Evening star., 1896-11-27

Hawaiian annexation, and has come to
Honolulu to study the question on the
ground. After the active part which the
ex-secretary took in forming the treaty.
and the violent upsetting of his labors'
which President Cleveland speedily
dealt, IL is natural that in view of a pos
sible early resumption OF the undertaking.
Mr.. Foster should desire Thoroughly to in
form himself about it, 1t is, indeed, quite
inconceivable that he should DE devoid If
very keen interest in the subject. We seem
to be justified i'm believing that he has
come TO Honolulu mainly 10 see for him.
self what are the actually existing condi-
tions here This theory receives some con-
firmation from the fact that he firmly re-
fused an offer earnestly pressed upon him
to become the guest of Banker Damon of
the cabinet, and went instead TO the Ha-
waiian Hotel. The inference is that he spe-
cially desires TO occupy a position of i'm
partiality while investigating contested
public questions.
While in San Francisco on his way hither
Mr.. Foster was handed letter signed hy
certain native Hawaians members of the
former royal band, who refused TO serve
under the present government and have
for more than year been exhibiting in the
United States. The letter was unquestioE-
ably prompted, well as written, by Ilar-
ence w. Ashford, who was attorney general
mere In the Thurston cabinet Cf 'S1-'90 but
who broke with his colleagues in conse-
quence of having taken service under the
Canadian Pacific railway for the purpose
VI oppoSiilB american ana promoting Brit
fsh interests in Hawaii. Ashford was in
Volved with his brother In the insurrection
of 1888, and was expelled from the islands
he is now practicing law in San Francisco,
ana works virulently against this govern
ment and against Ameilcanism in Hawaii
as ne hnds opportunity. Hence the letter
TO Mr. Foster.
Antf-Annexation Sentiment
The letter notes that press reports repre-
sent Mr. Foster as bent upon the further
promotion of the project of annexation
1t states that these bandmen were denied
the privilege of earning a livelihood in the
land OF our BIRTH" on account of our re-
fusal 10 swear allegiance to the usurpers
and to forswear the forms of government
under which We were born and had always
lived" Crhese men earned a fair living
for over year in Honolulu, as an inde-
pendent band, after refusing to serve the
republicD They trust that you will hold
yourself in a receptive mood for the ac-
curing OF Information upon the true con-
oitlons OF Hawaiian sentiment concerning
poltlca. annexation to America and that
you VIII not further seek to have imposed
upon them political condition from which
they shrink with dread"
1hey particularly ask, in the name of the
devotion of the American people TO demo-
cratic principles, that any further stems
toward annexation be deferred until the
Will of the qualified voters of our country
as tested by the constitutional provisions
eNlStlnS January ID, 1883, shall have been
formally registered through the medium of
plebiscite." This demand for a plebiscite
upon the question of annexation is the real
gist of Ashford's letter. 1t means ;hat the
future destiny of the country, with its
coming JOO,ou of inhabitants, shall be de-
cided by voters of Hawaiian blood who
form little more than one-fourth of the
adult males, including Asiatics, living in
the Islands, and who through shlftlessness
and inherited incapacity, own less than
cne-tWentieth OF the property of the coun-
try, and scarcely any of whom are en-
ployes of labor. This demand for a plebis-
cite was first made few weeks after the
Wodehouse. 1t is a purely Canadian-i;rit-
ish demand, made for the purpose of OBJ
structing annexation 10 the United States
Such annexation Will be peculiarly benefi-
cent to the native Hawaiian3, by reason OF
its permanently guaranteeing to that class
the voting franchise. As an independent
state, with its necessity for strong gov
errment, there will be a constant tendency
to increased restriction OF suffrage. As a
state in the Union. Hawaii will necessarily
give the suffrage fully to all Its citizens,
and the native people, with all their nat
ural fnferiority, will enjoy political equal
ity, and be well protected in all their rights
ANY opposition 10 annexation now existing
among them results from blindness 10 their
own best interests and especially from a
most dIligent dissemination of anti-Ameri-
can prejudice by British residents Such
blirdly ignorant opposition deserves to
have no weight whatever in The settle
ment Of the question.
KAMElIaMEHA