The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-11-02
7 H Z
THE P0LYNESIAN QUESTION.

A long and remarkable review Of the
foreign policy of the Hawaiian Kingdom,
more especially in its bearing upon what
is known in diplomatic circles as the
Polynesian question, appeared in the
London Times" Of September 23d, and
has been reprinted in our evening con
temporary, the Bulletin" Our avail
able space does not admit of its pre-
sentation in full in our paper to-day,
and indeed its local publication else
where renders this practically unneces-
sary.
The article is based upon the report OF
the Foreign Department by His Excel
lency Mr. Gibson TO the late Legislature,
but it travels outside this document, and
presents the strong points Of Hawaiian
commerce and industrial progress with
much care and accuracy. The Times
is to be congratulated upon the com
prehensive scope Of this article, upon its
minute knowledge Of details, and in the
presentation Of the case Of Ha waii in a
cogent and impressive way. And this
country, in its turn, is TO be congratu-
lated on having had 50 much attention
bestowed upon it by the oracle of Print
ing House Square. One cannot very
well Overestimate the Importance OF such
prominent recognition OF Hawaiian in
terests and policy by the London
Times" which, in sympathetic mood,
encourages the aspirations of this coun-
try to lead and guide other Polynesian
communities on the path of constitu-
tional government. With such backing
it would be very remarkable should any
miscarriage occur. The Endorsement is
unqualified and evidently sincere.
In one respect, however, we think this
article of the "Times" is not calculated
to strengthen the case of Hawaii in the
United States Congress, where so much
really depends upon preserving a per-
feet and unclouded understanding OF the
purposes and policy OF this Govern
ment. 1t argues as if the Hawaiian
Government were not only willing to
throw over the Reciprocity Treaty with
the United States in exchange for
similar Convention with the Dominion
Of Canada, TO be extended to Great
Britain by "the most favored nation"
clause, but that negotiations for that
purpose have in fact begun, through the
intervention of the Colonial Office, in
Downing street. This statement, it is
true, received a qualified contradiction
from Mr.. A. Hofnung, II. H. NJ s
Charge d'Affaires, London, in a letter
published in the Times" OF September
18th, and which will be found else
where in to-day's ADVERTISER. This
letter, however we'll intended, is GER
tainly not calculated to encourage the
opinion that the Hawaiian Government
will stand firmly by the Reciprocity
Treaty with the States, while it presents
our trading relations with England in the
most suggestive form. 1t is an argu-
ment addressed TO British interests in
cOntradlstinctiOn 10 American interests, /
with which Hawaii is so closely identi- /
fed
We cannot suppose for moment that /
such a policy receives encouragement |
from the Hawaiian Government. The /
Pacific Coast States and Territories for /
the present furnish our best and most /
available market, and the Reciprocity /
Treaty confers special advantages which |
our planters and merchants fully under
stand BY treaty with the United States
they have direct access, without the paw
ment Of duty, to a consuming population
OF sixty millions of people, and it is not
reasonable to suppose that it is for the
best interests Of our producers to abandon
this market for one which at best does
not guarantee over four million con
sumers, handful only of whom live
upon the Pacific Coast, and obtain most
of their supplies from San Francisco
As q business proposition, therefore, this
exchange Of the Dominion market for
that of the States is untenable; as a
political move it is not more promising.
If this article and explanatory letter
from the Hawaiian Charge d'Afaires
had appeared in less responsible and