Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-02-14

.
Edss.ss ~ IL. Kssssbse Journal
II seems that the inbsbisarts Of tl,e sand
vich is,an is-tEey Who are on the top at
present are tired Of the Old regime under
which it, peoI,le have existed and been gov
cgned from tnss immemofial. and are de-
string nes s.sl anil like the leap year
maiden that sighs for protector they aFe
reaching ont Icing arms to Uncle Sam, and
our Mr.. Stevens. the l nited States minister
at the islands Who is native Of Mt. VeF-
non, m obi school mate Of the
writer and bale editor of the
J0rKs.Lt is in favor Of Uncle Sam be-
coming the bridegroom. In the opinion Of
the writer Uncle Sam has rs many wives ai-
ready as he is capable Of supporting and if
he wanted more he coaii get them nearer
homes and with better accomplishments
than the Sandwich islzn.s can offer. As
most of them who have spoken through the
columns of your paper have taken the af-
firnaiivc of the question will the JarESAL
have the goodness to allow little space for
the negative side
The first and strongest argument on the
negative side is that this country has al
ready as much territory as 10 for its good.
Ii. time honored practice has been to con-
fine itself to adjacent territory and not to
seek alliance with any land that could be
reached only by an ocean voyage. The
western hemisphere--or that part Of it
belonging to the Inited Stafes--is 4 pretty
big domain. big enough to be the limit of
our government, and whether We would or
would not stir up any strife among other
nations by acquiring the Sandwich islands
is not the vital question. The island would
no doubt be good halfway stopping place
for eoaling or other purposes for vessels
crossing ihc Pacific ocean but with
auieable commercial relations with their
future governing power this government
eonld get all the privileges il II eded at
less cost than to own the country, and they
are too far from our territory to be men,
ace unsler any other government.
The objections that were pertinent at the
time President Grant was urging the annex
alton of San Domingo are in stronger force
when the question of annexing the Sand
vi cb islands in considered, and the country
is familiar with the outcome of that scheme
and | think is pretty well convinced as to
What woull have been the result
of its success. There may be a
little glory in the sentiment of
charging our borders but glory sometimes
turns to shame What would We get. We
would get a dozen scattered islands with
about one sixth the territory of the State
of Maine only about half of which are in
habitabiel in the middle of the Pacific
ocean, aid they are volcano and earthquake
ridden and indigenous to the disease of
Leprosy which is enough to condemn
them, and we would get them at a fearful
cost when all the conditions are taken into
account. The story of the frog Gin the
fable trying to enlarge his proportions is a
familiar one. The acquisition of territory
located outside the limit contemplated by the
authors of the Monroe doctrine would tend
to invalidate the justice of that time-hon-
ored ordinance and Uncle Sam-after say
ing to European nations to keep hands of
the western hemisphere which is equiva.
lent to saying he would he confined within
its limits, would be guilty, in a degree, Of
swallowing the same dose he had prescribed
against others.
The fact that the heretofore management
of the islands with their dummy Queen has
been travesty on government does moi
preclude the possibility of fairly
the hands of its leading and active
pcUpiC " HOSt lt5tlulCs WOuIu pt III tilSii
own keeping. if it could have the friend
ship and may be the protection of the big
nations of the world whose interests would
be promoted by such state queen, and
there is no reason why such II friendship
! shopld not be in their reach. Better fol
Them TO try it alone for awhile with a re
quest from our government for other ua
lions to keep hands oil.
| The governing of countries--big or little
by outsiders may work fairly well for ;
time, but it is liable to be fraught with dis
aster in the end and being against the in
stncts and traditions of the America,
people; the United States should in the
future as in the past set its face against it
STEPHEN MARsToN.
| III Marston Avenue,
! Eau Claire, Wis, Feb. $. 1885.