The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-02-12
HAWAIIAN INTERESTS.
Views OF Mr.. Mitchell on the An.
nexation Question.
The Natives Should Be Given the Right
of Suffrage-Resources of the Islands
Origin of the Race.

Anent the annexation of the Hawaiian
islands s. w. Sears, secretary of the
chamber of commerce, received the fol-
lowing communication from F. A. Mitch
ell, which is Of current interest:
SIN response to your solicitation to
give you my views in regard to the ques-
ton of annexation of the Hawaiian
islands to the United States, l say that
annexation is advisable under liberal pro-
visions.
s'The geographical position as an out
post stations affords many advantages for
naval and maritime interests; and when
the Panama or Nicaragua canal shall be-
come fact, the Importance of these
islands to the United States cannot be
overestimated.
1.-the agricultural possibilities have
not yet been demonstrated (only as to
sugar.; as a fruit producing country
it has not accomplished much compare
lively. There are many branches of in
dustry that might become important If
pushed with proper enterprise. / may
name some of a class that will not enter
into competition with the California
products of oranges, lemons and lines,
which do well on the islands; grapes
cannot be produced with commercial sue
cess, but the date, tamarind, pineapple,
banana, cocoanut, fig, coffee, rice,
mango, ginger and indigo can be pro-
duced in unlimited quantities, and if en-
terprises in these lines were carried on in
manner akin to the grape and orange
business in California, immense income
and revenue could be obtained far in ex-
cess OF the sugar crop. Large tracts of
upland, where cane cannot be cultivated
can be made to produce immense crops
the kinds named.
s'PoEtically, there are many points to
J 4 Il
the commissioners of the new govern
ment, intimate that the right of citizen
ship and franchise should be withheld
from the native Hawaiians; this is q great
injustice and a mistake, such policy
would subject the people to slavery, think
of 1.-THE amount of blood and treasure
the American people expended to enfran-
chise the African race, within the con-
fines of the United States; compare the
intellectual character of the two races, the
latter cannot be justly considered as in
any way approaching the former in that
respect. The Hawaiians have many
natural good qualities, and education has
done much to improve their brain powers;
illiteracy is practically unknown among
them, and by introducing more extended
knowledge of the English language,
would give to them better opportuni-
ties to acquire information, which they
cannot now obtain, for the reason that
only very limited amount of literature
has, and can in the future, be published
in the Hawaiian language. Yet so far as
they have had opportunities they are in
advance OF the great majority of the COM
mon people in America or Europe. The
first fifty years of their intercourse with
the civilized element many foreigners
such as found a footing amongst the
islanders-did little to improve their moral
status.
stGive to the Hawaiian full American
citizenship, and with the inter- communi-
cation he will soon become American.
Give him an opportunity to learn mechan-
les, ana he will help well to develop the
latent resources of his island home. You
cannot enslave him; he will not kiss the
rod, , etc. i; he must be free; he will repose
confidence in those who trust him, but
will shun all who treat him with indig
nifty; he is by nature kind hearted and
hospitable, has great love for his country
and is therefore patriotic, and will be pro-
gressive.
81 am in favor of annexation, not of
| the islands only, but of the annexation of
the Hawaiian people as well.
81 do not wish to include the Asiatic
element from China and Japan as in any
Way entitled to Acknowledgement: thew
have no claim to such privileges. They
will make good laborers. highly adapted
to work in that hot, enervating climate
where the Anglo-American and Anglo
Saxon cannot compete in agricultural
labor.
cit is supposed by some that the Hawai-
ians belong to the Malay race. This is a
mistake. They are off-shoots from race
Of people who built and inhabited the
ruins still to be found in Mexico, New
Mexico and Arizona, as their traditions
fully verify.
s'There are many other points that can
be considered on this interesting subject,
but as it is now eighteen years since last
visited the Hawaiian Islands, am not
prepared to cite to my satisfaction the
points necessary from lack OF statistical
data at my command.
SINNERS