The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-09-16
NEW ISLAND POSSESSION
To Be Designated as the
Territory Of Hawaii
THE COMMISSIONS DECISION
The Form of Government for the Islands
Decided Upon by the Congressional
Committee-The Pacific Cable. =

San Francisco, Sept. 12.-The steam
er Coptio arrived from Yokohama and
Hong Kong, via Honolulu. bringing
the following advices from the latter
city under date of September 5:
The territory of "Hawaii" is the
name which the annexation comm mission
has decided to recommend to congress.
Thus will be preserved in the president
nomenclature from the United States
the distinctive origin Of this part of the
United States. The history and tradi-
ton of the islands and the associations
| that new residents here want forgotten
will go On in unbroken union with the
name. The form of government will
be modelled on that of existing terri
tories. There will be no further de-
parture from this form than local con-
ditions and national political consider
ations make necessary. 1t is possible
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 territorial govern
ment does. But the ultimate possibil-
ity of statehood will not be barred.
Still. there will be no District Of
Columbia or Alaska form of government
proposed. Local self-government will
be given through the extension of the
municipal idea. The islands will be
divided into municipal districts, having
control. under restrictions, of purely
local affairs. Honolulu, for instance,
will be municipal district, embracing
the whole Of the island of Oahu. Ha-
waii may be divided into two districts,
and Molokai. Maui and Nithau may be
attached to some other municipal dis
trict.
The question of a territorial legisla.
ture has not been fully settled. There
will probably be one, but with limited
powers. All the attributes of sover-
eighty, however, will be exercised by
the national government of the United
States. The people of Hawaii will bs
called on to consider themselves Amer
leans, looking to the national govern
ment as source of national power In
internal affairs they will have the op-
portunity of exercising the high attrib-
ute of American citizenship, local self
government.
The form of government the commits
sion will recommend will be one calcu-
lated to do away with the associations
of national independence and to create
associations and a feeling of union with
the United States. 1t Is pretty clear,
from what has been said by members OF
the commission from time to time,
that in framing form of government
for these islands they have also been
charged by the administration at Wash
ington with forming model which can
be adapted to Porto Rico and other new
possessions the war has brought the
United States.
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
communications from the company
concerning the cable. General Schrym-
ser writes me that his company is an
noyed 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 dis
approval of the contract. He states
that he has had some correspondence
with Secretary Day ON the matter, and
has asked him to come to final con-
clusion at as early date as convenient.
"f the company shall not avail itself
of the Hawaiian contract, 1t contem-
plates adopting the shorter Alaska
route. General Schlymser writes me
that cable, with a landing in At'ska,
thence to Japan, connecting with the
established lines to China, Manila and
Australia could be built for less than
S., 900, 900. as against $12, 900, 900 via
the Hawaiian islands,
1t is the present calculation to send
the United States ship Philadelphia
back to San Francisco very soon, as
Admiral Miller, having completed the
mission on which he was sent by the
United States government, is author
lied to return. The transport Scandia
arrived from San Francisco this morn
ing.