The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-12-22

You don't know what you missed
will be a general greeting this morn
ing to every American League man
who did not attend the open meet
ing at the hall last evening.
The attendance was not a large one
but it was a little bunch of enthusi-
asm nevertheless. Annexation and
its phases was of course the leading
and only topic that the speakers dwelt
upon. The pleasing feature to those
interested in the cause was the an
nouncement made by President Muir
ray that it was the purpose of the
league to hold series of similar meet
ings during the coming session of the
legislature.
General Hartwell was the first
speaker. He said:
"There are patriotic and intelli-
gent Americans who, without regard
to party motives, consider that the
annexation of Hawaii to the United
States is open to serious and radical
objections, from an American point
of view. There are also public spirited
and intelligent Hawaiians of all ma
tionalities who entertain the same
opinion from a Hawaiian point of
view. To discuss these objections
fully would occupy more time than is
desirable to take this evening. / will
merely outline their nature and the
principal arguments against them.
"For myself, as an American citi-
zen, I have to say that the interests
of the United States are far too pre-
cious in my view to allow any per-
sonal gain which / might gain as
property owner in Hawaii to influence
me to advocate annexation, if did
not regard it as q national advantage
to the United States. Every military
and naval officer of the United States
with whom / have conversed on the
subject-and / have heard views of
officers of the highest rank-deem
that the annexation of Hawaii would
add greatly to the security of the Pa
cific Coast. The main objection made
to any insular acquisition is that it
would entail great expense to fortify
and defend, and that if policy of in
sular acquisition is initiated by an
nexing Hawaii, there will be an end
of the famous Monroe Doctrine, re-
quiring the United States to keep
clear of all foreign entanglements, as
well as to prevent all foreign inter
ference.
"It is also claimed by the objectors
that the mixed population of Hawaii
American citizenship and American
institutions. AS far as the expense of
holding Hawaii, the United States
would have no more concern or diff
Guilty, than in holding California or
Alaska. The sea power of the world,
as shown by our distinguished Amer
lean writer, Captain Mehan, can
never be safely neglected by any ma
ton that proposes to maintain itself
as first class power among the ma
tions of the world. In these days of
armored cruisers, cOaling stations at a
distance from the home country, are
absolutely essential.
"As for the Monroe Doctrine, and
what is called the american Sys
tem," nature has made Hawaii part
of that system. The long admitted
necessity Of keeping Hawaii clear
from the influence or interference of
any other power than the United
States fully comedies this. And as
for the population, does any one who
knows the facts, consider its intelli-
gence and capacity for free institu-
tions IA less than that which existed
in California, Texas, Alaska, or any
other territory heretofore acquired by
the United States?
"Aside from what may be called the
political and military advantages to
the United States of annexing Ha-
waii, the commercial gain would be
of vast importance. 1t is idle for the
wine producers of California to ask
that Hawaii shall keep out Japanese
goods. Even free trade treaty with
the United States would not do that.
To maintain against Japan a high
protective tariff, such as the United
States itself must have to accomplish
the desired object, nothing short OF
the power aud the laws of the United
States would suffice. Now for the
objections, aside from those
of & sentimental or exclusively per-
soual nature, they may he summed up
as the oil jectODS ot those to whom
or ATTY free Institutions are
dIstasteful, ami ~ no also consider that
the system of penal enfOj "emeut OF
contract labor is essential 10 the Ha-
waiian sugar industry. TE last OBJ
lection appears to many TO br almost
Some say that they
prefer to sacrifice III that Regard for
the greater gain of a strong anu stable
But / do Lot consider
that it would be a sacrifice. Labor
can easily be made abundant here, If
it is not already, of a kind suited for
the production of sugar. The expert
ence of Queensland, if not of other
countries, shows that sugar cane may
be cultivated and sold by weight to
mill owners with mutual profit.
"The heaviest and most experienced