The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-15

SOnallty ana retentiOu OF Ming DoihDoia.
Wilson is said to be daring fellow, not
educated, but intelligent and able; man
who would make short work of his enc
mics if he was not restrained by the pres
ence of American warships in the harbor
and the knowledge that the sympathies OF
the foreign residents were not with HIM.
He doubtless arrested his political ene-
mics, fearing that if he did not they might
organize popular rising that would force
his retirement from the court. Revolu-
tons in Honolulu are generally bloodless,
but this is due chiefly to the presence and
mediation of foreign residents.
Wilson hoped by his arrests to provoke
resistance. when he would have had mar
tial law proclaimed and executed his polit-
ical enemies at once, as he previously Sc
cured from the queen commission with
date in blank to proclaim martial law at
his discretion. The presence of Admiral
Brown with the San Francisco acted as
restraint upon Wilson, and he did not ex-
ecute his original design of shooting the
arrested men. The Liberal party in Ha-
waii are secretly anxious for republic, as
the present royalty wastes the public
money, costs 100000 annually, makes
taxation excessive. which falls heaviest
on the poor natives. at whose expense
rich foreigners are favored. Wilcox. one
of the Liberals arrested, is halfbreed, ed
ucated in Italy. The death of King Kala-
kaua revived the discussion of the annex
alton of the islands, and there is a general
agreement of American opinion that this
voutly to be wished.
OF the commercial value of the Ha-
waiian group there is no dispute, but their
strategic consequence to US as prospec-
lively great naval power is the overpow-
ering argument for annexation. The area
of the islands is four millions of acres well
adapted for the cultivation of sugar cane,
rice and coffee. The average yield of sugar
is two and half tons per acre, and in
some localities seven tons per acre have
been obtained. These islands are indebted
for their civilization to the United States
rather than to England, and we offer to-
day the principal market for their pro-
ducts.
In 1874 the independence of these islands
was guaranteed by an agreement between
France, England and the United States.
This agreement has ceased to have any
present validity by the change of the
political situation since 1914. England,
in face of a similar agreement with
France has assumed a protectorate over
Zanzibar, just as. in face of the Bulwer
and Clayton treaty, she erected q protec-
torate over Balize in Yucatan. England
could not fairly oppose International as
sent to our annexation of the Hawaiian
islands, whose qualified electors are by
large majority undoubtedly in favor Of
union with this country. France could
offer no opposition, for she has no inter-
ests in connection with the Hawaiian
group. Germany and France would natur-
ally welcome the occupation of the most
important strategic position in the North
Pacific by another naval power than Eng
land, whose absorption of Polynesia these
powers desire to obstruct.
The time has been when we probably
could have secured control of these ISL
ands, but We let our opportunity slip as
we did in the case of San Domingo and
st. Thomas. The construction of the
Nicaragua canal and its protection by the
United States will force US to become
great naval power, and 1t Is therefore the
policy OF the United States to lose no fair
opportunity of acquiring naval and coal
ing stations in the West Indies and in
the Gulf of Mexico and in the Pacific
ocean from the Isthmus of Darien to the
Hawaiian islands.
We have only to glance at map of the
world to note the wisdom of England's
foreign policy, which has encircled the
earth with chain Of naval stations and
coaling depots. If legitimate oppor-
tunity ever offers itself we should obtain
control of this fine group of islands.