The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-05-24

Gne brightest pages In the history OF
European nations are those that
record their heroic defense of their
colonies abroad. Did Greece or
Rome, pagan though they were, de-
sert their countrymen in other lands7
The Grecian and Roman citizen and
soldier would have looked with in
effable scorn on such a proposal.
Humanity, patriotism and states
manship, demand that the Hawaiian
Islands should be at once and for
ever placed under the American flag.
Besides the vast importance of the
American commercial and naval in
terests involved in the Hawaiian pro-
blem is the question of Christian
civilization in danger from an ANAL
gam of Polynesian and Oriental sem
sualism. Shall European or Amer
lean ideas of life, of morals, of re-
ligion, and of government planted
by American hands on those islands
of the ocean prevail? Or shall they
be uprooted and destroyed by OPP
posing forces7 Shall the Plymouth
Rock in the Pacific which American
Christian men and women for more
than half century have watched
and guarded with so much care, be
submerged by the tide of semi
heathenism and anarchy which now
threatens it2 Or shall that outpost
of American ideas, American law and
American interests-that ocean fort.
ress of Christian civilization front
ing the Asiatic world, be abandoned
to the iniquitous and selfish designs
of INSCRIPTIONS Adventures who
care nothing for country, for re-
ligion, for civilization itself. This is
one of the issues closely involved
in Hawaiian annexation, which the
men and women of America are now
called to decide. There are those of
narrow, provincial views, who are
like the snail that limits its domain
to it's own she'll, or like Diogenes,
who wanted to live only in his little
tub. Such as these opposed the an
nexation of Louisiana, of Texas, of
California and Alaska, saying that
our country was and is large enough.
Not so thought President Jefferson
when he repudiated his former con-
tracted theories of the Constitution
and for sixty millions of francs ac-
quired the domain so essential to
the future greatness of his country.
l remember, and some of you re-
member well, when these provincial,
special pleading theorists said:
"Why lumber up the nation by an
nexing far-off California, thousands
of miles across an arid, worthless
desert beyond the Rocky Noun
tains?"
Fortunately, our statesmen then
in power had not bats eyes-they
saw plainly that "the star of empire
westward takes it's way" 1t is in
vain that great nation thinks to
ignore the law of it's own life. 1t is
in vain that great nation attempts
to rid itself of its inevitable res
possibilities. Planted between the
two great oceans, with it's rapid
ly increasing population and
wealth, its immense material re-
sources, its tremendous energies, free
from the terrible burdens of armies
and debts which press upon the Eu-
ropean peoples, we cannot escape
our responsibilities if we would.
God and future posterity will hold
us accountable for our manner of
using what has been placed at our
command. Let it be remembered
that the question in issue is not of
race-of the white man against the
native Hawaiians, as it has been rep
resented. The supporters of anneXa-
| 40 Of hp
whites and the best of the native
Hawaiians. The opponents of an
nexation are chiefly the less respon-
sible of the native Hawaiian, led by
white Adventures. The solution OF
this Hawaiian problem should not
be influenced by partisan prejudices
In this regard we can take lesson
from Great Britain, whose states
men, whether Liberal or Tory, show
an unbroken front in their foreign
relations. To this firm, dignifed
and patriotic attitude towards other
nations Great Britain largely owes
her greatness.
| do not believe that the admins
tration of President Cleveland will
neglect this great American oppor-
tunity, careful and cautious as is its
duty to be. But in due time, and at
an early date, I believe it will not
fail of its great duty to the Amer
lean people. 1t will not postpone
that which cannot be long postpon-
ed without danger, and without put
ting the loyal American friends in
the Hawaiian Islands to grave anx.
ieties and grave perils. Those sunny
and beautiful islands of the North
Pacific, the fairest in all this mighty
area of waters, are as important tc
America as the islands Of the Medi
terranean are to Europe. These
gems of the ocean will be accepted
and placed among the jewels o.
Americas future crown Of empire
and glory. Failing to accept thi:
valuable prize would surely bring
our statesmen to the bar of history
with an indictment of laundering
criminality from which there coulc
be no escape.