The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-20
@7-5'JoO OF
Interest paid on national
debt of 100000 in 1885,. 2S6, 459 SO
%

Surplus ..-...................$l 93, 476 rs
That is the financial side OF the ar
gument. But the Hawaiian annexa-
tionists make a political argument in
favor of the position they take. 1t is
very well summarized by the Bulletin
in the following language:
Absolute possession by mutually
honorable union is undoubtedly the
policy of the wisest and most farsee-
ing American craftsmanship. Any
control of Hawaii worthy the name
would involve exactly the same risks
of foreign complications as would out
and out possession. Probably the dan
ger of Hawaii'S passing completely be-
yond the American sphere of influence
would indeed be greater under doc
trinal than it would be under material
control. In. the event of trouble be-
tween the United States and another
maritime power, defense of American
territory and American commerce
would be the first consideration of the
United States, apart from her Of
fensive operations by land or sea.
The enemy would be quick TO see-no
doubt would have long foreseen-the
advantage of this group as a striking
point from which to assail American
commerce af1eat and to dispatch eXpe-
the United States. Material control
and fortified possession of Hawaii
would in that emergency weigh tons
to an ounce of the doctrinal control OF
election platforms and diplomatic pa
pers. And if by a sudden formidable
naval movement the enemy should
gain possession of this group it would
in the ultimate peace settlement
whether Hawaii had been snatched
from a paper control or wreSted in
conflict, through the common vicissi-
tudeS of war, from the actual posses
sion of the United States. A nation
has to be worse beaten in war than
the United States is ever likely to be,
before it will sign a settlement in
volving the loss of any valued terri
tory But if Hawaii was not Amer
lean territory when it went to another
power under the circumstances sup
posed, there would be a great chance
that it would be overlooked entirely
in the settlement of peace, from being
overshadowed by momentarily re
garded larger considerations. Then
the United States would have before
her eyes in the Pacific the counterpart
of Bermuda in the Atlantic-the for
tress of another power glowering at
her coast and dominating the paths Of
her greatest future commerce.
It is much easier to see the ad
vantages of annexation to Hawaii
than to this country. The dangers to
the United States from a foreign foe
at Honolulu are not so great as many
would make believe. In case of war
it would require a large proportion Of
our navy to defend the islands, and
defense of our own seacoast is far
more important. But all these are
of minor Importance
with the great one of policy. |
Already the dominions of this govern
ment are broad enough for every pur-
pose for which the United States gov
eminent was founded. The ambition |
for possessions beyond sea does not |
belong to a republican form
of government such as ours. They |
would inevitably invite complications
with foreign powers and they would |
have to be governed vzry largely, if
not entirely. as military dependencies. |
The erection CT the Hawaiian islands
into a republic was a huge blunder,
and those who are responsible for it
should continue to bear the burden
they have placed upon their own
shoulders.