The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-02-10
Bush and Annexation,

\
only hope for equal rights in THU
country lies in-shalI we say it
annexation I have not observed
that any notice has been taken O
this in either of the English papers
1t seems to me that it is worthy o
some discussion and notice.
l. 1t may be taken as the angry
cry and threat of defeated party
This party is the same that packed
the Legislature in 1886 with q
crowd of men who, by their actions
more than by anything else that
was done, brought about the revo-
luton of 1887. The Constitution
of 1887 created, more than we have
ever had in this country, equal
rights at the ballot box. We have
now in the Legislature, more than
ever before, equal representation of
all parties.
?. The true meaning of that sem
tence probably is that Messrs. Ash
ford, Bush, Wilcox and others
would be very glad to have the
conservative party of the country
make some declaration IN favor of
annexation, whereupon this trio
would begin bowling denunciatlons
against the conservatives or "mis-
sionaries" as they call those who
oppose them, and would try
to create anew the race pre-
judice which was wickedly re-
lied upon by them, to carry the
last election and which, thank
God, failed in its object.
3. 1t is probable also that Bush,
Wilcox and great many natives
would have the native Hawaiians
alone control the country, irrespec-
tive of the fact that they are less
than half of the population; pay
very much less than half of the
taxes, and own a great deal less than
half of the property of the country,
know perfectly we'll that if we were
annexed to the United States, the
changed conditions of suffrage
would probably put the political
control entirely in the hands of the
What that control would be is
we'll indicated by our political stu
alton prior to 81; also the condi-
ton of such cities as New York,
Chicago, San Francisco and other
large centres of population in the
United States which are controlled
by ignorant masses, who have
to lose and much to gam
by political corruption.
But our hopeful trio perhaps for
get that this same conservative
of the country would in
sist, if annexation ever were
brought about, that the Queen and |
the Royal Family should receive
full compensation and consideration
from Hawaii for the loss of income
upon the position of roy
atty. This compensation and recog-
milton of the rights of the Queen is
probably one of the things that the
bad element in the country would |
never wish to consider Therefore,
if annexation were brought about
by revolutionary measures, Her
Majesty might expect to be abso-
lutely disregarded, whereas if
brought about by conservative
measures she would expect and
would receive from the country full
compensation, and would continue
to occupy dignifed position in the
country.
There seems to be much misap-
prehension on the part of the Ha-
Waiians and some others here as to
what annexation would mean.
There is no doubt that the conser-
natives of Hawaii will oppose an
as long as it is contrary to
the wish of the majority of the ma
tive Hawaiians. But when that
majority can see that annexation
would rebound to the benefit Of the
entire country, probably they will
favor it, for the Hawaiian is pos
sessed of much shrewdness and
good sense. If Hawaii could, upon
its own motion, gain admittance to
the American Union as a Terri
tory, the condition would be
of very great advantage
to us. 1t could probably
be obtained on the condition to
be made in the enabling acts that
all of our political offices should be
filled by election from Hawaiian
residents. The expenses of terri
torial government are largely borne
by the Government at Washington,
so that the burden of maintaining
wharves, landings, lighthouses,
buoys and some of the public build
inrs would be taken from US, and
would be borne by the central
government. The salary of the
Governor would also be paid from
Washington. We should be relieved
of the very great expense of main
tanning a royal household and
family also the expense OF main
tanning full government with
diplomatic agents and representa-
tives in other countries. Our taxes
might even be reduced and stu
leave a vastly larger amount than
we now have to devote to internal
the building OF