The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-04-14

President Cleveland has withdrawn
the Hawaiian treaty. Whether thai
means that he is opposed to anne2;a-
ton, or merely TO some of the terms
of the treaty is yet TO be aseertained.
A Tribune representative called
upon Rev. w. c.. Merritt, pastor Of
the Congregational Church of this
city, and gentleman well posted on
Hawaiian affairs, he having been for
seven years President OF Oahu College
at Honolulu, to get bis views OF the
matter. Mr.. Merritt was in his study
in the church, and he has evidently
been refreshing his memory of late in
regard to the Sandwich Islands, as q
large map of the Islands was hanging
on the wall and Hawaiian literature
of various kinds, including copies of
the HAWAIIAN GAZETTE, was to be
seen In every direction. The reporter
found him very willing TO talk, and
his long residence on the Islands and
intimate acquaintance with the situa-
Siou makes his remarks of much more
than ordinary Interest Just now. In
answer TO the question as TO what he
thought of President CleveIandfs ae-.
ton in withdrawing the Hawaiian
Treaty, be said
off President Cleveland has with
drawn the treaty for the purpose of
amending is To meet his personal
views, there Is probably no wrong
done to either party. If the with
drawaI should prove an unfriendly act
toward the treaty, President Cleveland
Is assuming very grave response
bfEity.
4That there are very great difficult
ties concerning the question of annex
alton, no thoughtful man will deny.
The labor question is especially sug-
gestive of difficulty, under American
laws The work of the plantations
cannot be carried on with native Ia
Dor, and the. importation OF labor I'M
der contract Is contrary TO American
principles. There are, probably, on
the islands to-day I5,Go0 laborers who
IRE imported under contract, and who
are still under contract Moreover,
/ the ignorant class of men imported
for labor, fneiuding-sayy in round
Z
Japanese, makes jt i'm possible to think
of comforting upon them the elective
franchise. Also, the unstable and
TROPICAL character of the Hawaiians,
now in the third generation from saw
aaery, scarcely fits them for full eiti-
zenship. Another difficulty is the
great distance of this territory from
the United States.
But these difficulties, all of which
may be adjusted, seem TO me of very
slight weight compared with the adj
'vantages to this country.
'sThe Hawaiian nation and country
have been made what they are through
the influence of American agencies.
In IS20, the first missionaries of the
American board landed on the islands.
They found simply a spoken language
with no written records. Their first
work was to reduce the language to
writing, publish school and religious
literature and establish schools every
where throughout the group. Be
tween the years 1870 and iS49, the
American board sent a total of IA
men and women as missionaries to
the islands. They not only carried the
gospel and teachers for the schools, but
Instructors in earpentering, printing,
farming and other useful arts. They
rot only ChristianiZed, but to re-
Enarkable degree, civilized, the nation.
And out of the stinlulous and infiu-
snce of the new life the king, Kane
hameha I'LL, within quarter OF
century voluntarily surrendered his
iespotic powers and gave the people
constitution, established a judiciary
with q supreme court, gave each of
The common people little homestead
If land, and gave TO his chiefs and
.eunsellors larger tracts, all held in
ee simple and protected by wise land
egislation.
ITO the sous of these American
Missionaries, born upon the islands,
eihe nation Is indebted, more than to
my other class, for the wonderful
commercial and Industrial develop
nents. This was their native land;
hey were identified with it as with
10 other, and gave themselves to its
Internal development with all the en-
erprise and energy of aggressive
Dung Americans. The great planta-
Ions that have been developed have
cen, for the most part, honorably
7lrehased and adequate compensation
{yen for the land. They hold these
9sies in fee simple under the law OF
ne land, and have put into the plan
tslons millions Of dollars in the best
improvements and high grade ma
ainery."
How about the tales told by oppo-
ents OF annexation that the islands
e virtually owned and controlled by
tans Spreckeis, and that the annexa-
on movement is only private spec
latlon on his part for his own selfish
The facts will not warrant the sug-
sstlon In any wise, !" replied Mr.. Mer-
U. The men who have inaugurated
Provisional Government and have
Red for annexation Of the islands
pald spurn to be Mr.. SpreckeIs' tools,
ld are as absolutely Independent in
leIr action and judgment as any set
men could b.. That Mr.. Spreckels
large holdings there and vast COM
erciai interests is only a tribute to