New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-11
OBJECTIONS TO HAWAII.


There arc signs at Washington OF DISPOSE
ton among certain Democratic politicians "
resist the general public sentiment IN favor oi
the annexation of Hawaii. They are not act
ing in harmony with time-honored DemWrauc
nolicy As taught by such men as Andrew Jack
son and William l.. Marcy. Theirs Is state
Of mind generated by the condition OF Opposl-
ton in which they have resided to their own
and the public discomfort for the last thirty
years. Denial, objection and resistance nave
been so long their necessary function tha'
their minds are now almost incapable OF enter
tanning progressive idea.
The annexation of Hawaii, however, does
not come up as n novel idea. 1t has received
attention from every successive Administra-
tion since the Pacific seas became our western
boundary, and the record of the Department
Of State is uninterrupted, whether written by
one party or another, in the testimony it bears
to the belief among all responsible American
statesmen that the present crisis in Hawaii was
inevitable. and that it should lead directly TO
annexation No ether view than this has al
any time been expressed by an American Presi-
dent or Secretary Of State in actual contem-
platon of organic changes in Hawaii, and this
view has been repeatedly asserted by those
whom the present generation has been taught
to regard as our especially able, patriotic and
far-siphtcd men, If it was ever sound view
if possesses peculiar force now for llawali's
value as a tropical, sugar and fruit producing
country, as naval outpost, as the fortress OF
the Pacific and the point from which the
Isthmus and the South Seas must be guarded
is far greater and palmer to-day than it has
ever been in the past
When Mr.. Thurston and his colleagues ar
rived in San Francisco, and made public the
story of the revolution and the character OF
their mission here, it became at once apparent
that the people heartily and with remarkable
unanimity favored the prompt acceptance OF
their proposals. In the face of such great
demonstration the little band of Democratic
obicctcis at Washington admitted the neccs-
sty of doing something but inevitably some
thing different from what was proposed. As
a concession to public sentiment they argued
in favor OF a protectOrate until 1t was aScer-
tanned that q protectOrate had been already
established. The necessity OF obJecling TO that
because. Of course. it was utterly impossible to
allow that an American Minister had acted
with wisdom and prudence in any emergency.
required the abandonment Of the protectorate
idea altogether and the inconincnt rcnuncia-
tiou Of all interest in the fate OF the islands
and Of the vast interests. public and private
centred there. So il is now being pointed ont
that the revolution was only scheme 10 adj
vance the interests OF the sugar-p!anters. as
if it were bad thing for a Nation which con
sumcs 1000. 600 tons Of sugar every year and
grows only 100000 tons 10 obtain further
supply of its own. II is urged that the natives
do MT want American control, and also that
they are ignorant and vicious. a. if these arcn-
mcnis did not negative one another and GIL
force on Ms the duty of protecting our people
in the islands and their millions Of invested
capital.
There is only one logical argument against
annexation. That is the argument of those
who hold that the United states are too big
already. and should never have acquired the
floridls or passed the Mississippi.