The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-29
THE HAWAIIAN QUESTION.
Prompt Annexation to the United States
The Best Solution.

Augusta Nov. 2S-Ex-Minisser John L. Ste
vens will publish in the kennebec journal
to morrow the following:
1t is well understood, that for many years
our ablest statesmen have seen clearly tl4aC
the United States should have control OF
the Hawaiian Islands. Since the establish
mont of the American right 30 what IS no"
the domain of the great states OF oregon
and Washington, followed by the acqulsl-
ton of California and Alaska, giving US
vast frontage on the North Paclhc' ana the
construction of five great continental rail-
road lines to that ocean, and the proximate
completion of the Nicaragua canal the Tea-
sons for United States possession OF hawaii
have been greatly increased. he pref ON
mating opinion now in the United States
is that those beautiful Pacific lands must
form part of the American Union. But
some say the question OF time IL not import
ant, that the little Republic is now getting
on very well. that good order prevails within
its borders, that its finances are we'll man
aged, the laws we'll administered, and the
best forces of civilization in full force. 1t
is urged that the Island can get along
very we'll for the present, and why not
wait until everybody in the land is con-
WINGED of the necessity of the important
step of annexation? To wait until the en-
tire people of the United States shall be
ready to accept annexation would be 10
adopt a policy of delay and procrastlnatlon
which has never been adopted in regard 10
any other great question of public interest
Certainly our statesmen did not walt tof
such unanimous opinion before annez1ng
Louisiana, Florida, Texas, California, and
Alaska. Our statesmen in power did not
pIocrastinate when the opportune time
came to make those great territorial &C
ouisitions. They too we'll understood Inc
CONTINGENCIES and dangers OF delay.
There is nothing more true than the GU
adage. that there are times and tldes III
the affairs of man." in the brief SIX years
following the repeal of the Missouri Com
promise, in 1854. the pressing question
among Americans was, should free or Save
institutions ACQUIRE permanent domination
in the great territory or Kansas? 1t was
n1ain enough to all who knew the facts,
that delay and compI omise were 1mpossiple.
The supporters of slavery thought TO win
.uccass by the use official and military
mower. aided by factitious or real pro-
sjaverv Immigration. The friends of free
native to secure free Kansas was by an I'M
roioration of an opposite character. The
Free Safe men, led by Thayer. Robinson,
Eomerov Snooner. and others as brave and
clear sighted as they. in and outside the
territory in controversy, knew well the IA
tality of delay. They won glorious sue
ccss bv the legitimate march of population
seeking land, homes, and the just rewards
po0darn history alike
furnish iunumerable illustrations showing
that territorial acquisitions are generally
made either by military force and conquest,
or By the peaceful movement of population.
It is clear to all who know the essentials
facts, that the real question underlying
the Hawaiian situation is this-shaH a
European American population and Amerl-
can political institutions predominant on
these valuable Islands of the North Pacl1cf
Or shall an Asiatic population and Asiatlc
civilization, more or less simulated anu
controlled by British agents and British in
terest, there prevail? So long as the naive
monarchy had some reason to be, support
ed by a population mainly Polyneslan' ana
there was but little movement of Asiatic
peoples towards the Islands there was little
danger in delaying Anne rican political and
naval POSSESSION Oh luetu LUZ INV SSAN-N
ions of fifty and of twenty years ago nc
longer exist. The native population Is now oe-
cidedly in the min ority. and is rapidly dwlnd-
ing away. Today the Islands have not
fifth. probably not a tenth. of what they
are capable of sustaining. 1t is therefore
plain that the flow oil emigration VIII
decide the future possessors OF the lslahds'
The British government will make no Sc
4iara IF Ia " a
TO the United States, If our Washington
government continues 10 ASSERT thrlr views
recently approved by nearly unanimous
vote OF the Senate and often expressed
through the state department. But BLUSH
canadian officials, and british lntrIguers
resident abroad, know how to antagonlze
American interests. 10 populate the ha"-
allan Islands with Asiatics and Canadian
and Australian Adventures WouId serve
well enough British designs and policy In
the end, but not the interests OF American
civilization. American commerce, ana
American sea power. 1t does not connlc'
with british policy and methods to mold
foreign province populated by nearly an
entire foreign people, as IL India anu hona
Kong. But such policy is not allowable
under the United states constitutions
system.
The real issue cannot De postponed. One
of the most intelligent and reliable ner
of Hawaii. whose life has been spent there
from the cradle, and whose Lesrt ana hopes
are all American, writes the following sig
nifieant lines, OF very recent date II see
clearly that the most serious menace tc
Hawaii at present is from he prepondeT'
ance of Asiatics. l hing there is but little
from any action in Tie nature of force: but
that unless active measures aGe taken the
Leaceful invasion and conc est Will more
eFectuaIly take place than any direct force
possibly cuuld. The danger that Anglo
saxon civilization will be suuplanted is real