The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-04-20
PULLING DOWN THE flag.

could not help feeling hurt that our bugIes
| had sounded retreat in the face of the world
and that cold Glory" having been once
raised as National assertion, should have
been lowered without apparent cause. The
raising of the flag in the first instance was
approved with remarkable unanimity all
| over the country. In addition to the great
| strategic and commercial reasons for the
step, it had sentimental aspect which cap
tivated the minds of patriotic people.
/ Firmly believing. our form of Government
to be the best possible for securing The
greatest enlightenment progress aud happi-
ness to all people, we have looked forward
with peasurable anticipation to its exten-
sion to other less favored lands. The an
nexation of Hawaii seemed to be the Begin
| ming of the great missionary work of
Americanizing the Nations of the world,
and the heather of the isles 1t was the
first step in the working out of Our manifest
destiny" of which we have heard SO much
since infancy.
The Administration, has given no hint of
the reasons which actuated it in ordering
the flag to be hauled down. 1t has main
tained silence on the subject which is not
at all complimentary to the intelligence and
patriotism of the American people, for it
implies that they cannot be trusted to COM
prehend and properly Judge the censidera-
course, but must wait in patient silence
until he determines what to do, and then
accept the result. We feel that this is
wrong. The matter of the annexation is
one of such high importance that the peo-
pie are entitled to the fullest information
at every stage of the proceedings The old
time mysteriousness Of European diplomacy
is entirely out of place to-day, not only in
this country, but even in Europe. Outside
of Russia the statesmen of Europe generally
find 1T both proper and necessary TO drop
the WORKOUT assumption that they alone
know what is best for the Nations welfare,
and to take the people into their confidence
on matters Of serious interest to the country.
Two explanations are current of the Adj
ministration's course. The first is that it
really intends to annex Hawaii, but for
purely partisan reasons desires to harvest all
the credit possible for such popular step.
Therefore it is carefully doing what it can
to obliterate all connection of the previous
Administration with the matter, and make
the annexation original with this Adm mis-
tratien. So far as is safe and practicable
it will undo all that has been done, and after
an interval, start everything anew. Color is
given to this explanation by the dispatch OF
Mr. Blount to the islands on a mission of
Investigation Nc one seriously believes
that he will ascertain any facts Of import
ance, for the simple resson that there is moth
ing HS" 10 ueNcsOp- IHdhhS 10 tiic HSt
communication between this country and
Hawaii, and to the public press, we are fully
informed about everything in the archipel-
ago. We have much more accurate kn0wl
edge about the islands than we have of
much Of our own country. Should Mr..
Blount remain there 10 years he would
probably be able to tell US very little that
We do not already know, and the presump-
ton is fair that he was merely sent there in
order to gain time for the Administration to
carry out whatever plans it may contem-
plate
The second explanation is more creditable
to the Administration. 1t is that it desires
to remove all show of force or compulsian
upon the Hawaiians, leaving them entirely
free to act out their desires. The United
States viii take its hands off the islands
and make sure that no other Nation shall
lay its hands on. Then the Hawaiians can
make their election without the least ap-
pearance Of constraiut. 1t is not even said
that if they choose to come to us we will
welcome them
In support of this course, it can be said
that il the Provisional Government of Ha-
waii shows that it is strong enough to main
tain itself without the assistance of the
United States marines and ships of war, it
may be unquestionabIy accepted az repre-
senting the will of the Hawaiian people,
and therefore its offer of annexation can be
accepted without the slightest hesitation
The objection to the course is that it dis
courages and discredits the annexation party
on the islands, and makes their task unneces-
sarily difficult 1t cannot be made to seem
otherwise to the Hawaiians as a mass than
a strong rebuff to the Annexati0nists by the
United States. and this may greatly endanger
the supremacy of the AnnexatioHists. The
English agents in the islands will not fail to
make the most of this to embarrass the An
nexationists, and array against them all the
elements that can be brought into opposition.
Like most people, the Hawaiians are in
Hueuced more hy symbols and shows IF