Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-12-13

large msjqrity of these are not permanent
r.-iienI. of tn. islands, being Temporarily
e,uployed on the plantations, infendirg 10
r tur. h, me, according tn the siipulst'ons
their eontr act, when iieir term of ser
vice shall have been completed.
paramount reason Inv annexation
should not ne long postponed Is that, II 1t
soon takes place. the crown and govern
ment land. will re cut up and soil TO
American ard Christian Caucasian people
thus prev enting the islands from being sub
m srg d snd overrun by A,it,ics putting an
md {, Jsp,pese ambitions stimulated by
orr strong Enropean rival.
II 10 strictly correct and inst to call those
= ho now support the provisional govern
ment in Hawaii an American colony. Eng
land, Germany. FIR nee, Holland, and spa"
the esisf Europ an nations when lIng
have had colonial possessions-have not Oh
the earth colonies more decisively their own
than that which the United States poss' sses
in Hawaii. BY the foresight and generous
contributions of the Ameri an board Of
missions, by the int. lligencs and devoted
Ia bors of those il sent To the islands, AMI
The Encouraging policy of the American
government for sixty years these Islands
have zen won from heathen barbar'sm and
their population imbued with American
ill as In the film that some day they
.ould come under the flag of tue land
Of their fathers the sons and grand
IONS Of American missionaries, teach
RS, physicians, and merchants, now
supporting the cause of annexation, have
been reared more patriotic body Of
Americans does not exist. Shall we break
faith with them now: Shall We place them
st the mercy of s.upendous corruption
Available TO our national rivalsI To do so
would be to press the brand of shame on the
noble and expansive brow of the American
X public. 1t would be piece of in'amy
OF which no great nation has ever be.n
guilty., to 10 k colily on and see an Amer
ican colory standing with spotless record
oil tb ,se beautiful islands, the advanced
post of American ciyiliz ttiJn, struck down
BY q league of foreign adventures, gam
blers and national enemies. 1t would
Justly bring on us the moral opproorium OF
the world.
There is not space allowed me in tits ar
,icle to speak of the vast importRncs OF
Hawai- TO the future commercial power OF
til. L nited States in the Pacific. Con-ider
hat i, implies that this nation possesses
four thousand miles of shore line on that
mighty ocean, not including the seventeen
hundred miles on that marvellous body OF
water. Puget Sound. Consider that tw o.
f ftbs of this great country outlets on the
Pacific. now reached by five trans-c"ntin-
entail lines of raiirosd. Consider that there
are these now already born in the United
States who live TO see our population num-
Der two hundred and fifty millions of souls,
I'll e A III
of millions of dollars per annum, which
must have an outlet wherever American en-
t.rprise and the American flag shall hold
comma ding position. Consider that In the
opinion of all naval and commercial experts
Hawaii with its Pearl Harbor is the Key to
the North Pacific. which is the waterway
ov, v hich five hundred millions OF people,
at no distant day. will make their traffic
Consider that all the great statesmen OF
America, from the days of John Quincy
adams to this date have desired and looked
fdrs ard to Americapizing and acquiring
this .plendid ocean possession, nov .hered
to u. without the cost of a single dollar or
single life.
But it is said that Hawaii is not contigu-
GU. territory. 1t is So much go as our
Alaska land, whose immense value the gen.
ius of Seward and Sumner foresaw. 1t
shonli not be forgotten that contiguity OF
after il sometimes more important than
cnn,iyuity OF land. 1t wouli be well if some
of our public men would carefully study the
remark able work of Captain Mahan on Sea
Power Why did Peter the Great of Rus
si., the ablest monarch of his century,
wrestle with such tremendous energy for
d ,minancy of the Baltic? Why did Gusts-
vus Adolphus. perhaps the ablest ruler of
the seventeenth century. contend with such
skill and bravery to secure the power of
S redeu on the zane northern sea: These
r. mark lbl men saw clearly the supreme
value of contiguity of water to their respec-
tive countries. Why DO France and Italy
att ,ch supreme importance TO their influence
on the Mediterranean. to secure which they
have expended vast sums of money. and
shed freely Of tn ir peoples blood? B.
cause they have believed, for the best of
reasons, that the contiguity of that sea 10
their cities and harbors is invaluable 10
them.
To saw that we do not nc ed the II ~ aiisn
islands as security to our immense future
interests is but the bsbble of children or of
inc lmpe.ent m n. II e bin lily md recklf SIS
~ to i.aor,. the iosic of irresistible circum
stances. and TO .scof at the piainest teach
ings of hi.tory. No, America cannot get
rii of h.r future responsibilities if she
would, AMI all attempts to do 80 will be at
the cost Of her future generations In the
lish, of these inc xor able truths, in the name
Of what is most sacred in Christian cisilizs-
ton in b, half of a noble American colony,
holdiug the advanced post of Americas
rroer-,s I herish the faith that The Amefi-
can people. the American statesmen, and
t,- American government, thoughtful Of
America. great future. will settle the
Hawaiian question wisely ard weil-will
sea to il that the A ss AT the Cni,et States
floats unmolested over tne Hawaiian is
lands.
JonN T. STEVENS
Reprinted By special permissi IN from
North American Revie~ for December.
Copyrisht 1898 by LIoyd Brvce-Ed.