The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-04-12
THE FATE OF HAWAII.

luC lOliOWluS dIblClS was DuD-
lished in the S. F."CalF' March 25,
1889:
The news from Hawaii shows that
for the present the danger of revo-
luton has been averted by the sur
render Of the islands to foreign con-
troll. The King accepts the position
of cipher, and the real business of
administering public affairs is in the
hands of few persons speaking the
English language and hailing origin
ally either from this country or from
the British Colonies or from Great
Britain. Behind these are compact
body of Cinnamon, who, by act
ing as a unit, seem to have acquired
considerable political power, and
bid fair by and by to exercise con-
siderable influence over the native
Parliament. The Ksnaka has nearly
disappeared from view, so far as
politics and government are con-
cerned, 1t is evident that the islands
have reached that stage in their his
tory when their old institutions and
the native race are fading away in
the presence of the foreigner. Is
it safe for this country to watch the
evolutions Of the new regime with
out taking any forethought for the
future?
Some courses of action are so in
evitable in given contingencies that
they may be set down as future cer-
tainties. 1t is absolutely certain
that in the event of war with any
maritime power the United States
would have to occupy the Sandwich
Islands for the protection of this
Coast. We could no more allow
them to remain as they are, a de-
fenseless prey to any foreign invader,
than we could suffer the foreigner
to occupy the islands of Santa Bar
bara. The first step which Secre-
tary of the Navy would order in the
event of war would be the occupa-
ton of the strategic points on the
islands. Is it wise to postpone this
action until it becomes necessary to
take it in the hurry of the opening
of campaign? If the thing has
got to be done had it not be better
done at once-coolly, deliberately,
after due and ample notice to all
parties concerned?
Again, the Hawaiian group is be-
coming an important center of pro-
duction and commerce. The sugar
crop this year is reckoned at 13O,-
600 tons, nearly twice as much as
the Louisiana crop. OF rice, the
islands yield some ten million pounds
annually, and the product of fruit
and hides is large. Coffee has not
yet been q success on the islands,
but that will come. The population
is small, owing TO the excessive
mortality among the Kanakas ;about
half the present population is of
foreign birth, consisting mainly of
Chinese, Portuguese and japanese.
This handful of people, however,
produce so much merchandise that
the exports of native produce are
larger per head than anywhere else
in the world. 1t stands to reason
that the production will increase.
This is rather fine territory to be
, lying off our coast absolutely in
search of an owner.
The time has passed when filibust-
erers of Southern birth went ram
, paging round the world seeking
- what territory they could devour
for the propagation of slavery. The
modern American citizen seeks no
unwilling partners in his firm. But if
the people of the Sandwich Islands,
after due notice, should deliberately
,, vote that their interests would be
promoted by annexation to the
Union, we believe that we ought to
accept them, and to maintain the
annexation, if necessary by force.
1t is not probable that anything of
the kind would be necessary. II
notice were served on England,
France and Germany that The United
States, for reasons to themselves
satisfactory, withdrew drew from
the compact by which they agreed
not to extend their dominion over
the islands, some correspondence
d would probably follow, but the fur.
}. ry would end there. No European
power has or can have any interes,
in the islands. Certainly none OF
=. them would 60 to the expense of {
i war to prevent their accomplishing
II an inevitable destiny. Europe a:
5 well as the United States would
Il benefit by their passing under th'
American flag, and the danger of al
imbroglio similar to the one whicl
IS has arisen over Samoa would b.
:. averted.
1t