The times., 1898-07-10
What This Nation Has Acquired
in The North Pacific.
OUR NEW ISLAND TERRITORY
The Wonders and Beauties of the
Paradise of the Pacific-History of
The Long Struggle for Annexa-
tiOn-PrOducts OF the Islands.

dian of the long western coast line of
the United States is ours by legal form,
as il has long been by natural situa-
tion. Some 2000 miles westward of Cal
ifornia. the nearest neighbor and nearest
mainland, is the most remarkable of ali
the groups Of mountain islands that rise
from the placid bosom Of the vast Pa
cific. THE chief theater Of events in the
worlds great hereafter" The inhabited
islands are eight. on the map they look
like nothing else so much as the mug
gets Of gold for which men ventured
and suffered and often died on the dis
tant California shore half century ago.
To the enlightened. aspiring American,
able 10 forecast in some degree the splen-
did destiny Of the great republic, their
map appearance is significant. They are
nuggets Of gold, a rich treasure, that
must add something TO the prosperity and
enormously TO the security Of the United
States. Near the mouth Of the harbor of
Honolulu on the most central island of
Oahu, is an extinct volcano, of magnifi-
cent height and bulk-Diamond Head,
il needs only fortifying 10 become the
Western Gibraltar. impregnable as Eng
lands mountain-island at the jaws OF
the Mediterranean. and sentry of coast
Inal Is ONEETNlSt u NClilAlAdAAolA u 49,
swashbuckler nation with an idle navy or
a rash. ambitious ruler.
No dream Of Columbus ever pictured
scene Of more romantic beauty than the
eye beholds in this center of the sea
Nowhere can the curious find in such
small compass 50 many Of the earth
wonders as on these few ISLANDS, the
largest Of which rises 10 a height of H.
GOO feet Islands where every climate
Il for he a 4
ascent, a natural and incompatible san
itarium that has needed only the Ameri-
can flag and what il implies 10 become
the slluring resort of the aiiing and the
curious Of the States. Here Stevenson,
raclted by killing coughs and with eyes
hungry for the beautiful in nature, found
restfulness and an intense JOY in mere
living No tribute could be higher than
for a Sc0tChman, with all his abiding
love for his unkindy native heaths, 10
select his grave in kindred islands. These
tropical islands. the home Of natural
beauty. health and riches, these tower
ing rocks from which no enemy could
dislodge the smallest garrison and with
out which, 50 long as wsrships are fed
with coal, no assault could be sustained
against our Western coast are ours.
They are as much part of our own
country as Massachusetts, where Ameri-
can liberty was Graded Along the shad-
ed streets Of Honolulu and on the sum-
nit Of the magnificent Mauna LOa, the
citizen Of this Republic is as much at
home as in the streets Of Washington.
What the possession Of these Islands
means we have been tod by states
men soldiers and sailors. That posses
sion By the United States was logical and
necessary has been recognized by the
islanders. by our own Statesmen and by
the diploHG.ists Of England. Kane
hameha III, badgered and threatened
first by France and then by England,
recognized the logical course Of things
and executed a provisional cession Of his
island TO the United States nearly nifty
wears ago. His action was ratified by
the Hawaiian legislature The formal
treaty OF annexation failed only by the
death OF the king. Never since then
has the hope Of eventual annexation left
fhe best people Of the islands and il was
natural and necessary TO the success Of
the Hawaiian republic that the consti-
tuition, adopted July 4, 1894 should pro-
vide for that event Lord Palms r1tan.
advising TWO future kings of Hawaii
urged them 10 become an integral part
Of the United States. for such IS the des-
tiny Of the Hawaiian Islands arising
from their proximity TO the States Of
California and Oregon" This was the
dlsinterested advice Of a leading British
statesman in 1850 In 1875 Hawaii in a
reciprocity treaty pledged that country
never 10 cede any port or territory to
any other nation. and in 1857 the exclusive
use Of Pearl Harbor for naval and re-
pair station was granted 10 the United
States. Treaties Of annexation were
negotiated under Presidents Harrison
and Mckinley, but the final act was the
adoption of the Newlands resolutions.
The Status of Hawaii.
The islands have not been merely an
nexed, but in definite manner that
makes their status clear. No supplement
tai legislation is necessary, as it would
be in the case Of treaty annexation. The
government OF Hawaii, formally recog-
nized by all the world. offered TO trans
fer its sovereignty 10 the United States
in accepting the offer this country be-
comes the sovereign ruler and the owner
Of all public property of the islands. Ha-
wall does not become a State of the
Union, nor even an organized Territory
with Congressional delegate. but mere
ly part Of the territory OF the United
States, to be governed by Congress There
is nothing in the resolutions of annexa-
tion that provides for the future admis-
sion Of the islands 10 statehood. In
short. their status is exactly that of
Alaska. and they are TO be dealt with by
the future according to the judgment of
the future, without special conditions
This disDoses Of one Of the most gen
eral objections to annexation. They are
mere possessions, and not partners. Until
Congress adopts other laws they will
live under the present local laws. so far
they are consistent with our Consti-
tuition. All the foreign treaties of Ha-
waii are TO be abrOgated- The present
customs laws viii remain in force until
others are applied by Congress. the local
government paying the interest on the
public debt Of the islands. The principal
part Of the debt, not TO exceed 81, 600 600,
is assumed by the United States. The
public lands. except such as are used
for civil, military and naval purposes, are
10 be administered solely for the benefit
OF Hawaii. Our Chinese exclusion laws
are extended TO the islands, and Chi
nese immigration from there to the
States is prohibited.
The 8nnexaIiOnists.
The first official act in relation to the
question of annexation was the sending
90 the Senate Of a special message by
President Tyler, on December 81, 1872.
That President was plainly favorable to
ultimate annexation, as We're also Presi-
dents Fillmore and Pierce, the latter hay
ing authorized the treaty of annexation
OF 1885. The Senate defeated this treaty
Buchanan intimated that this nation
could not tolerate the idea of French or
English control Of the islands, and John
son looked for an application for ad-
mission into the Union. Grant urged the
question of annexation on the attention
OF the Senate and after his return from
his tour OF the world became a more ar
dent annexationist. Arthur was in full
sympathy with the annexation sentiment
which Secretary Blaine did much 10 en-