Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-05
HAWAIIAN INVESTIGATION.
Advantage to Be Derived From Closer
Union With the Islands.
Mr. Joseph e. Simpson Gives the
Senate Committee q Good Deal
OF Information.

The Senate Hawaiian Investigation COM
mittee held a special meeting today for the
purpose Of giving Joseph E. Simpson Of
the state OF Washington an opportunity to
place before the committee facts gathered
by him bearing upon the advantage to be
derived from a closer union with the is
lands. Mr.. Simpson, unlike the preceding
witnesses, was not on the islands either at
the time of the revolution or subsequent
thereto and could furnish no information
bearing directly upon those proceedings
He went there in November Of 1892, and
left early in January, 1893, on next to the
last steamer which left prior to that event
The purpose Of his visit was to make ar
rangements for steam communication be-
tween Hawaii and Puget sound. His in
vestigations were therefore made entirely
upon a commercial basis and with the leg
islature which was then in session.
FOreigA Trade of Hawaii.
He succeeded in securing a guarantee of
a subsidy for carrying the mails and in OBJ
tanning a mass Of information which con-
vinced him of the great natural resources
and possibilities for the development Of
wealth on the islands. He presented the
committee a tabulated statement giving the
figures as to the foreign trade of Hawaii
since 1885. the first year that any record
was kept of the business done. The busi-
ness for this period represented in round
numbers $265. .OOO,ODO. of which the imports
amounted to $99.OO0.O0O and the exports to
$164.OOO.OOO. The bulk of this business has
been done since 1876. when the reciprocity
treaty with the United States went into
effect. and Mr.. Simpsons figures showed
that from the close of 1876 to the beginning
of 1893 the exports from Hawaii to the
United States had been $7OOoO,OOO in excess
of the imports from this country.
Property Owned by Americans.
facts which he presented showed the Ha-
waiian Islands to be capable of producing
vast wealth, and argued that the United
States owed 1t to itself to control, If not to
possess, the islands on this account. He
also represented that three-fourths Of the
property on the islands is now owned by
Americans, and declared that in interest
and sentiment the people were essentially
Americans. He declared that for all prac-
teal purposes. except in name, this country
had for many years exercised q protect
crate over the islands. and had been the
only country to keep warship constantly
at Honolulu.
Knew Nothing Of Conspiracy.
Mr.. Simpson said that at the time he was
in Honolulu there were no indications of a
definite disruption Of the government: not
even up to the time he left, just prior to the
revolution, did the people seem to dream of
change. He saw a great deal of the men
who have since come into power, and felt
confident that il there had been any con-
spiracy on foot looking to the overthrow of
the queen he would have had an inkling of
1t. On the contrary, these men were then
acting on the defensive and, while they
were restless. did not appear hopeful of
getting rid OF the queen at so early a date
Ee said he was confident from what he
knew of the men at the head of the pro-
v1sional government that they would be
able to maintain themselves