Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-04-12
THE ANNEXATION OF HAWAII.
A Mexico Man Resident In the "flt W.
cry Kingdom" Expresses His
Views on the Matter.

SwATow, CHINA, March IA
copy of the Evening LEDGER came
to me few days ago, and my at.
tention was attracted by an article
from former Mexico citizen on the
Hawaiian question. Now, being a
former Mexico citizen myself, l will
request space in the LEDGER for an
other view of that little question from
what l shall term the "Jingo"stand-
point. have had but few months
residence on these sunny Isles, and
claim no particular interest in the
Kanaka variety of the genus homo.
So my arguments are necessarily
based upon the "Jingo" sentiment,
and what appears in the American
interest from All enthusiast on this
side OF the globe. To begin with, our
Honolulu friend mentions the long
distance of the Hawaiian Islands
(2,1OO miles) from the United
States. What about the distance to
Alaska? Does any American regret
our possession of that distant terri
tory? He also mentions their in
habitants, their untitness for citizen
ship and the difficulties of governing
them under the Constitution. Will
they not compare favorably with the
natives OF Alaska? And may we not
make special laws for distant terri
tories in the same manner as Eng
land does for hers? That England,
under her present colonial system,
confers benefits upon the native
races she governs, at least those
capable of being civilized, 1 think
no one who has ever had any exper-
ience with such races will attempt to
deny. For instance, why do the
Chinese 60 in thousands from the
southern parts of China to the
British possessions of the Malacca
Straits in preference to the native
governed kingdoms of Cochin,
China, and the Malay Peninsula,
which offer equal natural induce
ments? Because, under the British
flag they find just and reliable gov
ernment, while they know better
than to trust themselves and their
wealth to the tender mercies of ma
tive despots. May we not extend
the same benefits to the inhabitants
of few islands like those in ques-
ton, who are too weak to give them
selves stable government, espec-
tally when We undertaks to prevent
any other strong power taking pos
session of them? AS the case appears
to me in my "Jingo" mood the
commercial, as we'll as the naval in
terests Of the United States demand
few such island supports, both in
the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. 1t
also looks as though it was time our
country had foreign policy dis
connected from partisan politics and
so ordered that our interests abroad
should be looked at through Ameri-
can glasses. l am afraid this over
sensitiveness toward other national
tiles and the habit of looking at our
interests through un American
glasses is rather dangerous policy.
Carried to extremes it would lead
us to hand California and Texas
back to Mexico, or possibly to re-
verse our time honored estimate of
George Washington and the patriots
of the Revolution, who you know
were American born Englishmen
who started a little "rumpus"
which, luckily for themselves, turned
out bowling success. Can Mis-
souri, Democrat consistently assimi.
late the "Jingo" sentiment? / think
he may, provided he travels around
| a few years and takes note of the ad-
vantages that will accrue to his ma
ton through increase of our mer-
| chant marine and the extension of
American influence and capital into
distant parts of the world. l account
for the ''iingoism'' that has crept
into my mental composition chiefly
in the fact that during five years res
idence in Swatow l have never seen
the stars and stripes on merchant
vessel. Ship after ship comes into
the harbor, sometimes as many as
eight or ten big steamers in day,
| hut not ono has shown the American