The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-01-05
may be influenced by party traditions

his administration, or for the Demo-
cratic party, through its representa-
tives in both Houses of Congress. to
answer that for themselves. Ofcourse,
it is hardly to be expected that either
party will :loOk at the matter without
an eye to the probabilities OF the pos
sible effect upon itself OF action or in.
action in the direction OF annexation.
But such mere party considerations
are unworthy OF broad American
statesmanahip.
There are, however, certain entirely
national aspects OF the question which
may be better understood In Hawaii
than in the United states, and which
can be % well weighed here 90 there.
asserted difficulty OF the mixed HS-
waiian population assimilating with
American Institutions % n to become
o healthy and useful member OF the
American body polite; C2l the enor.
NOUS expense and difficulty, often as.
sumed, in foTttfying and defending
Hawaii against the world, and (8) the
assertion often made and sometimes
denied, that unless Hawaii In an
nexed, it is likely, whatever demand
of hands OF may be made by Con.
gressional resolutions or administra-
tion papers, to fall sooner or later un-
der some other foreign domination.
There are many other essential points
involved In proper confederation of
| the question of annexation, but these
are all that In this short paper can be
even alluded to.
The Hawaiian census for 1880 shows
q total population of $3.50, including
81, 4S6 natives and 8692 Portuguese.
his recently published report, the Por-
tuguese element is on the side of good
government. That portion Of the
population of Hawaii is continually
Increasing from births, and viii be
largely Increased by immigration.
Thrum's Annual for 1895 shows 2551
Portuguese school children. The Ha-
waiian native race is amenable alike
to good and evil influences. With q
strong and steady government, 1t
would readily conform to its best inn
pulses, and make excellent citizens.
Hawaiian born Chinese and Japanese
trained in English-speaking schools,
will illustrate most happily the effect
of national institutions upon Inherited
tendencies, and only Hawaiian-horn
Orientals need to be made citizens OF
Hawaii when incorporated into the
American Union.
The rest of the population now In
the Hawaiian Islands, together with
those who, In case or annexation,
would come into the country, would
form as sterling body Of American
citizens as need be desired.
~ Hawaii Is easily held by not
very expensive batteries and works
commanding Honolulu and Pearl Har-
bors. No cruiser to whom those har-
bors are inaccessible could secure any
permanent vantage ground elsewhere
In Hawaii. This Is q purely military
proposition, to which any army or
navy man must accede.
(3) AS to the danger of encroach-
ment by other foreign nations. In the
contingency OF European war, or OF
q conflict between Orientalism and
European civilization, the course for
the United States to follow to keep
"hands off, from Hawaii might
easily prove to be something more
than warnings to the belligerent
Powers.
The intentions" of England,
which have been so often mOoted,
may be left for the quiet Judgment OF
American statesmen to infer and act
upon. \
1t is far from improbable that Japan,
in the flush of its triumph over China,
and in the exercise of the statesman
ship which it has clearly developed,
may have its ambitions concerning
Hawaii which will be found easy of
accomplishment without giving to the
United States the slightest tangible
ground for complaint. -
It is right here that one may well
put his finger down and note and care
fully weigh existing conditions and
their apparently certain outcome with
out annexation.
The japanese treaty with Hawaii of
1886, which is confined TO Japanese
contract labor immigration, may be
terminated by either party on six
months notice. But the treaty of
1871, which gives to japanese free &C
cess to Hawaii for purposes OF resi-
dence and trade, is only terminable by
mutual agreement"
What, then, is the result? Without
annexation the natural increase of
Japanese by births and by immigra-
ton, with the impossibllity. of white
competition with them in many
branches of trade and industry, will
make of Hawaii q Japanese colony
within few years. Hawaiian sugar,
now bringing, even with the excep-
tional treaty advantage, only q cents
a pound to the Hawiian planter, will
surely, in case of an end Of that treaty
and that not improbable in any
event short of annexation-be not
only made by japanese labor, but Ha-
waiian sugar plantations will be
owned or controlled by Japanese capi-
/ tai, and their output will go to the
| great market of Japan. The refined
sugar now used in Japan is largely
made in Formosa and refined in Hong
kong. The appetite for refined sugar
grows fast, and japanese consumption
! can easily be supplied from Hawaii.
! Can anyone who sees these condi-
| tions doubt what will come of them if
the United States shall hold aloof?
! The United States will not stand
! aloof from Hawaii, for it cannot
! ignore its own interests as well as its
! often announced policy.
! ALFRED S. HARTWELL.
Eirst-nlass rnhhar ska nnrs on short