The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-05-25
HAWAIIAN STAR NEWSPAPER COMPANY.
THE GROUNDS OF ANNEXA
TON.

uOOk WHICH llldlkS OuN llG uulD Vi
Americans in their relation to the &C
quirement of foreign territory.
Mr.. Nordhof's three guiding lights
to annexation are--or were when his
book was written-these Illuminating
principles
l. That the country wanting to be
annexed shall not be numbered by a
dense population.
H. That the population shall not be
alien in race, language and in all habits
and customs.
III. That the country shall be suit
able to make homes IN for our farmers
and mechanics.
Mr., Oleson has pointed out with
great clearness that these conditions
argue strongly for the annexation of
Hawaii. Everybody must agree with
him that the population of the Islands,
even including the transient hordes Of
Chinese and japanese, is far from
dense; and hardly any one will deny
that homes suitable for American
farmers and mechanics have not only
been founded here already by host Of
producers and artisans, but that the
land offers tempting opportunity to
many times the present number.
That opportunity exists now and does
not depend upon the new industries
and openings and the new demand for
agricultural products which an Annex
ationist boom would create
Now comes the other condition,
namely that the population shall not be
alien. To this it may be said that the
really alien population is here merely
to work and 90 away again and that it
cannot be counted as part of the body
polite The native race, to be sure, is
not entirely of white complexion, but as
the United States does not recognize
the color line it surely is not politics
for young or old Americans to draw ii
across the face of an annexation treaty
Aside from color there is very little in
deed in the native Hawaiian which is
alien to America. He was taught by
American missionaries, he reads the
Bible and as a usual thing attends a
Christian church he supports schools
and a press and in all the essen.
tias of progress he is far superior
to the negro, for whom hundreds OF
thousands of Americans took then
lives in hand to make a citizen of.
Surely in the sense that Mr.. Nordhofi
uses the word "alien" the Hawaiian
is hardly alien at all, having learned
American customs and habits, and
absorbed great variety of good Ameri,
can ideas.
Even if this were not true, Mr..
Nordhoff will do well to remember that
the Hawaiian race is dying fast, that it
will soon be eliminated from the
political equation; and that, if there
were enough of the alien tendency left
to threaten the American peace, it is
yet tendency which every year must
lessen, and which another generation
must extinguish. In the meantime is
it not well to possess the land which
its original owners must soon bequeatf
to those who will be ready to take it?
"If you think clearly" says Mr.
Nordhoff to his young Americans, "yor
will see that what we want for the
future, is not more people, but more
land. If we should receive no further
additions Of population from Europe
we are now so numerous and prosper
Gus that our numerical increase will be
very rapid. But we shall constantly
receive great numbers of European
immigrants, and these, who rapid,
adapt Themselves to our customs, are I
welcome addition, and quickly become
a part of US, For their descendants
and ours, it would be great advantage
if we could secure still more vacant o.
sparsely settled territory, provided tina
these new lands were, by their climate
and productions, fitted for settlement
by our own people"
We hail these becoming sentiments
Here is "more land not much, but
enough for a million Of people. Who
can, better than the citizens Of Hawaii,
SO "adapl themselves to American