The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-11-27

meeting fcries OF "hear, hear''l. And
also feel that if it was no matter 20
be ashamed of at that date, when /
had the honor Of being the representa-
tive Of the great American republj" ~
these islands. il i still less my desire
now TO repudiate those sentiments or
falter in my allegiance 70 the doctrine
so ably upheld by and so intimately
connected with the names OF Webster,
Seward and Blaine great applause.
| have great respect for the honorable
gentleman who now holds the port
folio of the state department at Wash
ington. He and l were two humble
units in the great mass Of loyal men
who helped TO save the integrity oi
the union in the dark days OF the civil
war (cries OF "hear hear"l. / can for
give almost any weakness IL the Judg-
ment OF man whose heart and hand
were on the right side in that bloody
strife, but / confess it requires good
deal OF charity to overlook the propo'
sitiOn that the same spirit which IN
1861 animated the defenders OF that
Christian civilization and advance
ment, by means of which the United
States have outstripped the world,
shall now take back seat, or march 10
the rear, and leave the work OF nearly
century of devoted hearts and willing
hands in the enlightenment of this
people and the Improvement Of this
country to be destroyed by the ruth
less hand of superstition and lgnor-
ance CHEERS and applause. 1t - not
nay intention to measure swords with
the honorable secretary in the discus
sion of facts relating to the establish
ment of the present government. That
it was established and has since been
maintained in the interest OF the
whole country, and for the purpose OF
giving the whole people the benefit OF
an honest and able administration OF
its affairs is, in my opinion, beyond
dispute. l publicly declare that the
newspaper statement attributed to
Claus Spreckels, to the effect that
under the management OF the reVo-
lutionary government business on the
islands has become depressed
and would have continued TO diminish
as long as the new government had
existed" ETC., is not borne out by the
facts (applause). If Mr.. Spreckels'
plantations have not been more re-
munerative during the past year than
for any year since the passage of the
Mckinley bill, it has been on account
of the dry weather, and not from any
fault of the Provisional government
daughter and applause). Mr.. Jaeger
is credited with saying, for publica-
ton, "The Provisional government
has little to commend it. 1t could not
lOng endure il left to itself" Such
statements would have little effect
were the parties uttering them known
to the people who read their utter
ances Oaughter). / have lived in this
country quite as long as Mr.. Jaeger,
and L challenge any man to name a
cabinet during the last twenty-five
years the members of which were the
superiors, if indeed the equals, of the
men who now hold the various offices
under the Provisional government
CHEERS and applause). Now, why are
we anneXationists? quite agree with
my friend, Mr.. Spreckels, that under
the conditions he names and fears, my
business as a sugar planter would not
be benefited by having this country
come under the laws and restrictions
of the United States regarding
Chinese and other labor (laugh-
ter. If L owned the whole
country, and belonged to the sugar
trust, L think it very likely L would
not want to be annexed laughter).
But, here again, as L am only unit,
and as L believe the future welfare of
the country would be better assured
by annexation, l am willing to take
my chances under the stars and
stripes-especially as | believe such
union would prove benefit to the
country from which we on these ISL
ands have drawn all our support
great applause). We are here this
evening to consider the publication
of the views of the secretary of state,
at Washington, and perhaps decide
the question as to whether or not we
shall give up the idea of annexation
(cries of "no, no, never"). If the
opinion expressed by the honorable
secretary of state could be considered
as the voice of the people of the Uni
ted States / should advise that we
"save our breath to cool our pOr-
ridge" But from the somewhat forci
BILE opposition expressed by the press
and public [ am led to believe that
the secretary found the snow coming
down the side of the mountain very
rapidly after his letter was made
Therefore / am forced to give my
opinion that it would be unwise and
unadvisable to give up the fight be-
fore the back counties are heard from,
(Here q voice in the crowd shouted:
"let us give up our guns hot, and
cartridge belts empty" Cheers and
applauSe). Here / must beg your in
diligence for personal explanation.
Secretary Gresham says in his letter
"Mr. Blount states that while in
Honolulu he did not meet a single an
neXationist who expressed his will
ingness to submit the question to a
vote of the people, he did not talk
with one on that subject who did not
insist that if the islands were annex
ed suffrage should be so restricted as
to give complete control to the for
eignerS or whites, while representa-
tive anneXationists have repeatedly
made similar statements to the under
signed.' 1 had the honor, while in
Washington, of an interview with
the honorable secretary and was
asked by him TO give my views upon
the matter quoted. My reply was
that while did not consider it proper
to submit the terms of treaty TO the
people, before the treaty was made, in
Hawaii any more than in the United
States, L was and am perfectly will
ing to say that under the constitution
and laws of the United States (and
under such restrictions as
the representatives of the l. s. gov
eminent might themselves see fit to
make | would allow every native
voter, with the ordinary qualitica-
tiOns, to vote at any and every elec-
ton to be held (applause). [ may not
have been classed with the "'represen-
tative anneXationists," by the honor
L