The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1868-10-28
The Hawaiian Island Treaty.

We publish in another column suggestive
document touching the treaty which failed
10 receive the sanction Of the Senate during
its recent session The case, as stated, Is
from the American point Of view. and prob
ably contains s pretty good summary OF the
reasons which operated against the treaty.
Their. can be 10 question that there has been
s considerable change in public opinion COZ
corning the deSirShleneSs of such : treaty 81
this junefure of affairs. The American view
Is, TO be sure, only one aspect Of the case.
But il Is much broader one than hiss been
taken upon the other side; and although
the opinions published viii be subject 70
some dissent, YET We have been surprised 70
ind how largely these. or nearly similar
r<iews, obtain among our own oountrymen,
both AZ the Islands and elsewhere
There was probably one fatal principle in
volTed in this tueaty. The admission Of s1-
gzrs, duty free, from foreign country would
have been one Ofthe moSt anomalous eoneeS-
sions ever made by the Government The
reciprocity would have been in theory, much
more than in practice II one sugar refinery
could draw sugars from the Islands free OF
duty. why should not another do the sane
thing with respect 70 Peruvian or China 81
gz-t And why should : refinery in San
Francisco be put upon $ better footing in
this respect than one in NeT York, which
depends upon the Havana market for sup
:
just recovering from prostrziion, would dis
cover in sEch principle or1el discrimius-
ton against them II free trade Is really :
good thing, then the whole country should
enjoy its benefits But : treaty which fails
Of the sanction Of American citizens, who
for years have been interested in the pros
parity Of the Islands, viii Be likely 10 chsl-
lenge the closest scrutiny ~ Washington
This has slready happened: and il may be
taken As reasonably certain that the whole
matter IS arrested, with little prospect Of any
further action II present We can afford 70
wait for the ripenins Of events
II the Islands are not prosperous il i not
the f11lf Of Americans, who have done uore
for their development than al other people
The newest and renotest Stale in the Union
does not fxn Of prosperity. WhT should
these Islands. 50 Astounding in natural re
sources. md Ehere some show Of eoasiit1-
Eo1A government has been maintained for
forty yezrss The Truth Is, the Islands are
too small and too remote TO attain the great
est prosperity IS an independent Kingdom.
4 prosperity founded upon weakness and
isolation i always s fiful and vanishing one
The native dynasty exists II the Islands, and
the evils are partly those Of royalty over
done We have before Is probably the bzSt
results which can be attained under the pres
ent rule That they do not satisfy the zspirz-
tons Of the people i evident enough That
the failure Eil Be even greater IN years 10
come, Is probable. But the treaty proposed
cures no evil, 81 least il the Judgment Of the
best-inforIaed American minds, but would
rather zggrzvzte old ones
The tronele Is radical one, and must Be
cured oT the people themselves. or borne hy
them, - they shall elect The time Was
when the Government Of the Islands sought
not only an alliance. but an incorporation
with the United States K ! possible tbzf
neither country vas ripe for the unio1- Il
Is certain thxt our oEl entertained the pro
position with unzccouniAble eoolnesz- And
il IS hardly les certain that this wsnt Of en-
husiasu Vas great misfortune TO the Hs-
vaiiAn Islands. The whole Kingdom. in the
matter Of population, wealth and influence,
Is not 50 important As the CITY Of San Fran
cisco, which has been chiefly built Up since
the first proposition for annexation MAS en-
tsrsxined and unfortunately discarded Cali
forniA, q Mexican TERRITORY, Vas miserable
province As : member Of the Federal
Union, she Is The most prosperous Of Ssztes-
Aillo1s Of money have been spent for forts,
arsen2ls nzTJ Yards. lighthouses. etc, which
never could have been done for an isolated
province The Hawaiian Kingdom asks for
Tie benefit Of our markets. but i aTerSe TO
the relations Of State The pride Of race
and dynasty, falling year BY year, Is too much
for n alliance with one Of the strongest na-
tons On the globe II Is not the Federzl
Union which would derive the chief benefit
We have territory enozgh 70 czrTe OFT TWEEN
q new states, ever one Of which would
show, n ten years sffer admission, Al sssess-
neot ren equal in rzlue to these Islands.
he HEEziiza Kingdom needs the benefits
Of State alliance for her Own sake, and for
the immediate benefit which would come
from Is 10 her Eilin< Interests and falling
population There would Be 10 need fhe1
q Commercial trezties; or ports To1l6 Be
Free: The reciprocity q sister States, and the
outlay for G0vsrnmenf defenses. would in
angurste such an era Of material prosperity