The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-04-13
WITHDRAWAL OF THE TREATY.

treaty with the Hawaiian ISlanus.
But they did not do so, and it became
a legacy to the new Administration.
A serious opposition having been
raised against concluding the treaty,
and the treaty not having heen con-
sidered by the present Administration,
it was rather to be expected that Pres,
ideut Cleveland would withdraw it
until he had time to consider it. He
has done so, and he has not done
wrong. He must know what he is
about. At least he must satisfy the
critics that he is not acting hastily and
unadvisedly.
We do not consider this action of
President Cleveland as at all unfriend-
~ to the treaty. We believe he will
again send it to the Senate, possibly
with some minor changes, and will
warmly approve its passage. We wish
it could have been adopted without
opposition, but the opposition having
arisen we are glad to have all deliber-
alton exercised, and all necessary and
unnecessary caution practised, so that
the mouths of all reasonable men may
be stopped. We cannot hope to stop
the mouths of unreasonable, chronic
ally captious and suspicious people.
Such there are who as soon as any
thing is suggested for the honor of
this county put the drag on every
wheel of progress. They have jumped
Al l,n do lf
will give them courteous hearing.
A commission will be sent to Ha-
wall to examine the condition of
things and learn how completely the
Provisional Government represents
the population of those Islands. We
have been told that the white natives
NAV be a unit in approval of annexa-
ton, but that the colored natives are
opposed to it. We do not believe it.
We think we know the natives well
enough to understand that they are
composed of two classes, the one pro-
gressive and Christian. and the other
drunken and enslaved to their ka-
hunas, or witch doctors. The former,
we understand, side with the mis-
sionaries and the white natives in de-
string annexation the latter. we
understand. side with The New York
Herald, The Evening Post and the
late Queen in opposing it. We have
little doubt that this commission will,
if appointed, present a favorable re-
port, and that favorable action will in
time be taken.
But this proposed annexation of the
Hawaiian Islands is in itself very
small thing, and it might be a COM
n
not form, to the patriot, part of a
comprehensive policy. What do we
want for our country or for human
ity Have we any ideals or ambi
tiOns that look beyond what is now
accomplished Do we ever long for
THE parliament of man, the federation
of the world?"
Or, if we do not look so far forward as
Tennyson could look sixty years ago,
do we feel any such deep honor for
the principles of our own Govern
ment and any such faith in its power
and it's future that we desire to have
it extended so as to embrace and bene-
fit at least the continent. If we do
not want to see great continental
nation, if we do not want to be any
greater or more beneficent, then we
do not want this bit of contiguous
islands.
For our part-we may as well con-
TESS it and thus explain our attitude
we so thoroughly believe in the prin-
ciples of American liberty, and we are
SO completely possessed with sense
of it's unifying power, that we not on
ly expect, but earnestly desire that
this entire continent may one day be
brought into one national union, We
will lift not one finger of war to &C
complish it. 1t shall be achieved not
by our violence, and not by our ask
ing; but it will be achieved, as in this
case, by the desire and request of the
countries about us.
Think of the ornaments of Europe.
Think of its divided nations. Russia
and Germany and France and Austria
and Italy anu England bleeding them
selves to death with their war taxes
and standing armies, and calling il
self-preservation! Let US suppose the
old enmities and rivalries forgotten,
and all those nations united under
one parliament and federation of free
men. What a revolution of peace
and prosperity that would involve!
Even in war-cursed, quarrelsome Eu-
have seen Norway and Sweden unite
to their own advantage, Austria and
Hungary become one nation; and it is
not too much to hope that we may
yet see Spain and Portugal, or Ger
MANY and Austria make one nation.
We have seen how, even when annex
alton has been accomplished by war,
in generation an alien language and
people have, in the case of Alsace and
Lorraine, become assimilated and con-
tented. When the thrones shall fall
we may expect more unions by the
free will of the people. Then Holland
may be willing 10 join Germany, or
Belgium France.
But how vastly more favorable the
conditions on this continent We
have here one predominant people,
utterly devoid Of warlike ambition.
We have north and south of US vast
territories belonging to friendly peo-
pie, vet not strong enough to make
war with US; territories separated
from US by no natural barriers, terri
tories which by all laws of nature
should be one with our own. We do
not even ask Canada or Mexico to be-
come one with the United States, bat
the time il already very near when
Canada will herself ask to be one with
us, and the completion of one or an
other of the inter-Oceanic canals will
before very long raise the same ques-
ton with the republics the other side
of Mexico. The policy and the high
patriotism-not the small narrow
policy Of selfishness and irresponsible
ease, but the large policy and patriot
ism by which Christianity sees in
every man a brother and tries to make
the world one-looks forward TO en-
bracing the whole continent, by