St. Paul daily globe., 1893-11-17
THE RIGHT OF THE MATTER.


history has elected such a wide diversity
of opinions as the attitude of the ad-
miniStration towards Hawaii, and prob
ably there is no subject upon which
such general ignorance or misinforma-
tion has been displayed. The bald fact
is known that a monarchy was recently
oVertlrown there, that provisional
government was formed, and that this
government has in turn upset this tenn
porary government and restored the
monarchy, ignoring the request of
portion of the people, including the
members of the provisional government,
for annexation to the United States.
Democratic and Republican newspapers
alike have united in denouncing the
president and secretary of state for
their action. One journal that ought
to know better-the Cleveland Leader
goes so far as to declare that the presi-
dents policy lis likely to sacrifice the
important American interests in Hawaii,
retard the progress of civilization in the
islands, open the door to Chinese and
Japanese domination. the replacing of
Christianity with Buddhism. and the
abandonment of position of vast
strategic Importance to the United
States on the route across the Pacific to
Australia and the Orient"
America as nation has no''important
interests" in Hawaii. A few thousand
Of our citizens have voluntarily gone
there and engaged in business. With
out becoming citizens of the nation. they
NJ 70 EafI IT,
and foreign policy in such a direction
as TO practically enslave the native pop
ulation, and give them monopoly of
the trade Of the islands. Under Kala-
kaua, the late king, they had almost
succeeded. They tlattered his vanity,
and pandered 10 his vices. When, fall
ing victim to his eXcesses, the king
died, his successor, Lilioukalani, ell
deavored to call a halt, and to preserve
the native race from practical enslaye-
ment. She procured the adoption of a
new constitution, under which unnatu-
rallied foreigners were debarred from
political offices. This aroused the ire
OF the foreigners, and they plotted her
overthrow. Ignoring the fact that in
every nation in the world citizenship is
held to be prerequisite of oficehold-
ing, they denounced the new constitu-
tlon as an attack upon foreigners, and
especially upon Americans. They ac-
complished their purpose i'll a measure,
and but for the change of adminlstra-
ton in the United States would have
succeeded in the erection of new state
i'll the Union composed of the Hawaiian
group of islands.
The provisional government erected
upon the ruins of the monarchy had
literally no legal or moral claim to rec
ogn!tion. 1t was an usurpation, exist
ing only by reason of the protection af-
forded 1t by the naval forces OF the
United States, employed without sane
ton from Washington and in opposition
to the wishes of three-fourths of the
people. The pretense that this display
OF force was necessary in order to pro-
tect Americans and American interests
was puerlle. The Americans in Hawaii
were abundantly able to protect them
selves. for they had the natives in COM
piete subiection. Their chief concern
was mercenary one. and in its pur-
suit they sought annexation to the
United States, to the end that their
sugar, their rice and other products of
which they enjoyed monopoly might
be admitted to our markets free of duty.
These products, cultivated by slave
labOr-for the coolies and natives on the
plantations were practically slaves
could be placed in the American market
at prices that would defy competition.
This meant millions to the planters. and
for this enormous stake they bent every
effort. The persuasionS OF their repre-
sentatives at Washington have been
persistent, but fortunately unsuccessful
Their game was too palpably fraudulent
too manifestly contrary to the wishes
of the majority of the people-to deceive
SO astute man as President Cleveland
or his secretary Of state.
The pretense that the restoration of
the monarchy will prove detrimental to
the cause of Christianity is almost too
absurd for notice. Although the ma
tives do not boast of very high grade
of morality, they are nearly all Chris
tians in name, and far more firmly en-
treDched in that than they ever were
in their heathenish rites or ceremonies.
They are not models of purity, but are
Jealous defenders of the Christian faith.
The strict morality enjoined by the
Buddhist religion has no charms for
them; it could never prevail.
But aside from all other considera-
tions there is one justification, full and
complete, for the course pursued by the
administration in this matter. 1t is the
principle underlying republican gov
ernment-the right of every people to
self-government. If the majority of the
people of the Sandwich islands wish a
republic, they should be permitted to
have one; but if they prefer a mon
archy-even such poor apology
for one as they lately enjoyed
they should be protected in its
privileges. AT any rate, it is not the
province or the duty of the United
States to overturn the government of a
neighboring state, and to force uDon its
people form of government that is dis
tasteful to them or unsuited to their So
cial or economic conditions. The ends
of true democracy may sometimes be
best attained by sustaining rather than
destroying that form of government
which is best adapted to control a vi
cious or an ignorant people, and this
seems to be an instance in point. 1t
would certainly be contrary to good
policy to force upon any people a sys-
TEN of which they were ignorant, or
which was repugnant TO them.
The course of the Washington admin
istration has been both wise and patri-
otic. There has oeen no disloyalty to
the cause offree government, but rather
firm adherence to its most vital prInci-
ple-the right of every people to choose
their own rulers and their own form of
governmental discipline
THE PENSION QUESTION.
The pension question will come I'D in
this congress, as it has IN every other
one, though this time the purpose will