The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-03-14

her demands Dy or 10 tfle extent Oh taxing
away or compromising our independence.
That is precisely the recognized position
of the United States to-day, and when
Mr. Davies intimates that such posi-
ton stated on paper compromises our in |
he admits, in effect, that |
our independence is already compro- |
missed.
The King has power, says Mr.. Davies, |
to make treaties under the Constitution,
but does any one suppose that the United
States will not now resist as vigorously
and precisely to the same extent as 1.-THE
proposed treaty had gone through, any
treaty on our part with Foreign power
which affects American supremacy here?
Does not the United States take the posi-
ton now that We cannot make treaties
which are incompatible with the inter
ests OF the American nation, and this
though every constituency in the King
dom voted for that and the King and
Cabinet supported them?
The proposed treaty SO far as its pollti-
cal features are concerned, while it gives
an additional means or safeguard to the
United States relative to proposed trea-
ties with Foreign powers by providing
for inspection for the same, is otherwise
Slllp!S ucCldIdlOIs vi Tue
which now and in the nature OF things
III the future, must govern our relations
with our neutral neighbor and our ma
tural market, and which in turn must
govern our neghbor in dealing with isl
ands which in unfriendly or possibly un-
friendly hands, would be an undue
menace to her commerce in the
North Pacific. l therefore restate
ha ,,rn,nSJtfnn that tho nrnnnGaI
treaty while apparently affecting
our independence simply preserves
it as it now practically exists. In any
other sense no other European power
whatsoever is to-day Independent. But
it may be said that while the United
States may make the above pretensions
it does not follow that they are just or
should be admitted on our part 1t
seems to me that the strength OF these
pretensions lies in their very justice.
They are as just as it was that England
should tell Spain in the war OF the Span
ish succession who should or should
not be her own king or queen, or that
England should have say in the status
of Constantine Die in disputes between
Turkey and Russia. Fifty millions of
people with vast territory bordering on
| the Pacific ocean and with an unbounded
commercial future before them, have
natural right to a say in certain of our
| affairs which are as inherent, just and
| strong as the claim of our abOriginees to
| their say in such affairs also, and the
claim OF the United States toehow before
| hand whattreaties We are negotiating with
| other powers and her guarantee OF our
| independence, coupled with a declara-
| ton to other powers Hands off ~ con-
| stitutes neither a menacing or unreason-
| able position for her to take, and is in
marked contrast with the wholesale APP
| preparation of the islands of the Pacific
| by European powers that has been going
on of late years, and the modest appor-
| tionment and dsmemberment of the
| continent by these powers now going on
| before her very eyes, by which hundreds
| of thousands OF square miles and millions
/ OF men in Africa are unconsciously being
made subject to municipalities and powers
| whose very existence are unknown to
| the cipients of their attention.
Mr.. Davies assertion that there is not
money enough in the British exchequer,
nor in the treasury OF the United States,
to make it right for either England or the
| United States to tamper with the Ha-
waiian birthright, is absurd, unless he is
rising up in judgment on his own nation
| for the process by which she has girdled
the globe and by which the sun never
| sets on her dominion, state of affairs
! which Abe. Lincoln said with wink,
the Lord had permitted because he found
| he could not trust our English friends in
| the dark.
1t may be said and with reason that
England, through her Canadian and
Australian possessions, is interested
(perhaps equally interested) with the
United States in the future OF these
| islands, and that she also has commerce
to be assailed by an unfriendly power in
possession of the same. Ii this is the
case, there is nothing to prevent Eng
land, as far as one can see, from Offering
| us her guarantee OF independence, and
requiring that before We make any
treaties We let her also know their con-
| tents.
1t should also be remembered that il
| the proposed treaty goes through, other
powers would have the highest right to
I insist that the United States observe her
written pledge to guarantee our indie
pendence against herself for all time
| to come.
After reading Mr.. Davies forlorn view
OF the inevitable results OF accepting a
guarantee of independence from the
United States and viewing the alarming
picture he paints of our ForeignOffice with
Uncle Sam at the door and in g con.
troll it is interesting to note that the
United States has for the past forty years
guaranteed to the Republic of Granada
and it's successor Z" the perfect neutrality
OF the Isthmus of Panama andlts sove.
reignty and property over the same, u
and the public has yet to learn that
Panama has become Uncle Sans Tunis
Zanzibar or Egypt thereby.
Mr.. Davies proves altogether too
much by his argument against the indi
vidual guarantee of the United States
for if his contention is correct that such
guarantee puts our Foreign office in
the control of the United States, joint
guarantee including Great Britain and
Germany Favored by most opponents o
the proposed treaty. would by parity
of reason result simply in adding the
| Kaiser and John Bull to the obnoxiou:
presence OF Uncle Sam in that depart
| ment OF our Governmental result which
however much for the interests OF those
two pOwers-wouLd be no better anC
probably far worse for the "poor Ha
waiian" who in this discussion is, it is
understood the sole objective point O
Mr. Davies sympathies.
1t may be said, why not let wei
enough alone. We have a treaty, ant
good times, and there Is no occasion o.
call for this new departure on the part o
the Cabinet which seems likely to leaC
us into unforeseen complications instead
nt bot Of