The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-11-15
THE HAWAIIAN SENSATION.

The proposed treaty with Hawaii,
the text of which was published
exclusively in a late edition,
marks a new and dangerous de-
parture from our traditional foreign
policy. 1t is especially inopportune
Just at this time. The representa-
tives of all the American nations are
our guests. They are conscious of
our overwhelming power and sensi-
tive to the possibility of dictation or
aggression. We desire to give them
confidence in our just and friendly
intentions. European Governments
are striving to Undue them with the
idea that we aim to make use OF
them to forward ambitious schemes
of territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Once
let them imagine that we cherish
any such desire and the congress
will be worse than a failure. The
suggested Hawaiian treaty could not
serve the purposes of our European
rivals more perfectly if it had been
drafted in London. Its inevitable
effect must be to SOW diStrust Of our
Observation-Disclosures in the minds of
those we are most anxious to con-
vince Of our good intentions. Ii we
are to have a protectOrate over Ha-
wall, with the right to supervise all
treaties with foreign powers and to
land troops in the country whenever
we think best, the republics of
Spanish America cannot fail to ask
themselves, as our turn to come
next?" Instead of being trusted
and revered elder brother, we are In
danger of coming to be regarded as
an odiOus bully.
And the worst feature Of the new
departure is its wanton needless
Nothing in our relations with Ha-
wall has made any such measure
necessary. Our position there is i'm
pregnable. We have simply to lei
it be tacitly understood, as it is al
ready understood, that we shall not
tolerate any European interference
with the Government. No power on
earth would venture to take Hawaii
against our will.
The United States is too great to
engage in diplomatic scheming. We
want nothing from outside powers
but what is just, and when we make
up our minds that certain thing Is
just, we do not need to depend upon
sharp practice to secure our rights
We have no desire for aggression
anywhere, aud the weaker the coun-
try against which the aggression
might be directed the less pleasing
would any appearance of dOmineer-
ing be to the American people.
We have a unique opportunity in
our international relations. Already
the greatest power in the world, and
soon to be greater than any two OF
three combined, we can set an ex-
ample of absolute justice and good
will in our dealings with other ma
tions that will go far toward raising
the whole tone of diplomatic life.
The nations of the world have occu
pied towards each other the relations
of a gang of savages, casually thrown
together and each watching his
chance to club his neighber. We
can substitute for that primitive
anarchy the customs of society OF
gentlemen. To do so is the honest
desire of the American people. In
entire good faith, and without any
mental reservation whatever, we wish
to see all our neighbors prosperous
self-respecting and independent
We do not desire to bully them or to
make use of them for any purposes
of ours which are inconsistent with
their own interests. Inspired by such
ideas, we sent out the invitations to
the Pan-American Congress, intend
ing to discuss in good faith measures
which we believe would benefit all
the countries concerned. That Con
gress bids fair to begin a new era in
the feelings of nations towards each
other It would be a calamity to the
world if we should destroy its effects
by displaying ouselves in Hawaii as
selfish schemers.-T S, T. Examiner