The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-16

year or SO Hawaii will o annexed to the
United States While there are arguments
on both sides of the question, and inlluen-
tial men in congress will oppose annexa.
ton, tho trend of sentiment is undoubted-
ly in favor of the project. While no definite
: expression of opinion concerning the mat
, ter has as yet been had from President
Elect Mckinley, many of his intimate
friends think no will be found willing to
indOrse annexation, but only upon the con-
dition that the people of the islands on
some fair basis of voting declare them
selves in favor Of becoming part and
parcel of the United States.
A New Policy Discussed.
A few weeks ago tho writer was sitting
in the library Of Major Mckinley at Can
ton. In the group was a gentleman of
wide experience in public affairs, and he
made n remark which at once attracted tho
attention of tho president elect and of all
present 81 believe the time has come, ;"
said this gentleman, "for the United States
to institute colonial policy, or at least to
make the beginning of one 1t is desirable
from many points of view. 1t should be
remembered that till a comparatively re-
cent time our people have had an empire
| TO conquer in the great west. In every peo-
pie there will be a certain percentage of
discontinued persons, of people suffering
chronic unrest. They may be and often are
the most enterprising members of n COM
munity, but so constituted they cannot let
well enough alone. They wish to migrate,
to go far away to new fields of operations,
in hopes of lettering their condition. AS
long as the great west remained unsettled
that region afforded an outlet for these
restless persons. They made the west what
it is They developed it at rate which
surprised the world.
NOW tho west is practically settled"
continued the gentleman. about all the
good public land has been taken Migra-
ton to that region has virtually stopned
All that remains Is to fill in the sparsely
settled spots. Whittier shall the young men
OF our old states go in search of better op-
portunities than are afforded at home?
What way shall they turn? Where are the
restless and discontented to find an out
let? One effect of this lack of outlet is seen
in the growing disposition of our people to
upset the old traditions Of government
The people have been forced to become in
Prospective. They take up economic ques-
tions and study them till they conclude
something Is wrong with the government
AT times they may do this radically and
even with danger to the safety of our in
situations.
Tho Spirit of Unrest.
'Ne need "a colonial policy as an outlet
for this spirit, which is strong among our
people. Every old nation in the world has
found the need of such an outlet What
would Great Britain DO without its colo
mics? Where would opportunities have been
found for heryoung men if not in America,
in VnIi in Ito
had no colonial policy, she would have had
revolution on her hands long before this.
The colonies have been the safety valve of |
congested energy. Even now when the peo~
pie show too much inclination to look in |
upon themselves, when they become in
tense as to domestic questions, the wise |
statesmen of Great Britain contrive to di- |
rect popular attention to one or other of |
the colonies. 1t Is SO with Germany, with |
France and with Russia, and to lesser ex-
tent with Spain, Italy and Holland.
Many people do not stop to consider"
this gentleman concluded, THAT we have |
become an old nation. We are now settling |
down to conditions not unlike those which |
obtain IN the leading countries Of the old |
world. We have great population, which |
must be kept employed and satisfied or |
there will be mischief. Having stopped |
opening up great west, having ceased the |
rapid building of new railways and of 9TH
er works In the newer parts of the country, |
we must find substitute therefor In my |
opinion, we need colonial policy as an |
outlet for this element, as q safety valve |
through which we may blow off surplus |
steam as a means of providing opportuni- |
ties for our young men, who by the millions |
are looking for chances to make reputa-
tiOns and fortunes ~
No one listened with more eagerness to |
these remarks than the man who Is to be |
president of tho United States in q short |
time. While he did not say word one |
way or the other, thought I could see |
that bis sympathies were reused and that |
he was started upon train of thought |
which may in time produce practical re- |
suits
The Hawaiian Question.
The chief difficulty as to Hawaii Is the |
form of government which 1t shall take In |
case 1t Is admitted to the Union. The pop
ulation of the islands is not such as to |
give promise Of making them successful |
as an independent state. In 1890 tho pop |
ulation In round numbers was 100000 |
There were $4,000 natives, 5000 half |
castles, $500 natives born of foreign pa
rents, $4,000 Chinese, $4,000 Japanese,
ojcVo OAohe uSso, ~,VoO <AulorlCdDb, l,oOU /
British and few Germans, Norwegians
and French. Since that time the number |
of Japanese has been fast increasing. Now |
there are probably more Japanese than |
natives in the islands
With such population 1t has been |
found necessary to restrict tho suffrage in |
such way as to give the minority abso- |
Lutte control On any other basis the re-
public would have been a failure. The |
serious obstacles to the statehood of Ha- |
wall Ia this very question of suffrage. The |
people are not capable of self rule with an |
unrestricted ballot, and any other plan Is |
contrary to the spirit of our government |
To keep Hawaii a federal territory Is also |
unsatisfactory, as 1t opens up the way to "a |
corrupt government. One suggestion is |
that the islands might be brought into
the Union as part of the state OF Cali
fornia. Notwithstanding the difficulties
In the way, It is believed method will be
found to bring Hawaii into the United
cx-S