The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-12-16
BALM FOR DlSCONTENT.
A National Colonial Policy Sug-
gested.
THE PRESIDENT ELECT LISTENS.

Question of the Annexation OF Hawaii.
some Place Needed For People Suffer-
ing From Chronic Unrest-An Outlet
Badly Needed.
WASHINGTON, Dec. is. = Especial -
There Is n strong belief here that within u
year or 80 Hawaii will te annexed to the
United States. While there are arguments
on both sides of the question, and infiuen-
tial men in congress will oppose annexa-
ton, the 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 he 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 I'm favor of becoming IA part and
parcel of the United States
A New Policy Discussed.
A few weeks ago the writer was sitting
in the library of Major Mckinley at Can
ton. In the group was gentleman Of
wide experience in public affairs, and he
made remark which at once attracted the
attention of the president elect and of all
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 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 CON-
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
1t is They developed 1t at q rate which
surprised the world
NOW the west Is practically settled, {"
continued the gentleman. About all the
good public land has been taken. Migra-
ton to that region has virtually stopped.
All that remains Is to fill in the sparsely
settled spots. Whittier shall the young men
of our old states 60 In search Of better OPP
portunities than are afforded at homer
What way shall they turn? Where are the
restless and discontented to find an out
letY One effect of this lack Of outlet 10 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.
The Spirit of Unrest.
1--WE need 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 be without its colo
MES? Where would opportunities have been
found for her young men IL not I'm America,
in India, in Australia? If England had
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, 4"
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 a substitute therefor. In my
opinion, we need a colonial policy as an
outlet for this element, as a safety valve
through which we may blow of surplus
steam, as 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 the United States in a short
time. While he did not say word one
way or the other, l thought I could see
that his sympathies were reused and that
he was started upon a train Of thought
which may in time produce practical re-
suits
The Hawaiian Question.
The chief difficulty as TO Hawaii 10 the
form of government which IL shall take In
case it 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 the pop
ulation In round numbers was 90, 600.
There were "a, 900 natives, 5000 half
castles, 800 natives born of foreign pa
rents, $4,000 Chinese, $4,000 japanese,
$500 Portuguese, 1900 Americans, $50
British and a 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 Is 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 federal territory Is also
unsatisfactory, as 1t opens up the way to
corrupt government One suggestion is
that the islands might Ina hrought into