The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-03-13
The Hawaiian Business.

advantage OF the last days OF It's
power to effect the annexation OF
the Hawaiian Islands to the United
States, it will commit an act utterly
inconsistent with the true spirit of
democratic government. On the Sth
of November last the American peo-
pie declared by an overwhelming
majority of their votes that they had
withdrawn their confidence from
President Harrison and his party,
and that they had transferred this
confidence to Mr.. Cleveland and his
party, who, according to the popu-
lar will legally manifested, are to be
intrusted with the conduct of the
government This was the plain
meaning of the last national cleo
ton. Mr.. Harrison and his party
cannot now do thing which would
as the annexation of the Hawaiian
Islands certainly would--change the
traditional policy of the republic in
most important point, which
would, when once accomplished, be
irrevocable and irremediable, and
which is believed not to be in ac-
cordance with the views of the in
coming Executives, without render
ing themselves guilty of an act of
virtual usurpation. 1t will not serve
as an excuse to say that there are
prominent Democrats in Congress
who favor this act; for it must be
remembered that in matters requir-
ing negotiation with foreign powers
or nations the Executive has an
essentially leading part to perform,
and that to forestall the action of
the incoming Executive. and thus to
force it's hand, is to take from it a
power which the people have de-
clared it shall possess. This usurpa-
ton appears especially unjustiiiahle
considering the nature of the meas
ure in contemplation.
This republic has indeed acquired
foreign territory in the past, but
only territory contiguous to its Dor
ders, which might be expected to be
filled in the course of time with
population more or less hOmogeno-
Gus in character, interests, and as
pirations with our own, and present
ly to be Incorporated with our poll
tical system, to be formed into
States governing themselves as to
their home concerns, and to take
part in the government of the whole
republic according to our common
national Constitution. The Hawaii
an Islands are about two thousand
miles distant from our western coast.
Their population consisted in 1890
of 34,436 natives, 6lS6 half-castes,
7495 born in Hawaii of foreign par
EMS, 1901 Chinese, 1850 Japanese,
1902 Portuguese, 1923 Americans,
1874 British, 1924 Germans, 227 Nor
wegians, 20 French. 5SS Polynesians,
and 419 other foreigners-in all, 49,
$50 souls. Since then the foreign
population has been increasing, but
most of the immigrants have been
Chinese and Japanese. The climate
and the products of the country are
those of the tropics. The character
of the population, whatever further
mixture may take place, will always
be such as is devel lped under the
influence of the tropical sun, that is,
as universal experience has shown, Il
character uncongenial' to the sober,
orderly working of free institutions.
1t will always be colonial; that is to
say, Hawaii would always be more a
dependency than an integral part of
the United States, with interests pc
culiar to itself, bound to this repub-
lie only by the protection against
foreign aggression and by the adj
vantages of commercial union with
this country, but, owing to it's stu
alton, always field of intrigue for
foreign influences.
The manner in which the recent
revolution in Hawaii was brought
about is significant. Let it be grant
ed that Queen Liliuokalani is a very
improper person to sit on a throne,
and that her attempt to impose a
new constitution upon her people
was very Objectionable. But the
movement that overthrow her was
not a popular movement. 1t was
movement set on foot by handful
of American residents, encouraged,
if not instigated, by the American
Minister, and supported by the arm
ed forces of an American man-of-
war. In other words, foreign in
fluence upset the existing govern
ment, and put in its place a govern
ment OF its own, whose constituency
is only very small minority of the
inhabitants of Hawaii. And this
government of intruders, by intrud-
ers and for intruders, born of sue
cessflll coup de main, offers us the
Hawaiian Islands for annexation to
the United States. It's authority in
Hawaii is owing to the general be-
lief that it has the power of the
United States at its back. It's credit
in the United States is owing to the
fact that its authority in Hawaii
seems to be generally submitted to.
OF the true feelings of the large
majority of the Hawaiian people we
know very little. And the annexa-
ton OF Hawaii to the United States
is to be effected, as far as our govern
ment is concerned, before we know
more. The formal assent by vote of
the Hawaiian people to their incor-
poration iii the United States as a
condition precedent to annexation
does not seem to be thought of.
The thing is to be done here as
quickly as it was done there, with
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