The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-01-17

The opinion is general that there must have been
some undcrhanded proceedings 20 stir up such
strong feelings Of excitement in the soldiers and
with the people generally The action Of the
Honolulu authOrIties-as stated by the papers
subsequently, receivcd-excited some surprise and
i taken ~ n confession Of weakness and utter
incompetence. The whole affair has undoubtedly
injured the interests Of the islands. Judging
altogether from the discussions IN the ADVERTISER,
Ga-sffe, Ni0tou and Huok0a, il looks as though
some men were purpsely arousing i'll feeling IN
the native heart against Americans a. a class and
foreigners generally-refeXively. MOst undoubt-
edly, there are Americans 1T the islands who
most earnestly favor annexation, and who Halter
themselves that they represent the sentiment OF
the United States. No denial Of such a feeling
by the people Of the States has appeared at any
time, and the natives have therefore become
imbued with the notion that this country, ike a
huge hungry shark, lies ready for a spring at the
life Of Hawaii and will swallow that little Pacific
morsel at the slightest pretext. 1t is wholly
incorrect, and the ADVERTISER Will do well 70
give the lie as widely as possible to such inJuri-
Gus ideas. Were the question: Shall the Ha-
waiian Islands be aunexed?' submitted to the
American people to-day, it would be voted down
by a vast majority. California perhaps would
vote in favor thereof, and it is certain that the
New York Herald would thunder in its favor
but when it is considered that that paper would
be in favor Of annexing anything, from a stray
iceberg 10 the rest Of the world, and that 1t
generally is in the wrong, such support would
not amount TO much. And if IL is not enough TO
state the public sentiment now, you have the ma
tional condemnation Of Stewards purchase Of
Alaska, and of Grants San Domingo scheme.
This people care not for territorial aggrandizement,
it is a commercial nation, and in all things the
pecuniary cost is counted. The west holds the
balance Of power and with their vast resources
yet undeyeloped, anything tending to withdraw
interest or capital from them is j~ealously regarded.
The nation is however in favor of treaties which
will increase the commercial power and add any
thing to the national wealth, but even then all
clauses Of ENHANCEMENT are looked upon with
suspicion. In that commercial spirit exists the
hope Of success for a reciprocity treaty, and its
passage depends a great deal upon whether the
coming session. placing it where it will do the
most good" One other point may be Of interest
to readers-that a treaty Of reciprocity bet1een The
islands and the United States lUithouk ceSSion Of
Pearl RiUer Bay iCiH be as fdUOrdJky received By
the Senate, as lCish that cession for an additional
EndketCsight. The reason Of this is because of
the probable great expense of making that harbOr
available, and as stated above, the money question
is of gravest importance to an American. With
out use, the possession Of Eva lagoon by the
United States would be merely a barren expense
with but one advantage in the eyes of the average
Congressman, that is, an Office or Offices to be
filled would be created, and the force of that
idea to a Congressman can be best illustrated by
a sentence, slightly varied from Dickens,
90 Our Mutual Friend.'' " Without offices (po-
litical) existence would be unilluminated by a
ray of hope" With which this epistle
close. leaving the "Spanish question " and
the Z" Ring Trials " for q future letter. o. X.