Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-10
The Situation In Hawaii.

clothed with the sovereignty OF that coun-
try, to promote its growth and prosperity.
This consideration alone ought to be a
sufficient assurance to the people that
their rights and interests will be duly re-
spected and cherished by this govern
ment."
The second definite attempt to bring
about the annexation of Hawaii to the
United States was set on foot by the
people of the islands in January, 1893,
when a provisional government was
formed and a commission sent to Wash
ington authorized to negotiate a treaty
for the annexation of the islands to the
United States. The treaty was agreed
upon and sent to the senate by President
Harrison on February Is, 1893, and ia
vorably reported by the committee on
foreign relations, but had not received
action by the senate when President
Harrison's term ended on March 4,
Within three days after his
ton President Cleveland had Withdrawn
the treaty and dispatched James H.
Blount as a commissioner to the Hawa-
iian islands, and upon the strength of
his report, the president in the following
December sent a message to congress
announcing his intention to restore
Liliuokalani to the throne, and in the
following month his minister, Mr.. Willis,
announced President Cleveland's decision
to President Dole, the head of the pro-
visional government which the people of
Hawaii had formed meantime. This
proposition was met with such a firm
refusal of compliance one the part of
President Dole that Minister Willis did
Not oftoyorN ~,. D---.,--I
Cleveland's wishes for the restoration of
Queen Liliuokalani, and the indignation
throughout the United States was so in
tense that no further effort was made
in this line.
President Mckinley was fnaugurated
on March 4, 1897. The Hawaiian com.
missioners shortly afterward appeared in
Washington and I1oposed a treaty of
annexation, which was sent to the SEN
ate on June Is, but as the special session
was devoted exclusively to the passage
of the new republican tariff law, no ac-
ton on the treaty was taken. In the
following March a joint resolution was
reported to the senate ratifying the ses-
sion of the Hawaiian islands and aEnex-
ing them to the United States. and this
resolution passed the house by a vote
VI " = y LIN liz oSiolS ~ Il Z "a.
A commission was then appointed,
Senator Cullom of Illinois being chair
man, to visit the islands and to report
on the form of government, and as a. re-
suit they were granted a constitution
similar to that which is enjoyed by
our regularly organized territories. The
laws of the United States not locally
inapplicable, and the constitution were
ovfondo1 0xyor tho iclon1c bv oct oF oor-
gress, and all persons who were citizens
of the republic of Hawaii on August II,
1898, were declared to be citizens Of the
territory of Hawaii. In view Of the
present political criticisms of the policy
of the republicans in reference to the
Philippines and to Porto Rico, the i'm
portant element in the clause extending
the operation of all United States laws
over the island. is that there is no tariff
on goods exported from or imported into
the islands to or from the United States.
Blu inasmuch as a close reciprocity
treaty had long been in force between
the government of Hawaii and that OF
the United States, this action was the
proper one for the same reason that free
trade should not be extended to our
newer possessions; that is, that existing
commercial conditions should not be toe
violently disturbed.
The physical characteristics of the Ha.
wtaiian islands are SO we'll known thai
they need no detailed description. TIL
population exceeds 100, 900, and the chic.
productions are sugar, coffee and trop
ical fruits. The consuming power of tn,
islands has been in 1.-THE past about $25,
600. 900 annually, Of which h large pro
portion hats been purchased in the UNITED
. States. The chief value of the island
from the national standpoint Hes in the;
; importance as a way starfon on the com
, mercia1 line between our Pacific coas
| and the great Ae4aafc fields where dwell
half the population of THE earth, an,
z whose purchases amount to 800. 900, 900