as
ordinary populations are in the usual
proportions of men, omen and children
They are far stronger element of physi
cal force than the native race, which has
| diminished until there are only thirty.
odd thousand. of whom, by the usua
proportions of popula ton. there are not
over 5000 grown men. 4. The native Ha.
waiian can not in, any contingency con-
troll the island. 1t must fall to some
foreign people.
annexation. and that alone, will Sc
| curely maintain American control in Ha
waii. Resolutions of Congress declarin.
our policy. or even "a rrotectorate, will
not secure it. The question of a protec
| torate has been SuccesSiVely considered
| by Presidents Pierce. Harrison and Nc
kinley in 1854, 1898 and 1897. and each TIM
rejected because a protectorate imposes
| responsibility without control. Annexa
ton imposes responsibility. but will Civ
| full power of ownership and absolute con
| troll.
TN the struggling interests that hav
recently come into play in the Pacif
the separate existence Of the Hawaiian
government is liable at any time to rails
complications with foreign governments
as in the case mentioned above of tn
recent interposition of Japan. An inde
| pendent feeble government is a eonstan
temptation to powerful nations, in tn
stress of contending interests, to inter
nleddle and disturb the peace. Once in
corporated into the territory of tn
Il Tv..lN