Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-27
UNCLE SAM AND HAWAII.
Complaint From Honolulu That The Re
procify 10 One Sided.

A Complaint From Honolulu That The Reel
procity IL One Sided.
"The United States" said q gentleman who
has but recently returned from Honolulu, and
whose position is such that his remarks are su-
thoritative, to The STAR representative at one
Of the hotels this morning. "cannot afford to
allow the Hawaiian Islands to pass into the
control OF a foreign power. Despite CONNER
cial relations. territorial prosperity, friendly
feeling and other links which now unite the
two countries, this contingency is not impos-
sible. am speaking, Of course, in advance Of
the present time. Things 4 the islands are at q
low ebb. There are many failures, business is
dull, the volume Of trade with the United
States has fallen off largely and many of the
sugar planters are having difficulty in main
tanning their financial equilibrium. There are
invested in sugar plantations Of the islands over
S35, 900, 900 of American capital. The annual
trade with the United States is els 0OO, 900. The
islands afford the only harbor between this
country and China and Japan. They are the key
to the Pacific. Their near proximity to the
United States, the present trend Of sentiment
toward American control II their government
Is to become extinct, are but among the many
cogent reasons why the United States should
own them when they cease to own themselves,
for the Hawaiian race as is well known, is dying
out. Consequently policy advantageous rather
than deterrent to the islands interests, propiti-
atory rather than antagonistic, would appear
the best to both sides. We must live, and we
are mainly dependent upon the export Of our
sugar for maintenance. If we don't derive
revenue from some source We can't buy your
goods. The United States is our natural market
Before the abolition Of the duty on sugar under
our reciprocity treaty, we thrived. We admitted
certain of your goods free and you took our
sugar. Then you removed the tariff gave your
own sugar producers a bounty. but left us out
So the reciprocity treaty now exists for YOU
alone. We joined in the list of other sugar.
producing countries, but you continue to send
your exports to us free. The planters on the
islands should have been included with YOUR
own and shared the bounty. The reciprocity
treaty expires by limitation in 1896, and this
involves many highly important issues. one Of
which is the Pearl river harbor. The harbor be-
longs to the United States during the continuance
Of the treaty. 1t has not, consequently title in
perpetuity thereto. Suppose. unless the United
States deals literally with the islands. that at
the limitation of the treaty foreign power
offers greater inducements to the islands than
the United States, would it not be fair to ass
sumo that such an offer would be accepted?
Such nation would demand reciprocal ad-
vantages, and that of paramount importance is
coaling station or some sort of military foot
hold. Once this end gained, there would be no
REIMBURSEMENT In view Of these and numer-
GUS other important issues, it would seem that
this country could afford to be liberal Let it lay
q cable. guarantee the 81 .000. 900 debt give our
sugar industry chance to live and it will have
its Pearl river harbor in perpetuity, occupy a
and one from which it could not be dethroned
BIZ any FOREIGN pOwerr