The herald., 1893-05-27
rHs GOVERNMENT OF DEPENDENCIES.

of how TO deal with any outlying region,
II made to belong to Us. We are all
agreed that the land between the oceans,
and from the mort pole to the Gulf Of
Mexico, could we'll belong to the United
States; but we never eeem to have seri-
ously taken into account the contin-
gency OF having distant dependencies
on our hands. When President Bu-
chanan tried to awaken an interest in
our people on behalf OF Cuban annexa-
tion, and when President Grant stood
committed to tho policy Of owning San
Domingo, the masses Of the people
shrank from the measures with the in
stinctive dread OF facing new problem.
All tradition was against it, and neither
measure could ever get fair hearing,
as has seemed to many, because the peo-
pie were not willing to hear.
Now, the reason OF this distrust OF
such a policy is deeper than at first
sight appears. 1t is policy that
Americans have not only never favored,
because they have had territory enough,
but the example OF England TO them has
had the effect to heighten our hatred OF
territorial conquest. England, how
ever, when her commercial history is
fairly studied, has only made her laws
to follow where trade had actually gone.
To keep business already created
abroad is about the substance of her
foreign occupation. 1t is true these for
eign territories grew into political de-
Tendencies after awhile, but they have
been, "a a rule, without much show Of
self-government, and SO England could
extend her authority and plant her nom
political service there with good
effect. And she has mastered this
problem as no other country
has ever done. She has governed di-
rectly from home when she could, and
when the character Of the colony called
for a compromise and division of
authority, she has accorded something
in the way OF self-government. But che
has never gone with power where ahe
was not compelled to go to get and keep
her commerce. What England ever
thought as to asserting any control over
Hawaii, for instance, is we'll told by
London correspondent, whose letter is
wholesome reading now, In view Of what
was urged England would do If Ameri-
cans did not defeat her by earlier ac-
ton: 'In conversation with a good
many leading members of parliament, |
have found that there Is more than in
difference that there ia a very decided
objection to anything like British inter
ference in Hawaiian affairs, for the sim
pie reason, in the first place, that there
are no great British interests to protect
either in the islands themselves or in
the surrounding seas. Such as there
are were sufficiently safeguarded under
the late Hawaiian administration, and
would probably not suffer under any
new one. At any rate, it would DO soon
enough to intervene when they were
threatened. That Britain should covet
the islands as g naval station is every
where regarded as absurd. Only the
existence OF supreme interests leads to
the acquisition and fortihcation
OF impregnable positions such as
Gibraltar, Malta, or Alden, and it
is universally recognized that Ha-
waii can be permanently source
OF naval strength to any country only if
it has an impregnable port, or, as an al
tentative, that the nation possessing it
should be prepared to hold the surround
ing waters against all comers. Oonsid.
erlng the slight commercial stake which
Britain has in the central Pacific, pol
icy looking to either of these ends would
be manifest folly"
The same correspondent also inter
viewed Mr.. Bryce, who has always kept
4 up the liveliest interest in the affairs Of
! the United States. Mr.. Bryce unhesi-
tatingly declared, from the knowledge
obtained from his visits to Hawaii that
America could not we'll enter upon such
policy as annexation. mot that the
annexation of a few small islands would
seriously interfere with the government
of the United Ststes-the system is too
vast for it; it is the tendency which
would be the matter for regret" Fol-
lowing out what the historian had be-
gun to cay, the correspondent quotes
him further, as follows:
"Mr. Bryce discussed the question
with his customary frankness, insight
and fullness of knowledge, and his opin-
ion clearly was that, in the interests
both OF the islanda and of the United
States, protected and peaceful indie.
pendence was much better than annex
ation."
This is high authority, and the advice
comes from friend. 1t is not only the
reflection OF the best British opinion
upon the question, but the quotations
we have made open up the whole ques-
tion that would be involved in an at
tempt by the United States to depart
from her traditional philosophical
policy, and enter upon the business of
creating and governing foreign depen-
denotes. Not the least thing which is
made clear by an examination of this
question upon broad grounds, is that
England, under no circumstances, wants
Hawaii, and would not not take it. She
would like what trade she can get there,
and 80 do we. And do we want more?
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DOES n PAY TO HOLD oFFICEq
Va -. I,.. 1F