The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-03-01
AnneXation.-No. !.

In considering this subject, there are four questions
to be presented to the public
1st DO the people of the United States desire the
annexation of the Hawaiian Islands?
2nd.-Do the people of the Hawaiian Islands desire
annexation
DIV not the independence of these islands be
more beneficial to the people and to the commerce Of
the world than annexation to any foreign powerH
4th.-Cannot a treaty be effected between the
United States and these islands, which will be the
strongest guaranty Of their independence and lay tho
permanent foundation of their prosperity?
On the first proposition we need only refer to the
recent efforts to annex San Domingo to the United
States, and the hostility it encountered, not only in
! both branches of Congress-, but with the great mass
of the American people generally. If San Domingo,
containing SANTANA Bay, the best harbor in the West
Indies, and in the hands of a great commercial
power, the key of the Gulf of Mexico, situated in
proximity to the extended southern line of sea coast
of the United States and in the direct path of their
Mexican, South American and African commerce,
should be rejected by the American Congress and
people against the wishes and efforts Of a popular
Presldent,-what superior inducements or claims do
these islands present to effect n radical change in leg
islative and popular sentiment? Then, the offer Of
annexation came from the people of San Domingo,
expressed by a popular vote, fully and freely. But
there were grave and serious considerations operating
on the minds of Senators and Congressman and the
mass of the people against annexation. The imme-
date advantages were apparent, but the annexation
of that island involved the question of q departure
from the line of policy of not extending their terrific
rial acquisitions beyond the continent, heretofore
pursued by the Great Republic, and which it was
deemed unwise and i~mpOlitic to abandon. Questions
of international complication also doomed up in the
future and had their weight. In certain commercial
centres there was q strong party In favor Of annexa-
ton, but the great west and the south were almost
unanimous in opposition to the measure, and that
opposition would be stronger to the proposition of an
insular annexation far away in the Pacific Ocean. 1t
is highly probable that a party on the Pacific slope,
whose centre would be San Francisco, would favor
the annexation of these islands. But the party
uonI6 no local md aDhpmeral its Influence wouli
scarcely extend beyond the Sierra Nevada mountains,
and would die away as rapidly as the Game Cock ex-
citement in 1851. Independent of the departure
from a settled line of policy and questions of interna-
tional complication, there are other serious considera-
tons which would present themselves to the minds Of
the American people.
Would the advantages of annexation be equivalent
to the vast amount of expenditure which it would be
necessary to incur to protect and govern these
islands? By annexation, the United States would
acquire 5000 square miles of territory, one-fourth Of
which has the capacity Of producing the staple
tropical productions. The remainder is composed of
pasture lands, undecomposed volcanic materiale,
rugged and barren mountains and dry thirsty dis
tricts. There is but one harbor on the islands that
could be converted into a naval station, and that at
great cost, the Bay Of Eva, or Pearl River. The
bays of Hilo and kealakeakua, are not of sufficient
capacity, nor are they so situated as to be made
available for that purpose. The acquisition Of popu-
lation would be about % 900. 1t would be necessary
to organize q territorial government for their protec-
ton, and such influx Of population as annexation
would occasion.
After annexation, all the articles imported from
the United States, which now pay duty, would be
imported free, and the ordinary revenue derived
from other imports as q basis Of calculation, would
not exceed 500, 900 for each fiscal year. 1t is true
that there would be an accession of population, in
fation of prices and an increase of commercial
activity and business. This would be at the outset
and not permanent. In q few years the fever of ex-
element would subside, and a lethargy would succeed.
The cause of this would be our small territory,
where there is no room for q large population and
where there can be no expansion. We can have no
net work of railroads trayersing a continent and no
Geographic wires making homogeneous the people
and the thoughts Of a great nation, like the United
States. More than 1900 miles Of sail or. steam