Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-02-09
A Government For Hawaii.

While the Hawaiian delegates have been
journeying across the continent public
opinion has had plenty Of time to express
itself as to the important matter they have
in hand. Rarely in our history has an
affair of equal magnitude been discussed
with such entire freedom from partisan
feeling or on so exalted plane of enlight-
ened patriotism. The popular verdict u
clear, unequivocal and practically unani
nous. Hawaii is welcome Her sOver-
eighty will be received by the American
people in such form as will create content
and assure order and prosperity In the
islands. The rest Is matter of detail,
and, although it brings up new questions
and will almost certainly require great
changes in our foreign policy, the mere
devising of form of government for the
Hawaiian people cannot seriously EN-
barrass practical statesmen of the Ameri-
can type.
1t Is fortunate that Mr.. Thurston and
his colleagues come with mission so
simple and direct. They are empowered
to treat of annexation aud Of nothing less.
That conceded IS the basis of the nego-
tiation, they have little else to insist upon.
They are ready to accepta Territorial form
of government, which means, practically,
the rule of the President asserted through
the Interior Department and a Governor
and judiciary appointed at Washington.
The precise measure OF local self-rule
which may be permitted to the people OF
an American Territory is fixed by statute,
and may he much or little. In Alaska II
is almost nothing. In Utah it is consider
able In case of Hawaii it would be I'M
doubtedly desirable to exercise conser-
vstive judgment on this point, and there
is every reason to believe that the dele
gates will show themselves quite as con
sentative as we could wish.
There is wide difference between the
attitude the United States would thus
sustain to Hawaii and that sustained by
England to a Crown colony, such, for
instance, as British Guiana; and, although
the measure of local self government per
mtted in each case might be similar IN
that II was very little, there would be no
reason to anticipate the vexstion and Jeal-
ousv in Hawaii against the United States
which mark the sentiment of the people Of
British Crown colonies so generally toward
their sovereign country. For not only Is
Hawaii already thoroughly American,
while the English colonies are generally
anything except English, but there would
be in Washington none of that repres-ive
susteritv which the British Colonial once
feels itself compelled to manifest toward
the distant lands II rules. England :
difficulty in dealing with her colonies. al
least those that are in American waters,
proceeds mainly from the fact that neither
has considerable material interest in the
other and the authority imposed by The
sovereign produces. therefore. ho compen-
.stion TO the subject.
But an entirely different state Of Affairs
will prevail in Hawaii, and would in the
Caribbean islands II they belonged TO Us.
Hawaii will be ruled from Washington,
but according to the elastic American prin
ciple which assumes self government TO be
the ideal. and insists upon astesdy al
vancement toward that goal a. circum
stances warrant. The governing establish
ment, too, will be as thoroughly Hawaiian
as the conditions IN the group will allow
and above all, the political interest OF the
islands will lodge in the same tenement
with their commercial interests. There
need be no fear, therefore. OF friction
/ between the islanders and the people OF
/ the continent, or of serious tficulty II
/ devi>ing a form of government which vii
/ 5e satisfactory, TO both parties. The rea
/ problem for Us of Haw allan annexation
! appears not in the relations Of the islands
( to the Union, but In the new American
! foreign policy which it must strongly
/ operate TO bring about---N l. IritgH'