Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-04
TUESDAY. APRIL 4. 1893.
The Hawaiian Annexation Scheme.

We said recently that in considering the
question of the stringency of our laws con-
corning Chinese immigration 10 tins
country 1.-The welfare Of the people of the
United States ought to be the first thing
TO attract attention" This country
needs no Mongols nor mongrels." The
Charlottesville Chronicle comments upon
our paragraph as follows;
"Just 20. We agree with every word our con-
Temporary has here said. But how does 1t
reconcile them with its ardent advocacy Of tho
annexation Of the Sandwich Islands7
"If ever population deserved to be desig-
mated as "mongrol" It is the inhabitants of this
cannibal island. which Is now knocking at the
door OF the Union"
We say of the Sandwich islanders as we
said of the Chinese immigrants, that in
considering their claims to the protection
of this country "the welfare of the peo-
pie of the United States ought to be the
first thing to attract attention" We adj
vocate annexation not so much because we
consider 1t good in itself. OF because 1T
would be good for the Hawalians, as be-
cause il would promote the welfare OF
the people of the United States" And IN
support of this contention we could
quote from long line of advo-
Gates of annexation. But first we
wish to call the attention OF our
Charlottesville contemporary to the actual
present condition of Hawai-. as it is de-
scrlbed in a public document issued for
Mr. FOSTER. Secretary OF the Treasury un-
der Mr.. HARRISON. THE Hawaiian ma
ton" says the Chief of the Bureau of Sta
tistics, has become the most prominent
and important community in the North
Pacific Ocean," I'm most of the schools
10000 pupils attend the public schools)
English is taught" Regular lines of
steamers run between Honolulu and San
Francisco, New Zealand. Australia, and
China. Eighteen steamers and large
number of schoOners are now engaged IN
the inter-island trade. On the three largest
islands ore steam railroads having an ag-
gregate length of ffty-six miles. Although
nearly all the traffic of the islands is car
ried on by water, good wagon-roads con-
meet many of the towns and villages, in
which are numerous elegant residences, at
trdciire houses, churches. and schO0l-houses."
We quote again:
Situated as they arc in midOcean, In the
direct channels OF the great and growing COM
merce between tho western coast of America ION
the one side and New Zealand, Australia, the
Indies, Chine, and Japan ION the Other) these
Islands afford safe as well as most convenient
harDors not only tor shelter, repair. and equip
mont. bat for supplies TO all the ships which ira
verse tho Pacific"
In other words, it IS indlspensably ne
cessary to the success of the Nicaragua
canal that Hawaii shall be under the con-
troll Of the United States. Especially
should the southern States of this Union
look with favoring eye upon annexation.
Hawaii lies southwest of California, in
tropical region, and, under the control OF
UNCLE SAM, will flourish like n green bay
tree and become one of the most desira-
BILE communities in the round world.
Now as TO what our statesmen have said
upon this and kindred subjects. To the
North american Reoieto for March we refer
the Chronicle for an interesting review of
the history of the past and present rela-
tions between Hawaii and the United
States. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS in 1926 made
as President treaty with that country
which recognized it RS an equal. Mr.. TYLER
and MIR. WEBSTER declared against allow
ing any other power to take possession of
the islands. President TAYLOR took the
same ground in 1S49. In 1850 the two coun-
tries adopted another treaty, and MIR.
FILLMORE in his message said the islands.
"lie in the course Of the great trade which
must at no distant day be carried on be-
tween the western coast of North America
and Eastern Asia" These latter declara-
lions we're called forth by the hostile stti-
tude of England and France. But MIR.
WEBSTER. Mr.. FILLMoRE's Secretary of
State, was not to be intimIdated, but said
emphatically
81 trust the French will not take possession;
but II they do, they will be dislodged II my adj
vice is taken, If the whole power OF the govern
msnt is required to do it,"
In 1868 President JOHNSON spoke Of what
ought TO be done until the people of the
islands should of themselves at no distant
day voluntarily apply for admission into he
Union." That day has come.
General ScHoFIELD, then commanding
the Division of the Pacific. said in 1875 that
the Hawaiian Islands constitute the only
natural outpost to the detences of the Pa
cifc coast, and would be in time of war
depot from which to fit out hostile expedi-
tions against that coast and would thus
"afford the means of incalculable injury
to the United States"
General GRANT, Secretary FISH, MIR.
BLAINE. and others of our statesmen look
ed upon this matter as one Of the greatest
Importance. Mr.. BLAINE said:
~ consider that the acquisition Of tho islands
Il Of so great Importance to the United States
tina, cannot conceive Of such a proposition being
rejected"
Nor can we. And with this emphatic
utterance we close our article.