New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-01
YET rs BE PROMPT and Pa 1RIO1IC.

IEr US BE PROMPT and PATRIOTIC
It is most gratifying to the people to OBJ
serve that there seems to be no essential differ
once Of opinion among their representatives al
the capital as TO the answer that should be
made 70 IIawaii's appeal. No petty partisan
spirit has as yet appeared, and 1t Is profoundly
TO be hoped that the sentiment OF PATRIOTISM
and American nationality will at all times con-
troll the action of every responsible ofhclal
There is nothing to be gained for any man or
party by conduct less high-minded The quos-
ton raised bv the visit Of lIawais Commits
siOners comes now instead OF few weeks later
as the result Of circumstances which were Whol-
~ accidental so far as Americans are concerned
and il will be dealt with by the present Adj
ministiation without any disposition to make
of it party capital The expressions OF Senator
Morgan. Representative lIarter and other dis
tinguishcd Democrats indicate full apprecla-
tion of these views and an intention generally
entertained by the party they represent TO CO.
oporate heartily with President Harrison and
the Administration forces in formulating and
executing promptly thoroughly patriotic
policy. ~
There is need of judicouS promptnesS. No
reason has yet appeared to doubt the report
of the revolution as made by Mr.. ThulSton
and his colleagues in any respect. The de-
posed Queens representatives came on to San
Francisco in the same steamer that brought
tbe Provisional Governments delegates, but
thew have net ventured to contradict any part
of the delegates statement, while private al
yicos from the representatives OF American
commercial houses at Honolulu to their prin-
cipals here fully substantlate it, The char
acter of the delegation, moreover, and OF the
Temporary Government that sent them. Is a
sufficient guarantee of the accuracy and com
pleteness of their story. Surprising, then that
the documents they bring are all that careful
and prudent Government should require, it is
plain that no time should be wasted IN giving
them their answer 1t must be remembered
that they have left at home an intensely anxious
constituency who are conducting public all fairs
under many disadvantages; that two weeks
Lave already passed since these conditions be
gan to exist, and at least four or five more
must pass before they can be entirely relieved.
PromptnesS and cordial unanimiy, therefore
should especially distinguish our treatment OF
the matter.
No great difficulty need be unprecedented in
providing suitable form of government Ion
Hawaii We are not asked TO admit the Islands
as an American State, nor would that course
be suitable for them or convenient Tor us
The terms of protcctorate might not be quite
easy to adjust, since that would involve large
me as,ue Of self-govcrnment than they are pre-
nared to undertake, and it would be necessary
to define our responsibility and the methods
and occasions of our acts Of intervention with
great circumstance and care. II would not.
however, be impossible, and there Is no deny
| ing that in some respects, from our point OF
view. it has peculiar advantages. llawaii's re-
| quest is for annexation and territorial form
| of government, and under our system 10 give
her precisely what is asked would be the sim
| plest. though, of course, the most binding ana
conclusive solution Of the matter The exist
ence in Hawaii of large numbers OF ignorant
| Kanakas and still more ignorant Chinese and
| Portuguese presents no problem with which we
are not reasonably familiar or which such a
| form Of government as now exists III Alaska
with few changes, would not be suited TO meet
| There is no obstacle now apparent which stands
in the way Of prompt and sufficient action II
only orr public men at Washington proceed
in a perfectly patriotic and sincere way.