The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-02
ARE WE TO ABANDON ALL PRINCIPLE
To ANNEX HAWAII

TO ANNEX Hawaii
We offer no apology to our readers for
continuing the discussion Of the PROPOSE
ton to annex Hawaii. 1t presents to the
| PEOPLE OF the United States In definite.
| concrete form a question which has been
| smoulderirg under the surface OF our in
stitutions for seventy-flve years. and IL
| is a preston. the proper solution OF which
may have vitality important bearings upon
the future Of these United States. II Is
| ail.important, therefore. that as this aues-
| ton is now TO receive a final solution, 1t
| shall be solved correctly. In double
| loaded editorial the New York Sun comes
out most emphatically for annexation.
| The substance OF It's argument is that
| Hawaii would be very useful TO us, and
that IL can now be seized by Us with very
little inconvenience. The Sun is not sim
GUAR in this view. IL is about the sub
stance of almost everything else that we
have seen in favor OF the proposition. and
We sec little difference between IT and
what the highwayman says when he re-
tation OF that sort is not OF course. to be
treated with any seriousness.
The New York Tribune says:
I'VE cannot turn Hawaii adrift. nor can
we allow its destiny to be determined by
any foreign influence except our own"
And why can we Tot "allow its destiny
10 be determined by any foreign influence
except our own? Plainly because what
is called ''the Monroe doctrine" stands in
the way.
We have always thought ''the Monroe
doctrine" the most preposterous PROPOSE
tion that ever emanatsd from sensible
man. II it were not, as Senator Morgan
recently pronounced IT, torn now into
tatters." its own inherent viciousness
would soon bring II that fate IL any party
seriously pressed II upon the American
people as u rule for their future action.
We propose to have no monarchy or mon
archical institutions within the limits of
these United States. but outside OF those
limits, 1t is a matter OF perfect indiffer-
ence TO US what sort OF government the
people inhabiting any given territory may
choose to set up. "'hey may set up mon
archy, an imperial despotism. a republic
or whatever they may prefer. 1t is all
the same to us. What we propose to Go
is to hold on 10 a Republic for ourselves
II the doctrine" has any sensible foun-
dalton TO rest on. what sort of record
would we be confronted with IL we should
attempt at this late day to call It into
life? Here has been Canada, on our
northern boundary, the dependency of
monarchy. from the time we were a ma
ton. There is Cuba the colony of MOI
coast always since we have had national
life. The Imperial French Government
established and maintained itself in Mex
leo within thirty years. Brazil was an
even Hawaii had queen until within the
past few weeks. How shall We now say
that we will have no monarchical de- |
tendencies on this continent, to threaten |
tons. when we have stood by so long and |
seen them exist. and when; whatever we |
might do about Cuba, we would not dare |
try to end monarchy in Canada?
The case is very simple one. II the |
people OF Hawaii want to be annexed to |
the United States and the United States |
wishes TO annex Hawaii. 1t belongs neither |
to England nor to any other Power to |
the annexation. But whatever the |
people of Hawaii may want. the question
remains. what do the people Of the United |
States want? We reply most emphat-
ically that they want no annexation, and |
for two reasons-First. that annexing ter
ritory is wholly foreign to the genius Of
our institutions and people; and, second,
that II we should annex Hawaii 1t would |
have to be to make her State In a short |
time, and we want no equal State In this
Union whose population is composed Of |
the mongrel half-breeds that inhabit
Hawaii What would the people Of the |
United States think OF proposal to an
mex the Island of Hayti and convert 1t |
and its mongrel. debased population into
a free and equal State Of this Union? We
are threatened with enough Of that sort
Of thing as matters stand
Our duty is perfectly plain. We should
lend our friendly offices in aiding the
people OF the island to re-establish order
and a permanent government. insisting
upon all our treaty rights. as against all
who would infringe them, II any such
there be.