The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-05-24
N0RDHOFF V. NORDH0FF.
HIS PREVIOUS VIEWS ON AN
fIEXATioN.
The Matter Which Professor Oleson
Quoted Against Him in Last
Evenings Speech.

Following are the annexation views
expressed by Charles Nordhoh' in
Politics for Young americans. We
quote from pages r44-5-6;
Hitherto, we have been fortunate
in our territorial acquisitions, for we
have gained land encountered with but
few inhabitants, and well fitted by
climate, soil, and other natural proper
ties, for the prosperous settlement e
our own farmers and mechanics. Thus,
not only our laws, but, what is infinitely
greater importance, our manners and
customs, have been easily transferred to
and made dominant in these new lands;
and it is one of our greatest pieces Of
national good fortune that, with unim-
portant local differences, we are still,
in spite of the vast extension of our
boundaries, a homogeneous people
that is to say, a nation whose parts or
elements are similar, not only in Ian.
guage, but in habits, customs, manners,
methods of thought, and modes of
action.
'If you will think clearly, you will
see that what we want, for the future,
is not more people, but more land. If
we should receive no further additions
of population from Europe, we are now
so numerous and prosperous that our
numerical increase will be very rapid.
But we shall constantly receive great
numbers of European immigrants, and
these, who rapidly adapt themselves to
our customs, are welcome addition,
and quickly become part of U.s. For
their descendants and ours, it would be
a great advantage if we could secure
still more vacant or sparsely settled
territory, provided that these new lands
were, by their climate and productions,
fitted for settlement by our own people
When, therefore, people use the phrase
Manifest Destiny" they mean-if
they reflect at all-not that we ought
to, err could without hurt to ourselves,
annex Unfortunately all the states
adjoining us, but that it is part of cur
natural and sound policy to possess
ourselves, for the use Of cur own peo-
Pile, of all the waste and desert living
near our boundaries.
"Plainly, the annexation of tropical
islands like Cuba, San Domingo or the
Hawaiian group, does not fall within
this p icy; for, Ist, these countries have
already tolerably dense population. ed.
This population is alien to ours in race,
and in ali habits and customs, as well
as in language. sd. These islands
are not suitable to make homes for
our farmers and mechanics; on the
contrary, their products are grown on
estates where few planters employ, at
at very low VICES, great numbers of
rude laborers, and need but very few
intelligent mechanics-nor could their
industries be profitably pursued in a
different way. Finally, the people
whom we should have to accept with
the land, in annexing these islands or
the thickly settled parts of Mexico, are
not fitted by character or training for
the duties of American citizenship;
and, as they occupy the land, there
would be but slender possibility Of
assimilating them to ourselves. But,
on the ether hand, we could not, with
security to ourselves, refuse them poll
teal rights, # we made them a part of
our body polite. 1t is repugnant to
our political theory to hold territories
except with the expectation of their
speedily becoming states; because,
otherwise, local seIfgovernment would
be impaired, and the Federal admins
tration would unduly increase its pat
ronage and means of corruption.
"rhus, as we want land and not
people, sound policy tells US not to an
mex territory which has already an in
dependent and tolerable dense popu,
lation. But sound policy also urges US
to cultivate intimate and friendly rela-
tons with our neighbors; and this we
can do, with advantage to ourselves as
well as to them, by establishing with
them the utmost freedom Of CONNER
cial exchange. Commerce makes sure
and faithful allies; and if we were wise
enough to establish and maintain abso
lutte free trade with Canada and Mexico,
with the Sandwich Islands, with San
Domingo and Hayti, and with Cuba
it, as is probable, that island becomes
independent Of Spain 49, we should
greatly extend our own commerce, and
should have the use of all these countries
without the responsibility of ruling
them. We should find them willing
and faithful allies in case OF war; and
our own course toward them would
preserve them from the aggressions
of European powers. In this way, l
would like you to believe, we should
best fulfill, if not our Manifest Destiny,
what is of greater importance, our
Manifest Duty, toward these weaker
of ours"
THE United States Minister says that
the press report Of his speech to Presi