The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-11-18
THE HAWAIIAN POLICY.
What Religious journal Has to Say
About 1t.
New York independent


Let us see what the condition of
things is. A Queen was reigning who
had attempted by absolute fiat to dis
franchise the white citizens of the is
lands; the government was totally cor
rupt, hand in glove with the lottery.
The white people of the islands, with the
more Intelligent part Of the natives, in
Guiding all the leading native Ministers
but one, were totally dissatisfied, and
fell that her design was a constant menace
to their safety and prosperity. Her depo-
sion wess a righteous act, just as right
eous as that which deposed Charles I. !;
and there was far more occasion for it
against George III. By an uprising of
thu. people who had been threatened sand
injured, and who felt that their property
and lives were in danger, she was re-
moved from the thone, and it was right
that the representatives of the American
government should be ready to recognize
the change. A republican form of gov
eminent was declared, and men were
sent to this country to offer the islands
to be annexed to the Unitd States. There
can be no sort of question on anybody IS
part that annexation would be better for
the United States and better for the is
lands. They properly belong to us and
have got to be, anyhow, under our pro-
lection. The only question is, if they
are not annexed, whether they shall be
protected as republic or protected as
a monarchy. Our administration de-
clares for the monarchy, and proposes to
put back upon the throne discredited
Queen, although her restoration can be
effected only BY a succession of bloody
disturbances which will endanger the
life and property of American citizens as
we'll as of the people Of Hawaii. It is a
very peculiar exhibition, that of the
United States restoring a monarchy
against the will of the people.
In Hawaii the native race have less
enterprise than the. negroes, and the
people care very little who rules them.
Their interests are slight in either case
There is in Hawaii no system of sup
pressing the native vote, and yet we pre-
sumo that on fair vote at the present
time the Provisional Government would
be supported; at any rate, it is the only
government in existence, and President
Cleveland takes very serious response
iblity if he undertakes to overthrow it.
To give by force the American interest
and citizens of American birth in
Low OH w Siouo 1plOShlCo anu UuC lotUCl y
and opium gangs would be infamous.
One word as to Secretary Gresham s
sheer at the revolutionists as aliens. He
says that {" a majority of the thirteen
| members of the Provisional Committee
| including five Americans, were aliens,
and that a citizen of the United States
| read the proclamation deposing the
| Queen Every one of these menswas a
voting citizen of Hawaii We quote
| from the Hawaiian Constitution:
"Every male resident of the Hawaiian
| Islands, of Hawaiian, American OF
| European birth or descent, who shall
| have attained the age of twenty years,
shall be entitled to vote at any election,
| provided that he shall have resided in
| the country not less than one year pre-.
ceding such election; that he shall be
able to read and comprehend an ordi
| nary newspaper printed in either the
Hawaiian or some European language
and that he shall have taken the oath
| to support the Constitution of 1884,"
| The foreign element thus enfranchise6
| conducts all the business and industrial
| enterprises, pays four fifths Of the taxes
and is most deeply concerned in goot
| government.
| If Senatorial Commission is sent te
Hawaii, it will learn much more thar
| Mr.. Blount has told Secretary Gresham