The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-05-26

The Hawaiian Government did Of
fer certain privileges in the Islands
TO the United States as base of war
operations in the Pacific.
More than that, Minister Hatch was
instructed to negotiate an alliance
with the United States. if necessary,
to carry out the spirit of the Govern
ment's action.
The dispatch conveying this offer
to President Mckinley left the Islands
prior to the Manila victory. This fact
is now matter of particular gratifi-
cation TO the Government. as il is felt
that it will be noted and favorably
commented upon in the States.
Minister Cooper, acting for the
President, reported to the Legislature
this morning dispatch from Mr..
Hatch stating that the instructions
of the Executive had been fully CARR
ed out. An answer had not been re-
! ceived from President Mckinley.
The effect of the attitude of Hawaii
in not proclaiming neutrality as ii
was beginning TO show itself was i'm
| mensely favorable to the Islands. \
tremendous wave of friendlineSs was
set in motion from Washington and
annexation was simply reduced to al
most a certainty.
Another dispatch stated that the
vote on the joint resolution in the
| House was to have been taken last
Tuesday. There was then hardly a
doubt but that it would pass.
General Schotield and Admiral Wal
| ker have called the special attention
of the administration to the import
ance of the Islands in the present con-
dition of things in the Pacific. They
| have stated that great hardship to OPP
erations would have resulted from
declaration of neutrality by Hawaii
| The fact that the Islands were friend
| ly was a matter of great moment and
| assistance to the United States at
this time.
| WASHINGTON. MAY 1S.-The an
neXation of Hawaii is at hand. Chair
man Hit brought into the House to-
day joint resolution and majority
report in favor of annexation. No re-
marks were made.
Speaker Reed is against annexation.
but the Administration has been ex-
erting its "friendlv offices" and the
speaker has been reluctantly but GER
tainly yielding to pressure.
The report states that there is 'no
undue pressure on the part of the
United States as a great power: no
surprise to any one; no possibility of
objections by other governments. 1t
is simply the obvious result of the nat
ural course of events through long
period of years, thus completed with
the cordial consent of the sovereign
powers of both governments. The on
| ~ question involved is whether the
proposed possession of the Hawaiian
Islands would be advantageous to the
United States"
The strategic Importance of the Is,
lands is then discussed. also the risk
of delaying acquisition, as there is
danger of the Islands falling under
japanese influence and control. Anne
rican commercial interests would be
promoted and action, the report says
would do away with foreign compli-
cations over the Islands.
The minority report, signed by the
Messrs. Dinsmore, Clark, Williams
and Howard, sets out eight reasons
against annexation and offers sub.
Stitute resolution practically estab,
fishing protectorate over the Is
lands.
1t declares that the Hawaiian peo-
pie have not been consulted. nor have
the American people. charging that
the only hope for action is under the
cry of war emergency" before the
people can be consulted. The other
counts specified against annexation
are that annexation in the manner as
proposed is unconstitutional; the Is
lands are too remote and furnish toe
much additional coast line to be de.
Tended; the population is not racial
ly nor religiously nor otherwise no,
mogenous with our own; political
dominion of the Islands is not com
mercially necessary to our defense
the Islands are not from a naval Oh
military standpoint to our defense
and, admitting that its foreign oc-
cupation would be dangerous to us
and that there exists single nation
willing, in the face of our repeated
diplomatic declarations of our posi-
: ton, to incur the dangers of war with
us in order to seize hold of Them this
danger may be met when the first ov-
] ert act or demonstration shows Its
actual existence, or may be prevented
by the passing of the minority reso,
luton heretofore cited.