The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-24
Patriotism SDeaI<s.

1t is cheering in these days, when
men are so strangely bound by party
ties, ana when broad and lofty views
Of public questions are so often sub
crdinatsd to lesser aims, to note re-
Volt like that Of Mr. Johnson, of In
diana, against the declared Hawaiian
policy of his party. The reception of
his declaration of independence by the
house was 10 less significant than its
contents. Although the question of an
any shape, it is accepted now by all
that it will be debated there before
many. weeks have passed. The neces-
sary two-thirds vote to ratify the
treaty cannot be secured in the senate
The men who are pushing this job are
not of the sort who are discourage by
a mere evidence that public opinion is
against them. They do not mind a lit
tie thing like evading a constitutional
requirement, when it suits their pur-
poses; and they propose to accomplish,
by forcing through a joint resolution
on mere majority vote, what they
cannot do in the regular and orderly
way provided under the constitution
for the adoption of treaties. 1t is their
intention, when their failure in the
senate has been made obvious, to pass
such a resolution and send it to the
house
In anticipation of this Mr. Johnson
declared himself bravely, and he is as
sured of a sturdy following. He talks
like an American and a patriot He OPP
poses the annexation of Hawaii on the
one general reason, which should be
sufficient for every citizen of the Unit
ed States, that, as far as can be learn
ed, the people of Hawaii are opposed
to it. 1t is an amazing thing that there
should be found any party in this
country, whose first cry, when it was
born into the world, was that ''aIl gov
ernments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed" to
: Drln-
ciple, and proclaim that the wishes of
Hawaiians count for nothing All the
evidence goes 10 show that the SEN
timent in favor of annexation is con-
fined to less than per cent Of the
population of the Sandwich islands, nor
would this ruling element for one mo-
ment dare to submit the question to a
popular vote. Annexation under such
circumstances becomes, not a volun-
tary agreement between CONTRACTING
parties on equal terms, but a mere ar
bilrary assertion of power over the
destinies of a helpless people, worthy
of despotism itself.
Mr.. Johnson struck straight from the
shoulder when he said that. althoueh
originally a defender of President Har-
rison's policy, this persistent urging of
annexation had convinced him that the
Hawaiian government was overthrow
BY an intrigue, to which the United
States was party. He said, too, that
this action, if ratified, would be but
the beginning Of a policy of grab, end
ing in the decentralization of our own
institutions and system of government
and leading us into the evil path which
our forefathers dared every danger &c
escape. These were the brave words
of Republican, speaking in opposi-
ton to the policy Of a Republican ad-
Illustration and of a Republican ma.
jolity in the senate They were not
received with the silence or GOODNESS
that usually follows a departure from
the strict party programme. Mr.. John
son was congratulated, as he deserved
to be, not only by Democrats, but by
large number of his Republican asso.
ciates, and had with him the sympath,
of the galleries.
We hope much from an aroused
Americanism such as this when the
inevitable joint resolution goes dowr