The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-15
Continued from Fourth page

is more difficult to govern, according
to our present theories than Hawaii !
Location, distance, population, actual
and possible, facility of communication |
everything is in favor of the Sand. |
wich Islands. And again, when Texas
has fulfilled her full destiny under our
present law, she will have four hundred |
representatives and California almost
as many We are already in that posi-.
ton where we must modify and rear
range our methods. The Sandwich
Island question only forces us to a
mole speedy settlement of problem
already existing If it be true-as it
seems to me--that in some firm or
other annexation must and will come,
why should it not be done at once ?
1t is no party question. Happily our
foreign policy is one. To our enemies
and our ncighbors we present a united
face, and unhappy be the day when
our foreign policy is confined within
party lines The treaty already sub
mitted proposed only to take posses
sion, and left the details to the future.
So much might be done tomorrow.
We must take possession, but the
method of our working is one If the
grayest questions yet proposed, certainly
the gravest since the War. Why
should we delay the action which re-
quires speed ? Why should we hasten
those details that need most serious
attention.
There are many trivial or ill-Consid-
cred objections to the present move
ment but the only one that demands
serious attention is the complaint that
the Provisional Government has taken
the votes and the power from the ma.
tives, and does not propose universal
suffrage. This, it is said, is unjust and
un American and it has aroused much
opposition among believers in the
sanctity of the right to vote. The
answer to this very serious objection i.
complete. This is only a temporary
plan at the most it is proposed &c
remove suffrage for a term of year
only. "The people of the UniteC
States in Congress assembled are lief
to settle the question of what should b,
the permanent status of its new citizens
What the provisions of the new treat
will be no one can tell but in view @
the character of the native population
at the present time, it would seem bes
to hesitate before granting them tn
power of control. Already we govern
Alaska directly and without suffrage
and the highly civilized District O
Columbia, and practically we do it il
all our Territories, where the l.Cal con
troll is so checked and limited that tn
voter has little real power. Especial
is this true in Utah. But deeper tina
precedent lies the question of the futur
methods of our expansion. How ar
we to grow, now that our own terrltor'
has been absorbed, and by wha
methods are alien races to come amonj
US? 1t is conceded that we gave tn
Negro the vote too soon. 1t is a dan
gerous gift for the savage Indian. 1t i
a sure evil for the commonwealth wher
the characterless immigrant votes
Why not begin in this new place by
waiting till the citizen is qualified t
govern before he is allowed to vote ?
The question of the future Of oar
political system is as interesting to the
student as to the patriot Already we
are too big for wise control The prac.
teal problem of our great cities, of oul
imperial States of the West and South
Of our great Northern dependency,
seem more than we can solve. Evi
IDENTIFY many notifications of oul
present system will be required wlthr
a short time, or representative gov
eminent must be A restricted and loCs
thing dying at last, it may be, Of it.
own restrictions We are suddenl,
and almost without warning called upor
to decide the question Of our future
growth, and with it, it may be, The
question Of the whole future of dem
ocraCy. Shall we stop where we are
or may we 90 on to a future when, ir
some great union of States each man
aging its own local affairs and all man
aging the affairs of all, until over some
such great union we shall see the stars
and stripes, the flag Of the Western
world, and all lands the world over,
seeking more and more the republican
federation as the crown of liberty? Nc
less a question than this is presented
by the request of Hawaii Let Us
neither falter nor halt; but as our fore
fathers met new problems, SO let US
Anna L. Da7osS in N. Y. IHdeben