The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-05-31
Continued from Fourth PageD

His motives IN opposing annexation,
and in the warfare which he already .
secretly inaugurated against the Gov
eminent are of the meanest and most
personal nature. The only business
reason he has given yet IS contract
labor, and he says truly that hitherto
the Japanese Government has refused
to allow the importation of its people
here excepting under contract, but that
Government has never minated its |
opposition to another system under |
annexation, and it is known to value
highly the peCuniary benefits accrulng |
from the labor Of its subjects here.
When the possibility of making ar
engagements with the Japanese Govern
ment by which laborers might be
brought here in the event of annexation
was pointed out to Spreckels he ad-
mitted that if such could be arranged
it would do away with his objections.
In fact, his opposition to annexation
appears to be an afterthOught and un.
accountable on general grounds When
the Annexation Commissioners arrived
in San Francisco on their way to Wash
ington, Spreckels advocated annexation
over his own signature and offered to
accompany the Commissioners to
Washington. As a planter, as a ship
owner, a. an investor in Hawai-, his
interests cannot differ from his com
merCial associates, who are almost unan-
imous in favor of annexation If he
opposes annexation on business grounds,
it must be as representative of the
Sugar Trust, and because of some &C
cult advantage aCCruing to the trust
through the defeat of annexation. 1t
is possible to find a merCenary motive
should he desire to encourage interest
and depression here until he can en-
large his own interests through the i'm
pending wreck of plantation companies
which cannot much longer withstand
the difficulties Of the present situation.
But it is not necessary to impute
either of these motives to SpreCkeIs.
His wrath would argue against their
probability The weakness of his old
age is not so much love of money as
great pride in already having acquired
so much, inordinate self-esteem, and
personal vanity. He glories in his
Island possessions and loves to come
here and open up his palace on the
plains and his comfortable bungalow by
the beach at Waikiki. Here he IS a
landed proprietor, has the air of Coun.
try squire, and the influence in the
community that is deservedly his
through his manifold interests here.
He loves to boast of the days of Kala-
kaua. when he ruled the kingdom,
where he was alI-powerful in palace
and legislative halls. He ridicules the
new hedged politicians here, and tells
how he used to elect his own candI,
dates and fix things generally, and, il
very confidential, he will tell you that
he can do 50 again. He wished to re
gain his former political power here
which will enable him to wipe out ole
scores and crafty his vanity. With
annexation he could not hope for Z
position under a Territorial form Of
government and knows that in his life,
time Hawaii never could be admitted
as a State.
The plan which suits him is this, and
this he is working for with all the
ENERGY, by all the means, of his alert
tireess nature An independent re-
public with himself the power. With
a President of his own choosing, elected
for a term of seven years, with the
power of appointment of an upper
legislative house, controlling the cleo
ton of the President the control OF
this upper house would be assured.
The lower house he would have elected
by manhood suffrage, which would
place it easily in his control as of yore
and as he boasts he could place it
again. To accomplish this he must
accomplish the discontinue of the
Provisional Government.
TO these ends he is now hard al
work He has not yet decided on his
agents, but it is probable that San
Parker a prominent and popular
native, appointed Minister of Foreign
Affairs in four Cabinets to be quickly
turned out of them ALL will be selected
as a candidate for President. He
would be immensely popular, and witt
unqualified suffrage could easily bt
elected without the aid of Spreckels.
Yesterday Spreckels called a meet
ing of the Planters Agents Union anC
cautiously unfolded his scheme, to tn,
extent that the interests of the planter
lay against annexation, He read
letter which he had prepared to hav,
sent to Blount, embodying these views
But he did not get single supporter
Baldwin and Cooke, next to Spreckel
the largest planters here, both strongl,
opposed the views of his letter, withou
arguing the question of contract labor
They both said that they were willing
to take their chances with the Amerl
can planter, and that, living here will
their wives and families as they did
the cause Of good government was thu
one they had most at heart In thi
they represent the views of their brothe
planters, and it is now probable tina
the planters, detecting Spreckels's SIMS
ter and selfish motives, will array them
selves in open opposition, and addres
BlOunt letter Of their own.