The National tribune., 1903-10-01

'"'- ~ III >'""s'"~
THE HAWAIIAN WOMAN AND HER RIDING
-.-,. HABIT.
States. But the failure of the United
States to avail itself of the opportunity
which offered itself in July last would
have been clearly cenSurable il not criml-
mai. As it now is the sugar fields and rice
ranches of Hawaii will all prove
of advantage to our interests. These
products, which now have an annual
export value of about $16,000,0OO and
promise much more, will go far to render
us Independent Of other nations in certain
trade matters.
| But in addition to all else which may be
said about the value of this most excellent
| country, one of its chief jewels is Pearl
Harbor. Its name is well chosen, for it
will certainly become in a few years not
merely Pearl Harbor, but the Pearl of the
Pacific. 1t is wonderful natural addition
to our facilities for the building, repairing,
protection and development of the shipping
and commercial interests of the United
States in the Pacific. 1t is the only har-
Dor of magnitude available in q vast water
field 1000 or 5000 miles in extent. Con-
sidering the delightful climate, it is bound
to become a veritable sailors home-a
home for cOmmerce,-and although it be
1000 miles from our nearest seaport, it is
still hundreds of miles nearer to our coast
than to any other.
ANNEXATION TO THE UNITED STATES.
| For many years there has been a strong
| sentimental relationship in social, religious
and commercial interests between the Gov
ernment and people of the Hawaiian
| Islands and those of the United States.
The dynasty of the Kamehameha family
in Hawaii began not far from the time
that the United States became an indie
pendent republic. The visits of the Eng
| lish mariner, Capt. Cook, to Hawaii and
| his discoveries and death took place there
during our own Revolutionary period.
| From that time down to the last decade,
| the vicissitudes of political and govern
mental affairs have very frequently in
volved Hawaii in difficulties with other
| nations. On several occasions the kindly
offices of the ships of the United States
have been rendered by our Government in
| aid of the Hawaiians, whose rights were
invaded by the navies of other nations.
Great Britain and France, each with
| armed force, invaded the islands in 1889
and 1913.
Annexation to the United States was
solicited by Hawaii in 1853, and treaty
| to that end was signed by the negotiators,
but the sudden death of the King prevent
ed its adoption. Daniel Webster, when
Secretary of State in March, 1853, writ
| ing to Commissioner Brown, instructed
him as follows:
"It is obvious, from circumstances con-
nected with their position, that the United
States require that no other power should
coloniZe or possess the Sandwich Islands,
or exercise over their Government an in
| fiuence which would lead to partial or ex-
elusive favors in matters of navigation or
trade"
The people of the United States and of
Hawaii have looked to annexation as man.
| ifest destiny, and the failure of the treaty
sent to the Senate by President Harrison
on its peremptory withdrawal by his sue
cessor was a staggering blow to the hopes
of both Americans and Hawaiians. The
real sense Of our people was voiced by the
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
/ in their report of March 16, 1898, as fol-
lows:
1.-The full ownership Of the Hawaiian
Islands is indispensable to the commerce
of the United States, In respect of its de-
velopment and safety, and equally indis-
pensable as to the defense Of our Pacific
coasts"
The preceding remarks indicate the con-
sentative sentiment of the Congress of the
| United States in relation to the necessity
of annexation. This sentiment was great
ly emphasized by the events of the recent
war with Spain and heightened by the ma
val victories at Manila and elsewhere. so
that Congress on the 7th of July. $685.
adopted joint resolution to provide for
annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the
United States. This resolution declares
that the cession of those islands by the
Government of the Republic of Hawaii is
accepted, ratified and confirmed, and that
| they are thereby declared to be annexed as
part of the territory of the United States
In pursuance of the further provisions of
this resolution, Commission, consisting
of the following five persons, was appoint
ed by the President to recommend to Con-
gress such legislation concerning the Ha-
waiian Islands as they should deem neces-
sary and proper: Senator Shelby NJ. Gull
| lom. of Illinois. Chairman; Senator John
Il. Morgan. of Alabama; Representative
Robert II. Hit, of Illinois; President San
ford b. Dole, of Hawaii; Judge Walter f.
Fear, of Hawaii.
The Commissioners met at Honolulu on
the 18th day of August, 1893, and held
their sessions in the Government Building,
formerly the Palace Of King Kalakaua
and of the late Queen Lliuokalani. Daily
sessions were held for several weeks, and
all matters pertaining to the future Gov
eminent of the islands were fully and free
lly considered. The principal question
which confronted the Commission was the
form of the Government to be recommend
ed for adoption. The Commission dis
cussed the question whether there should
be established a Colonial Government for
the islands, a Government by a Commits
sion, as in the District of Columbia, or a
Territorial form of Government much af-
ter the fashion of the Territorial Govern
ments heretofore established for the Da-
kotas, Idaho and other Territories which
have since become States. The Commits
sion considered with care all the questions
J involved, and unanimously determined
that the colonial system should not DO re-
commended; neither did they favor the
suggestion of Government by a Commits
sion, but believed that every consideration
of duty demanded a Territorial form Of
Government in harmony with past prece-
dents, taking into account the history Of
the islands, the relation they have sus-
tanned to the United States, their fitness
/ for aelf- INV ernm emf and thu norfanf;nn ~