The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-04-27
THE : ANNEXATION SENTIMENT
MUST BE AROUSED.
So States Prominent Lawyer, Who Is
Friendly to Missionary
Work Must BE Done at Once.

Hon. G.. W. Baker, general counsel
for the Southern Pacific Railroad Com
pany, who arrived on the Australia
this morning for four weeks visit TO
the islands, is one of the strongest
friends of annexation in California.
While he. is here principally for rest
and pleasure he hopes to secure suf-
fcient information while here to en-
able him % demonstrate his friend
liness to the islands in practical
manner when he returns to the Pacific
Coast metropolis.
Mr.. Baker has been the most talked
of man in California during the past
few months. AS the attorney for the
Liquor Dealers Association, he at
tended the recent Legislature as a lob
byist, and while there drafted bill
and succeeded in getting it through
the House, wA.ch brought the ENam7
iner down on his shoulders with all
sorts of nasty charges. Out of 1t came
the greatest scandal of the session,
and the fight is still on. Mr.. Baker
has kept his skirts clear, although he
has been savagely attacked py the Ex
aminer. He mas taken advantage of a
hull in the fight to get few weeks of
rest, far away from the troublesome
telegraph and daily mail. rs
The sentiment oftne Mckinley Adj
ministrauion is in favor of annexa-
but so far as | can learn Congress is
opposed to It, This is explained by the
fact that the people throughout the
United States are generally Indifferent
to the issue. They know practically
nothing of Hawaii, and because they
know nothing, care nothing. Senators
and Congressman only want to please
their constituents, and therefore are
unwilling to bother themselves with
9 matter which does not directly con-
Germ their own interests.
while Going up to Carson City re-
Gently | had long talk with Senator
White upon the question. He is op-
posed to annexation, and it was his
opinion that Congress cares nothing
for it, and will give it a cold shoulder
whenever the opportunity offers. SEN
ator Perkins was once in favor of an
neXation, but it now opposed to it. In
fact there is only one of California's S
nine representatives in Congress who
one is Congressman Barham and be
is an enthusiast in favor of anneXa-
tion.
Personally, / am strongly in favor
of annexation. These islands are now
an absolute necessity to the United
States, from every point of view. If
we do not annex them some other
country will, and that very soon. This
Government, L understand, is self-sup-
porting. 1t only has a national debt
of $4,000,OO0, which would not add
materially to the load our Government
is carrying. And, sooner or later, be-
lieve that annexation must come.
in my opinion the campaign foI
annexation is not being properly man
aged. To bring the matter to an issue,
ment in the United States, and bring
the people there into full sympathy.
This is an easy matter. The proper
place to begin is in California. Send
your strong men there; let them hold
public meetings and tell the people of
the resources of the islands-that they
are rich and self-supporting; let their
advantage to the United States from
geographical point of view be shown.
THE truth rs that very few people
in California know anything of the
Islands. All that they learn is from
people who come here on pleasure
trips. The great majority of Califor-
mans cling to the belief that the
islands are inhabited by ignorant ma
tives, with few thousand renegade
whites and an enormous number of
Asiatics. Could they know the truth
from the lips OF your own orators and
statesmen, it would be an easy mat
ter to swing California enthusiastical-
ly into line for annexation and Cali
fornia's representatives in Congress
would be compelled to advocate the
movement. The sentiment of the peo-
pie of California once aroused, it
would spread through the entire coun-
try. If our representatives in Congress
can be forced into line, there is hope
for the cause. They are fighters, and
would make their influence felt.
Hawaii has some staunch friends in
California, but none so staunch, prob
ably, as Hugh Craig, president of the
Chamber of Commerce.