The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-12-24
Historical Sketch Of HavaiiS
War Attitude.
RECORD AS IT WAS MADE
Early Abandonment of Neutrality
Dole Government Was Keen to
Assist United States.


| waii, fully executed on the part OF Ha
| the part of the United States, caused
| much discussion in President DoIe's Cab
| met to the relations of the two coun
| tries in the event of a Spanish-Americar
| war.
| So long as Congress had not declared
war. the discussion was tentative and
| speculative. The press of the city paid
slight attention to the matter.
On the 14th of April, eleven days before
Congress declared war against Spain,
President Dole addressed to Mr. f. NJ
Hatch, Hawaiian Minister in Washington
a letter on this subject of which the fol
lowing is portion:
Honolulu, II. l., 18th April, 1885.
Dear Mr.. Hatch:
I'm relation to the prospect of war be-
tween the United States and Spain, this
Government would be pleased to receive
suggestions from the Washington Gov
ernment in regard to our attitude toward
the United States and Spain in case of
war;
This letter was followed by another,
of the declaratio of war was received in
this place. The following is an extract
from it:
Honolulu, Soth April, 1898.
Dear Mr.. Hatch:
I'VE, of course, are deeply interested in
the fact of war existing between the L.
S. and Spain. Would be glad to aid the
authorities of the L. S. in some way. If
to have you convey to the President my
sympathy for him in the serious respon-
sibilities which the Spanish question has
placed upon him.
On the 7th day of May news of the
actual declaration of war by Congress on
~, O5th
steamer Rio de Janeiro. Up to this time,
although it was generally believed that
inevitable. the attitude of Ha-
wall towards the belligerents was care
fully discussed by President Dole and his
Cabinet.
The situation was embarrassing in this
respect, that the Republic of Hawaii had
acted promptly in ratifying the treaty of
annexation with the United States, and
Congress, either by the action of the Sen
ate alone, by the joint action of both
Houses, could. in no longer a period of
time than was required to record the
votes, make Hawaii a part of the United
States.
The question of declaring neutrality, or
abandoning it in favor of an open alli-
ance with the United States, was consid-
cred by the Government but as notice of
the declarat ton OF war was not received
until May 7th, no action could be taken.
One of the important features of the dis
cOSS1On was, Wnetner not an alllance
with the United States would not embar-
rass that country in some way. The
prudent course to pursue was to wait
until President Mckinley had made some
letter of April 18th.
The Bulletin, a local annexa ton journ-
al, published on the 9Th OF May, four
days before neutrality was abandoned,
interviews with leading citizens on the
question of neutrality. The majority of
the citizens interviewed We're "annexa-
fiOniStS' These
terviews are republished herein. Although
the Government had been discussing for
some days the matter of abandoning neu-
trality, and President Dole was waiting
for some response from the Government
in Washington to his letter addressed to
Mr.. Hatch on the 18th of April, the pop
ular feeling among ''annexationists'' was
that the Government should re-
main neutral In no case, how
as individuals or as party, nor
did any body of American citizens in any
whatsoever suggest or urge the
to abandon neutrality up TO
the time news OF the declaration of war
was received on May 7th. And after that
time until the Government sent, on the
10th of May, three days later, the letter
and despatch Offering alliance with
the United States. neither did the annex
alton organization. or any persons repre-
Senting that body, nor did any AmeT--
enough Interest in the matter of aban-
doning neutrality to suggest or urge the
Minister, Mr.. Sewall, was in favor of
abandoning il.
At this time the draft of a law, pre-
pared by the representatives of the Re
public in Washington, and approved by
high officials of the American Govern
ment, was received by President Dole.
This law, if enacted by the Hawaiian Leg
isIature, would have given President Nc
Kinley the authority to raise the Ameri-
can flag on these Islands, and use them
for war purposes. President Dole and his
Cabinet felt that if il was enacted IL
would be imperative for several reasons,
and might delay annexation indefinitely.
They also discovered on approaching
members of the Legislature that the pro-
posed law could not be passed, although
it would be practical abandonment OF
neutrality, in the eYeno or war. Citizens
and political bodies took so little interest
in the matter that the press paid it little
attention. The Bulletin, an annexation
iournaI, declared that the proposition in
volved in the law. if it eminated from
Washington, should have been brought
here Ito these Islands) by strong
squadron that would stay by it 1t
censured the Hawaiian representatives in
Washington for their action in ''promot-
ing scheme of initiative on the part Of
this Government And it asked: How