The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-03-28

NV own impression il that some
people are merely carried away by
sentimental visions OF an Ctopian
"era of good feeling" which is to bring
about what have ac ually seen de-
scrlbed in some American journals as
"a reunion of England with America"
II sentimental visions of that sort
were merely silly, there might be no
great harm in them. That eminent
philanthropist, the late Mr.. George
Peabody, used to employ thCmi to the
content Of many people, in the form
of Fourth of July dinners at the star
and Carter at Richmond, where the
health of the Queen and the PresI
dent used to be drunk to the strains OF
THE Star Spangled Banner and OF
"GOd Save the Queen. But do not
remember that il ever occurred TO mr.
Peabody on such occasions to invite
his countrymeD and countTywomen TO
Join with the Lord Mayor Of London
and two or three inevitable members
Of Parliment in singing "Rule, Brit
annian' The question OF the Hawai-
ian Islands in their relation to Great
| Britain and the United States Is not
and cannot possibly be question OF
partnership. 1t is and must be one of
primacy.
Many years ago, long before the
| United States became great power
on the Pacific, and when the .possiblli-
ties of steam and of electricity were
| only beginning to be developed, the
| Importance OF the Sandwich Islands,
| from q merely commercial point of
view, to Great Britain and to the
| United States led to sort Of joint
| action between these two powers, the
| object of Which was to establish some
/ form Of more or lees Christian and
civilized government over those ISL
auds which would warrant Great
Britain and the United States in in
sisting that they should not be taken
possession of by France, after the
| fashion OF the Society Islands and of
the Marquesas. The only form OF
government then possible, the popu-
lation of the islands being almost ex-
clusively PolyUesian, was q kind OF
monarchy developed out Of the chief
tainship with which the natives were
familiar. Seventy years ago, indeed
the second so-called King and Queen
were taken TO England that they
might get some notion OF what roy
atty meant.
When, under the joint action of
Great Britain and the United States,
the islands became a small but recOg-
niZed nationality, not TO be treated by !
France as were Otaheite and Queen !
Pomar by Louis Philippe and Admiral /
Dupetit-rhouars, the attitude OF Eng |
land and of America was symboliZed /
in the national flag adopted for them, !
in which the British union jack was |
combined with the American stripes. !
This was all very well 70 long as the |
islands could be reached by English /
and by American commerce only after |
long voyages in sailing ships, and SO
long as the whole Pacific coast of /
North America knew no other civiliz-
alton than the sparsely-settled.O out
posts of Mexican authority, the seal
fishing settlements of Russia, and
few sporadic trading establishments
planted there by the Hudson Bay Com
pany, or by eDterprising citizens of the
United States. But the whole situa-
ton underwent q complete change
when the United States, after the
Mexican War, carried their march of
empire across the continent and be-
gan to be what they have now be-
come, the great Christian power of
the North Pacific.
The events which, since 1S47, have
changed the face Of the North Ameri-
can continent, have not only made
the control of the Sandwich Islands,
both commercially and politically,
essential to the security and to the
future Of the existing American
Union. They have made it impossi-
bic for the United States to tolerate
any partnership in tie control of
those islands with any other power
whatever. And they have made it
impossible for the United
States to tolerate any such partner
ship with a great power which con-
trolls Australasia aud British India,
which maintains an important foot
hold on the Pacific coast of North
between Oregon and
and which occupies naval
and commercial positions of serious
Importance on the Pacific shores of
the Chinese empire. All this is too
obvious to be contested seriously by
any statesman worthy of the name in
any country OF the world. To assert
even any ill-feeling toward Great
Britain. The right of the United
States, in the actual and prospective
condition of the world, to an absolute
preponderance in Hawaiian affairs, is,
at least, as clear as the right of Great
Britain to control the ChanUel ISL
ands.
Probably French publicists might !
even go so far as to call it more clear!
this preponderance shall be
by an American protector :
ate or by direct annexation of the
islands, is question to be considered
and determined between the Hawai-
ian people and the people OF the
United States. 1t is not q question in
which any voice can be claimed by I
any other power, or safely admitted,
Il claimed, by the United States. Ali
The rights and interests which the
British subjects can reasonably claim
N connection with the Hawaiian ISL
auds, whether as merchants, or as car
-iers, or settlers, will certainly be as {
'afe under an American protectorate
pr under an absorption of the islands c
INTO the dOminion of the United
states as are the rights and interests
If British subjects anywhere within
he territory OF the Union. To main
ain and protect such rights and such
interests, Great Britain will need no +
great war"