St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-11
IN RE HAWAII.

1H6re seems 10 De MUCH uHCcItdiHly
as TO tile policy of the administration
relative to the Sandwich Islands, and
the message of President Cleveland, to
be delivered at the converting OF the
regular session Of congress next month,
is awaited with great deal Of interest
by people here and On the islands. The
course of the president seems to indi-
cate that he is opposed to the anneXa-
ton of that far-awaY territory 10 the
United States, and anxious to maintain
the native government there as against
the provisional government, composed.
as it is, of men of diverse natlonalities
and conflicting interests.
The popular sentiment in the United
States is somewhat divided as TO the an
nexation of Hawaii. Many regard with
apprehension the addition of a new ele-
ment TO our already conglomerate popu-
lation. The Sandwich islanders are
an alien race. The descendants of can
nibals. they have inherited many of the
vices Of their ancestors and acquired
many of those attendant upon the rather
questionable civilization they have at
tanned. Virtue is merely theory with
them: it is an unknown condition. They
are reasonably honest. for they are too
lazy to be dishonest. The fertility Of
their soil and the equable nature of
their climate have destroyed all incen-
tive to industry, and they are laZy-al-
most too lazy to ciothe themselves de-
Gently. Leprosy, the heritage of can
nibaliSm, is terribly prevalent among
the natives, although the CaucaSlanS
seem to be proof against it. If annexed
to the United States, the mass Of the
people would be simply a lot of voting
cattle, an easy prey to INSCRIPTIONS or
designing politicians and caring moth
ing whether the government was wisely
administered Or not. The men would
sell their votes as cheaply as the women
sell their virtue.
The advantages to be derived from an
neXation would be purely commercial
there would be no political benefits, eX-
cept, perhaps, to the people of the Islands.
England and Portugal at present con-
troll the bulk of the trade of the Islands,
although the American monopoly, of
which Claus Spreckels is the head, has
a very heavy mortgage upon the sugar
product. The islands would be a con-
venlent halfway station for our vessels
| engaged in the trade with China and
Japan, and would also furnish harbors
of refuge for our Pacific naval squadron,
| or even become the central rendezvous
| for those vessels, and a depot of sup.
| plies that would prove of tremendous
"a 20. 81 !, For ifrr
power. Expensive though the main
tenance of such depots may be, they are
necessary if we would maintain oul
prestige upon the ocean.
The advantages and disadvantages
OF the possession Of the Sandwich ISL
ands are nearly evenly balanced. If
however, an emergency should arise
when there was danger OF the island;
passing under European control, the
duty OF our government would be man
fest. We should prevent such an event
at whatever cost. As long as the pollt
ical autonomy of the islands is preserved
we can afford to permit them to retain
their independence; but when that is
threatened by England or Germany
the now dominant powers In the Pacific
the United States will be forced to act
and to act promptly and decisively. Al
American protectorate may serve tenn
porarY emergency; annexation or pos
session may become Imperative. 1t viii
be well for the administration to keel
a watchful eye upon the movements o
foreign powers in the vicinity, and
few armored cruisers might put in thei
time to good advantage in the adjacen
waters so as to be ready to checkmat
the acquisitiveness of John Bull O
Cousin Fritz.
1t may be that the time has not We
arrived when it will be eXpedient 70
the United States to absorb the Kanakt
kingdom, but we should serve motto
upon all other powers to keep thei
hands Off