The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-03-28
Interior Office, Feb. FL, 1893,
[Communics .ion.l
The Question Of the Hour.
Minister of the Interio

EDITOR OF THE STAR The broad
fact that the final destiny of Hawaii is
incorporation with the United States
has not been denied by those now in
opposition to the measure. The only
excuse given for resistance is that the
time has not come, that the occasion is
yet inopportune for the proposed
change. This is a familiar plea.
Any great change in matters 500 ial,
moral or political, always has lis
opponents and detraCtCrs. Cunsrrva-
tism, inertia, the lazy habit of net wish
ing to face a problem, or whatever the
cause may be called, is characteristic of a
large part of humanity. 1t is, in this
latitude, sometimes attributed to The
climate. However that may be the
time has cone in our opinion, and
now is, when no less radical a measure
than annexation to the United States
is needed t. save US from endless
political complication, or perhaps from
anarchy.
The measureless benefits to be
reaped by b.th countries in the i'm
mediate and the distant future are not,
perhaps, easily realized except by the
close student of poit cal history. To
realize them take map of North Paci-
nc Ocean, with the western coasts of
North America and the eastern and
southern coasts of Asia Draw lincs
from the great commercial cities on
each coast to those Of the other and
note how nearly these lines pass to The
Sandwic Islands. Then get reliable
statistics regarding distances and com
merce, where will be found that, upon
the completion of an lsthmian, INFER,
oceanic canal, New York, Liverpool
and London will be brought within
from six TO eight days nearer the
eastern coast of Asia than by the
present route, through the Suez canal.
Hawaii lies almost i'll direct line be-
tween the graf commercial cities Of
Asia and this projected wafer way.
With finished canal, cable connect
ing us with the United States, both of
which will be accelerated, if not made
ap absolute necessity by annexation,
who cannot see the commercial and
str geiic importance of these islands.
Hong Kong alone has an import and
an export trade Of six hundred millions
of dollars yearly A large part If this
must of necessity be turned into this
new channel Thus Honolulu will be-
come the center of this traffic, either
as a port of transit, or as one of dis
tribution, to say nothing of its growing
importance as stopping place between
the western coast of North America
and Australia The long sought for
northwest passage will have been
realized. Is ii possible that the United
States, with the proverbial astuteness
of her statesmen, her merchants and
her people generally, will let this
occasion pass1 We do not, for a
moment, believe it. Then as 20 our
selves, we speak not for, nor in behalf
Of any one nationality. We have the
extreme of an heterogeneous "Pua
ton. We ought to live togt Ter in
peace and pull altogether. V have
not done this for several yC IS past,
1t should most assuredly not 10 so in
the future as an independent state,
either republican or monartacal. A
protectorate would invo We us in endless
complications and difficulties, both
internal and external. Union with the
strong, just, and great Republic is our
only safety. 1t would bring capital
and an industri' us, saving population
into the country. Contract labor, a
synonym for degraded labor, would be
abolished. A new impetus would be
given thus to production. Wages Of
all classes would enhance The kHle-
anas of Hawaians would be doubled
or trebled in price. Our dead markets
would pulsate with life; our valleys
smile, our hill-tops rejoice.