The San Francisco call., 1895-08-02
A FAILING GOVERNMENT.
Congressman Hilborn Talks
of the Hawaiian
Islands.
LOSING MONEY EVERY MONTH.
AS d Result Ex-Oueen Liliuokalani
VIII Eventually Be Restored
to Her Throne.

Congressman-elect Samuel G. Hilborn
has returned from a five weeks trip to
the Sandwich Islands, where he went to
enjoy a rest and incidentally study the
various questions that have racked the
little Government from end TO end within
the last two years.
81 was very much surprised" said the
Congressman to a CALL representative,
''when a San Francisco paper published
what purported TO be a statement made by
me while at a banquet In Honolulu.
Among other things it stated that l had
declared myself in favor of annexation and
that it was my intention immediately
upon the convening of Congress in De-
cember to introduce bill for the annexa-
tion OF the Sandwich Islands to the United
States.
1T further stated that l was ambitious
TO be the Governor of the new territory.
Is it likely that Grover Cleveland would
make me, a Republican, Governor of the
place2 And is it likely that I would care
10 suffer the Punishment 1t means during
the term of years covering the Office?
'In regard TO annexation 1 made no such
statement, do not believe in annexation at
the present time, and it is not likely that I
ever will The situation at present is one
OF grave difficulty, and the population is in
no condition, nor is it the proper material
10 make State of. There are the natives,
Chinese, japanese, Portuguese, and but
Smattering of the Anglo-Saxon races.
Under these conditions 1 would never ad-
vocate annexation, and | believe it would
be a fatal mistake to bring about such a
result. l talked with all classes of people,
royalists, constitutional followers and those
who are indifferent, and | found that the
present Government was built on too small
a pedestal. There is in the islands pop
ulation of 100000 people, and out of that
number less than 10000 participated in the
creation OF the present Government.
Il consider it very fortunate that | went
there, as one cannot understand the case
from reading figures on paper. 1t is nee
esSary to see things Just as they exist.
One Is at once struck with the scarcity of
white people, and [ doubt if annexation
viii produce any different results.
"Hes, We hear about the advisability of
getting the islands into the United States
for fear that England will take them. Now [
do not think she would care to displease
America to that extent, and | never have
anticipated such a move on the part of
England.
mo, 1 think the plotting business in that
section of the world is over. l am quite
confident that while a great many of the
with the Constitutional Government they
will never attem pit to restore the Queen TO
the throne by violence. At one time they
were very distressed at the spectacle of the
Queen being imprisoned in her own palace
where she Is yet by the way, but that feel
ing is about gone and they are content to
witness the Constitutional Government
working out its own dissolution. / mean
by that Just what | say. The present meth
cd, and it seems as If there were no other,
of conducting the Government on a mill
tary basis is gradually causing its ruin.
Every month sees 1t further In debt and
such conditions cannot prevail very long.
Now to illustrate to you how necessary
it is to operate on such basis. Every
once in while information comes from
some point on the mainland that hli
clustering expedition is about to start out
from Vancouver or San Francisco or some
other point along the coast and it at once
becomes necessary to increase the military
vigilance to the detrIment OF the treasury.
Why the last racket in January cost them
500 600. Anybody can see that the result
will be failure.
''No one knows how weak the Constitu-
tional Government is better than the roy
alists, and they also know that force would
only prolong the time when the present
Government will step down and out, per-
fectIy satisfied that there is nothing there
upon which to establish a substantial gov
eminent.
tWhen Congress convenes in December
next | Will not make any move 40 bring
about annexation, nor will take single
step in the direction of legislation un-
less it comes up in the course of regular
business In that event l will be fully
equipped with all the information neces-
sary to act with judgment and Impair
tiality. Not stone was left unturned by
myself TO learn all sides OF the questions,
and at the present time | am satisfied that
before long the Queen will return to the
throne"