The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1890-03-18

| 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. lsf
1t should also be remembered that il
the proposed treaty goes through, other
| powers would have the highest right to
insist that the United States observe her
written pledge to guarantee our indie
pendence against herself for all time
TO come.
Alter reading Mr.. Davies forlorn view
OF the inevitable results of accepting a
| guarantee OF Independence from the
United States and viewing the alarming
| picture be paints OF our ForeignOffice with
Uncle Sam at the door and in % con-
troll, !" it is interesting to note that the
| United States has for the past forty years
guaranteed to the Republic OF Granada
and its successor &c the perfect neutrality
| of the Isthmus of Panama and its sove-
reignty and property over the same, y
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,
Tor II his contention is correct that such
a guarantee puts our Foreign office in
the control of the United States, joint
guarantee including Great Britain and
Germany Favored by most opponents OF
the proposed treaty. would by parity
| OF reason result simply in adding the
Kaiser and John Bull to the obnoxious
presence of Uncle Sam in that depart
ment of our Governments result which
however much for the interests OF those
two powers-would be no better and
probably lar worse for the ''poor Ha-
waiian" who in this discussion is, it is
understood the sole objective point of
Mr.. Davies sympathies.
1t may be said, why not let we'll
enough alone We have treaty, and
good times, and there is no occasion or
call for this new departure on the part OF
the Cabinet which seems likely to lead
us into unforeseen complications instead
Of any betterment of our condition.
Ii we could sail on forever as we now
are we could ask for nothing better.
There is not country on Gods footstool
so prosperous as We are. There is not
one which could according to our size
and population, begin to rival us, if pre-
sent conditions continue. But the future
is full of uncertainties for us as people
and nation, and in times of peace We
and more particularly our Cabinets for
US, must prepare for war. Across the
water Congress sits to-day debating over
the tariff with the prospects of making
heavy reductions in the duty on sugar,
and ultimately OF making the experiment
of abolishing it altogether. In 1894 the
treaty itself may be terminated. The
extreme difficulty attending its last re-
newal promises unfavorably for further
renewal, except on a different basis.
None of these contingencies are either
remote or unlikely, and the proposition
of the. Cabinet to make an effort to have
our sugar and all our other products
placed permanently by the United States
upon the same footing as her own pro-
end devoutly to be wished for.
We certainly should be content to face
the future if we know that we shall have
no other essential or different obstacles
to contend with than the rice and sugar
producer in the States must meet as
well. With him We should be willing to
take pot luck for better or worse. If he
can stand an abolition of the duty on
rice and sugar and still live, that is proof
to US that we can do the same. II our
American friend cannot do this, and the
tariff is restored or he is given bounty,
the United States will have to do the
same by us.
1t may be said that the United States
would never consent to such PROPOSE
ton, but there's nothing like trying for
it and certainly there is no reason why
Mr.. Davies and others should discourage
the attempt, or that part of the attempt
which is the only lever that can be
used to secure what we want, i. e.
frank recognition on paper by US
of existing political relations with our
neighbor Some gentlemen evidently
expect to have our present treaty re-
newed or the larger advantages Of the
proposed treaty secured by simply ask
ing for them, relying doubtless upon the
pleasure of giving, as the only induce
ment we need suggest to our neighbor
for SO doing. These gentlemen expect
the Cabinet to make bricks without
straw, but the truth is we have no right
to expect or ask for the exceptional pri-
vileges in question except upon the
basis that the claim of the United States
upon our political recognition exceeds
that of all other nations and in turn
therefore we ask exceptional CONNER
cial recognition that we could not other
wise expect. The United States can
hardly expect to hedge in our ambition
to better ourselves by close political and
commercial relations with other powers
if she does not at the same time hold
out to us from her own hands compen-
sating advantages for otherwise her posi-
ton would be unjust and hardship
upon US.
In conclusion let us hope that the
Ministry so far from receding from their
position on treaty revision, or craw-fish-
ing out of it, will hold to it through thick
and thin. To stay in Office is neither
here nor there. To do what they con-
ceive to be for the true and best interests
of thic oOr1ptrv whpthQr at Dresant en-