The evening times., 1897-03-27
FOSTER FOR ANNEXATION
Ex-Secretary Says We Should
Have the Hawaiian Islands.
DUTY OF THE UNITED STATES
Nothing TO Prevent Our Peaceful Ac-
QUESTION OF the IsIands-We Should
Move Quickly or Japan VIII Get
Them-A Return to Monarchy Im.
possible-American Influence.

EN-Secretary of State John W. Foster,
in a lecture last night at the First Con-
gregational Church, before the Geographic
cal Society, made an earnest plea for an
nexation 10y the United States of the
Islands of Hawaii. He showed by his earn
estness as well as his public declarations
how anxious he is TO have such a con-
summation brought about, asserting that
lit would be a cruelty undeserved to Ha-
waiians TO aba ndon them to some foreign
power"
The lecture was an illustrated one, but
the illustrations were shown partly before
and parity after the lecture, so as not to
detract the att ention of the audience from
what lac had to say. The pictures showed
the geographical and typographical condi-
ton of the islands.
When these had been described and the
progress of the world during the last half
century briefly referred to eX-Secretiry
Foster describedthe discovery of theislands
by Capt. Cook in 1878. Capt. Cook named
them the Sandwich Islands, which, he
said, consists OF a group of eight islands,
containing in all 1000 square miles of
territory, of volcanic origin, but SO luXu-
RANT in fertility that the finest erowths
of this country are but stunted products
compared with Hawaii. He briefly re-
ferred TO the aboneines as OF the Poly
nesian race, lacking Thrift, but informed
in navigation, astronomy and other sciences
of their day, but whose social state was
one of iHdecency.
In 1919 the first missionary was sent
to the Hawaiian Islands by the Methodist
church at Boston. Mr.. Foster dwelt at
length upon the great work performed by
the missionaries who civilized the natives
became the advisers OF the King ana
chiefs, and finally eXtermnated idolatry
He referred to the introduction of liquor in
the islands, and asserted that had it not
been for the missionaries the natives would
have become a race of drunkards.
Mr.. Foster showed by statistics how
rapidly the Hawaiian race is becoming
extinct. Capt. Cook estimated the pop
ulation in 177S at 400, 900. and a census
in 1872 showed the number TO have
dwindleG to 5000. In 1890 the census
showed 81 600 full.hlooded natives, and
6 900 half -castes. and the last census
indicated that OF d total population of
10S 900, but sc, 900 were full natives, the
balance being foreigners and half-castes
and that il something is not done at once
to check this rapid falling off, the race
Will sUon become extinct.
After remarking that the last five occu-
pants OF the throne left no lineal heir,
Mr.. Foster briefly sketched the lives OF
these rulers down to the formation of the
present republic. Each one, he asserted,
had been weak, dissipated and corrupt,
but none were quite so bad as the last
King. Kalakua. the brother OF Lilioukalani.
He referred 30 a bride of $50 900 taken
by Kaiakua from a Chinese company. 10
permit the importation OF opium. and the
disgraceful conduct of his prime minister,
whom the eN-secretary designated as i
renegade Mormon named Gibson.
OF Liliuokalani, Mr.. Foster said that her
election TO the throne was a sad thing for
Hawaii, for she had reprOachcd her brother,
Kalakua, for permitting the people to
have a liberal constitutional government
She was under the influence of a half-caste,
and attempted, when Queen, TO overthrow
the constitution, andit was this that brought |
about the revolution of 1898, and the over
throw OF the Queen.
The Haw allan commercial prosperity |
was on a rapid decline until the treaty of
reciprocity with this country in 1875, H4len |
its exports We're but 81 500, 600, and under |
reciprocity had so grown that last year |
Hawaii exported SI5, 100000 worth of |
products The school system today equals /
an Y in the world, and there are goodcolleges |
in the islands. Under the present repub- |
lican form of government during the last |
o
by the islanders, and" said Mr.. Foster, /
lit seems to he the belief there that the /
will never restore monarchy"
One reason advanced by Mr.. Foster why |
this country should annex Hawaii is that |
40 per cent of the population consists of |
japanese and Chinese, and there is great |
fear that Japan will obtain the islands /
The coaling station of the government /
at Pearl Uarbor is an excellent thing, but 1
nothing will prevent Japan from con-
trolling Hawaii but annexation to the /
United States.
Mr Foster quoted half dozen Presidents, /
including Harrison, and as many Secre /
taries Of State, including webster, as being /
favorable to annexation. He showed how,
from d geographical point, Hawaii is indis- /
pensable to this government from a mill
tary view, standing, as it does, in the mid
die Of the Pacific, and affording the great |
est coaling station in time of war in that |
ocean, the key TO the North Pacific. /
Americans could not afford 10 overlook /
the Importance of this port, as well as /
the growingprospcnty and aggressive spirit /
of Japan and that country's desire to OBJ
tain territory Mr.. Foster declared there /
was no political or administrative diff |
Guilty TO prevent annexation. Hawaii should |
belong to this country and be governedin
manner deemed proper by Congress. By |
such a government, and with the restric- /
tions adopted in this country TO prevent /
ASiatic immigration, those now in Hawaii |
would be gradually forced back to Japan
or China In conclusion, Mr.. Foster said: /
1T is, In my opinion, the plain duty /
of the United States to annex Hawaii. We /
must annex or leave the islands free to
annex with some foreign power
EnDcIrD TnEE= ADDJUEC