The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-15


immigrat ton. but invasion. Hawaii has
finally refused admission TO the Japan
csc and it had brought about state o
affairs which meant war between
Hawaii and japan unless the United
States should step in and prevent il
1t was in the power of the United
States 10 DO this now by annexing tn,
islands and any proposition except out
right annexation would not answer the
purpose at all. but would only produce
the greatest complications imagina bic
There was no middle ground between
annexation and total abandonment
The United States could annex Hawai-
today without bloodshed. but no one
could answer for the results if the mat
ter were to be delayed long. American
statesmen for years past had foreseer
that annexation was ultimately neces-
sary and there was nothing new in
] the proposition which was now being
submitted to this country, for the SUBJ
! Ject had been considered by the great
/ est men of this nation for years past
I There, was no doubt that the chief
cause of the delay in annexing the
/ Islands was due to a Difference on the
part of the American government to
/ the native Hawaiian element. The
American government had upheld the
hands of the Hawaiian monarchy for
long time and it had done so with
the assistance and cooperation of
American citizens living there. A few
years ago none of the Americans in
Hawaii desired to overthrow the mon
archy for, while it was weak it was
fairly efficient. But the last two reigns
were vicious, corrupt and demoralizing,
and it became absolutely necessary to
overturn that government. The Haw-
aiianS as a race were dead, and their
only hope was TO follow in the wake of
American progress and annexation
would benefit no one more than the
natives themselves.
Mr.. Kinney declared that despite the
fact that he was an annexationiSt,
heart and soul, he would not be stand
ing where he was if annexation were
to be bought at the price of the be-
trayal of the Hawaiian natives. With
out any hope as a nation themselves
they had nothing to look to but Amer
lea and no one, not even their queen,
Should stand in their way. Without
annexation, the whole set of the tide
was toward Asia, while, with annexa-
ton. he believed there would be a
strong and healthy immigration from
the United States and that the status
of the Asiatic question on the islands
would be settled forever. He spoke of
the social and political conditions and
declared that Hawaii was a perfectly
Americanized community. He believed
it incredible that the United States by
failing to take possession of the islands
now should throw away the results and
fruition of a century of close rela-
tionship.
Mir. kinney was listened to most at
tentively during his speech, and at it's
close several delegates asked him ques-
lions in regard to matters pertaining
to the islands. which he answered.
Mr.. Whitmore then announced the
programme for today, which includes
the consideration of mining interests,
ramie culture, irrigation waterways
and harbors.
LORIN A. THURSTON.
Chairman Craig next introduced Lo-
rim 4. Thurston, formerly Hawaiian
minister TO the United States. and
spoke of him as a native Hawaiian,
whose ancestors immigrated from New
England, and said that he was of pure
American stock.
Mr.. Thurston announced that the
task which he had undertaken was that
of meeting the objections which had
been raised against annexation. One
of these objections. he said, was that
annexation was unconstitutional. He
refuted this idea from every standpoint,
and showed that the United States had
since its history commenced. Another
objection which he called attention to
was that the population of the islands
was unfit for incorporation in the
American political system. He went
into this subject very fully, and DEM
onstrated that Hawaii was a perfectly
AmericaniZed community. Then he
mentioned the fact that it had been
urged that if Hawaii were annexed,
p IA lr.r c.ra 70 in, he Trafn
He ridiculed this idea, and declared
that Hawaii did not want to become
a state at presnet, at least, and that
d good many years would pass before
it was ready for statehood. In rela- |
tion to the claim that the islands, be- !
ing outlying territory, would be a /
source Of weakness, he said that this T
was al a matter of circumstance. and /
anyhow that every military and naval ,
officer who had given the subject any
thought was convinced that it would /
be a source of strength, owing to its /
strategic advantages. If the United /
States should ever become embroiled in /
a war with any foreign power, the /
ships of the enemy would naturally call
&c Honolulu for provisions and supplies
in order to enable them to attack the
Pacific coast. They would have to do
this, and if the United States could
-ect its Pacific coast at all times.
Another objection. he said, was that
# Hawaii were annexed, it would form
1 precedent for a policy of general an
lexation of outlying territory, but he
declared that there was no strength
n such an argument, as il was not
necessary to go into the Hawaiian
question for precedent, and he referred
% the previous annexation by the
United States of Florida, the Louisiana
erritory, Texas, California, Alaska,
tic. 1t was also urged that the voters
# Hawaii had been disfranchised, and
hat no vote had been taken there TO
ascertain the desires of the people on
his subject. This, he declared, was an
argument used only by Queen Liliou
,alani and the followers of the mon
-rchy No matter what happened, the
monarchy could never be re-established,
nd ii was folly to consider such a
hing The people of Hawaii did not
onsider that the subject of re-eStab-
ishing a monarchy was one to be sub
nitted to a vote. And anyhow, when
he United States annexed all the
Their territory which it had taken in,
never gave a thought TO the mat
er of submitting the subject to a vote
f the people living in the territory
rhich it had annexed.
He declared emphatically that pro-
ectorate would not answer the purpose
n anv wav. He spoke of the high
haracter of the men at the head of
he Hawaiian government. They We're
ouposed of the leading business and
men of the country; they
ere not ofFice-SeekerS. and did not i