The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-10
HAWAII STANDS.
Old Name Will Attach to the
New Territory.
Form of Government Decided
Upon For the Islands
SAME AS NEW MEXICO.
Commissioners Expect tOReturn
to United States
In Time to Submit a Report at
Opening Of Congress.


from the latter city, under date of Sep
TENDER 8:
It will be the territory of Hawaii
That is the name which the annexation
commission has decided to recommend
to congress. Thus will be preserved in
the political nomenclature of the Uni
ted States the distinctive origin of this
part of the United States. The history
and tradition of the islands, and the as
sociationS that no resident here wants
forgotten, will go on in unbroken union
with the name.
The form of the government will be
modelled on that of existing territories.
There viii be no further departures
from this form than local conditions,
and national political considerations
make necessary.
It is probable that in working out
the details the form of government will
not approximate so closely to that of
state government as the ordinary form
OF government does. But the ultimate
possibility of statehood will not be
barred. There viii be no District of
Columbia or Alaska form of govern
ment proposed.
Local government will be given
through the extension of the municipal
idea. The islands will be divided into
municipal districts, having control, I'M
der restrictions and limitation, of pure
~ local affairs. Honolulu, for instance
VIII be municipal district, embracing
the whole of the island of Oahu.
Hawaii may be divided into two dis
tricts, and Molokai, Lanai and Nyhau
may be attached to some other munich
pal district.
The question of territorial Iegisla-
ture has been fully settled. There will
probably be one, but with limited pow
ers.
All the attributes of SOVEREIGNTY how
ever, will be exercised by the national
government of the United States. The
people of Hawaii will be called on to
consider themselves Americans looking
to the national as a
or national power. In local affairs they
VIII nave the opportunity of exercising
the nigh attribute of American citizen
snip, local self-goVernment. The form
of government the commission will rec
ommend will be one calculated to do
away with the associations of national
independence which have grown up in
the last so or 80 years, and to create as
sociations and the feeling of union with
the United States of America.
It is pretty clear from what has been
said by members of the commission
from time to time in framing a form of
government for these islands, they have
also been charged by the administra-
ton at Washington with forming
model which can be adapted to Porto
Rico and other new possessions the
war has brought the United States.
The commission is trying to so shape
it's work as to be able to conclude it's
labOrs September 20. The visiting mem
bers will, in that case, be able to re-
turn to the mainland by the steamer of
plenty of time for the prompt presenta-
ton of the bill which will be drafted
right after the opening of congress on
the first Monday in December.
The commissioners visited Pearl Har-
Dor on September 1. Admiral Miller
who is thoroughly informed as to Pearl
harbor from a naval point of view,
pointed out the advantages which orig
inally induced the United States to Sc
cure concessions for a naval station.
Prof. Alexander, who is thoroughly
conversant with it from the point of
view of a geodetic surveyor, pointed out
the geological structure and the i'm
provements that will be needed to make
it the ideal naval rendezvous.
The Pacific cable may go around
Honolulu. A shorter route by way of
Alaska has been figured on. General
A. S. Hartwell said this morning:
by the last mail 1 received some
communication from the company con-
corning the cable. General Scrymser
writes me that his company is annoyed
at the delay required by the clause in
the Hawaiian contract which gives the
secretary of state six months in which
to signify his approval or disapproval
of the contract. He states that he has
had some correspondence with Secre-
tary Day on the matter and has asked
him to come to a final conclusion at as
early a. date as convenient. In the early
part Of the year the secretary had ex-
pressed his disapproval of any contract
being brought about to this end, so
that the condition was inserted in the
Hawaiian contract requiring the ap-
prevail of the secretary of state. am
now informed that the answer of Secre-
tary Day to the communication has
been received, to the effect that owing
to his relationship to Colonel Spalding,
he has taken no part in the affair and
that he would hand it over entirely to
his assistant Mr.. Moore. However, I
have no doubt that Secretary Day will
not hesitate to inform the company of
his opinion on the contract at once.
IF the company shall not avail itself
of the Hawaiian contract, it contem-
plates adopting the shorter Alaska
route General Scrymser writes me
that a cable with a landing in Alaska,
thence to Japan, connecting with the
established lines to China, Manila and
Australia, could be built for less than
IS. OO0 600, as against $12, 000,0 900 via the
Hawaiian islands"
There is a clash here between Colonel
Barber and the Hawaiian government
over military quarters. The Hawaiian
government, as is known, at the end
of August, withdrew it's garrison OF
troops from the executive building and
grounds. 1t was deemed that, with the
presence of United States troops at
Honolulu, there was no more need OF
troops to guard the. public buildings
The paid military of Hawaii simply
went out of existence. In the meantime
the Hawaiian government had informed
the United States representatives Ihat
after the 31st of August it would not
be responsible for the official military
courtesieS of this port. 1t Is now an
American port. The United States mil
itary authorities then signifed their in
tention of occupying the late Hawaiian
military headquarters, including the
mems barracks under the executive
building and the officers quarters IN
the bungalow. To this intention the
Hawaiian government objected. 1t
claimed that the buildings and grounds
vacated by it's military are purely civil