The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-02-03
rHE REvoLUrIoN IN HAwAII

II
The periodical political upheaval in
Hawaii has just taken place. The reign
ing sovereign has been dePOsed, the mon
archy abolished and provisional govern
ment established. These political trans
formations are so frequent in Hawaii
that the present revolution would ordi-
narily excite comparatively little inter
est in America, but there is an unusual
feature about the present revolution.
The residents, both native and foreign
born. are represented as being almost
unanimous in their desire for annexation
TO this country, and commission COM
posed of Hawaiians of distinction has
arrived on our Pacific coast on its way
to the National capital to petition our
Goverment to annex the Hawaiian Is
lands. A serious problem, therefore, is
presented to the people of the United
States, and in view of this fact a brief
survey of the Hawaiian situation will be
of timely interest to orr readers.
Hawaiian affairs have for a considera-
BILE period been dominated by American
influence, a number of the civil offices
OF the country being held by Americans.
1t is made manifest by the present re-
quest for annexation that the American
party is in control of the provisional
government, and this fact adds to the
gravity of the situation. The petition
Tor annexation is in seeming conflict
with the policy and presidents of our
Government, but on the other hand there
are strong reasons for granting the pc.
tition.
Commercial considerations alone fur
nlsh a strong argument for the annexa-
ton of Hawaii. At the present time it
is estimated that this country controls
about nine-tenths of the trade of the is
lands; and if the petition for annexation
is denied the inhabitants will seek an
alliance elsewhere, with the result that
this country will lose control of the
Hawaiian trade. A second argument in
favor OF annexation is the supreme inn
portance Of the islands from a strategic
point of view. The Hawaiian Islands lie
practically midway between this country
and Asia, Australia and New Zealand
and it is evident that the country which
controls these islands has practical con-
tIol of the Pacific, There is no other
land in that quarter of the globe where
safe harbors can be secured for modern
war vessels or merchant ships, or whore
coaling stations or naval depots can be
located. In 1887 treaty was arranged
with King Kalakaua by which this coun-
try in exchange for commercial privi-
leges secured exclusive control of the
harbor of Pearl river near Honolulu, and
in 1889 the late Secretary Blaine sought
to make this arrangement permanent.
but the project was defeated through the
efforts of the English and Canadian gov
ernments. American rights in that har-
Dor are therefore only temporary and the
steamers of the Canadian Pacific railway
are already stopping there.
The pre- ent population of the islands
is about &c, 900, including $1,000 Chinese,
$4,000 japanese, 5000 Portuguese, 1000
Americans, l,400 English, 1000 Germans,
700 Frenchmen, and several thousand
people Of other nationalities, besides the
natives.
During the year 1890 the value of the
exports from the islands was $13, 2S2, 900.
and of the imports S7,0OO,O 900, a large
share of which went from this country.
1t can thus be seen that the United
States has important interests at stake
in the fate of the Hawaiian country, and
Judging from the Governments satisfac-
tory experience in annexing Alaska by
purchase no mistake will be made in ac-
cepting this still more desirable territory
as practical gift.-Free Press.