The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-17
MONDAY APRIL Il, 1898.
A REPUBLIC NOT WANTED.

ought to become republic is favorite |
one of Hon. r. w. Wilcox and Of
others who, like him, have despared
of the monarchy but have retained a |
love of insular independence. In the
belief of this political class the time is
now at hand to drop the thought of an
nexation, as we'll as of royalty, and to
merge all efforts into one great strike
for democratic institutions under the
Hawaiian flag.
In taking ground against this plan it
is not the STARS purpose to question
the good intent of Mr.. Wilcox and his
party nor to stand in the way of any
reasonable development Of republican
ideas. The question, as it presents it
self to us, is mainly one of expediency
and political wisdom, into which the
ethics of democracy do not enter
In the first place Hawaiian republic
would be the weakest power in the
Pacific ocean, occupying a place which
two or three strong powers covet
Unable to defend itself, the time might
readily come when it would be seized
and occupied by the particular nation
that would need it for naval purposes
In the event Of great maritime wal its
rights would not be respected by any
belligerant who could use its vantage
ground against an enemy. To be sure
the United States could often be de
pended on to interfere in its favor, but
that reliance might not serve at some
critical time any better than the conf
dence of the Papal States in French
guardianship did in the days of the
Italian occupation.
Again, Hawaiian republic could
not manage its domestic concerns with,
out grave perplexity and danger. We
have here large japanese population
which wants the suffrage. If it should
obtain it, the republic would soon be
ruled by the Orientas, or if not, they
would have SO much to say in its gov
eminent as to destroy American conf,
dence in Hawaiian values and to retard
the advance of liberal and Christian
ideas. The Chinese, also, might in
cline to take a hand in demanding
things. To accept the Orientals as
citizens would, we think, fetter the re-
public altogether; to deny their right
to participate in Hawaiian affairs might
arouse the stern hostility of the foreign
office at Toxic and of the Tsung Ii
Yamen-whereupon, what would de.
fenceless Hawaiian republic be able to
do to enforce its wishes and maintain
its policyn
Admitting for the sake of argument
that some of these ideas are purely
conjectural, still it must be acknowledge
ed that so long as the conjectures have
basis no one will risk new capital here
or do very much to develop isIar &
properties. If it is prosperity We arc
after, as well as liberty, we must &C
stable Government and AIDE
ction. A republic offer
is synonym, so far as i
avail mel, of recurrent cleo
49, a clash of races at the poll
the Legislature, coercion from
j and perhaps, in the long run,
ject Of Japan in the presidential
hair. Annexation on the other hand
means that law and order will be pre-
served, that property titles will be mad
so secure that American and European
capital will come here in prodigiou
volume, that commerce will expan,
and that American fortresses, fleets an,
cannon will see to it that no foreig
power can lay siege to these island
with impunity. On the one side
weakness and failure; on the othe
strength and success.