The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-10-23
MENAoE TO AMERICAN WORK
MEN.

OF baWau. 10 Create slave
State-ohinese and Japanese La
Dor Controls the Market on the
this Country alter Eac Arthur
the Well-Known Labor Leader,
on the Evils of Cheap Labor.
The proposal to annex the Hawai-
ian Islands, if contaminated, will be
premeditated theft. No matter by
what name it is designated, the
crime will smell as loud. Moreover,
it will be piece OF arrapt cowardice
The ruffian who waylays q child aud
robs it OF the nickel for groceries is
no more execrable than the great
nation which would pilfer the poor
heritage Of a weak and inoffensve
race. We are accustomed to sun
ming ourselves in the boast OF our
magnanimity toward weaker peoples
We decry the policy of greed and
conquest in other nations. Yet here
we are contemplating the adoption
OF that very policy, with all of it's
objections aud none Of its merits.
Other nations have fought for their
aggrandizement and have substi-
tuted at least a measure Of their
own civilization for the savagery
which they displaced.
So far as there is any merit in the
might Of arms, and so far as modern
civilization is superior to barbaric
reign, these conquering nations are
excusable for their deeds. But the
United States lacks even the excuse
of having conquered the islands by
arms or of giving them better
government than they previously
possessed. The Provisional Govern
ment was established by bluff, and
the treaty OF annexation expressly
stipulates that the laws now exist
ing on the islands shall continue in
force until altered by the Govern
ment at Washington, which accord
ing TO the present rate of progressive
legislation, will be forever.
The business of absorbing the ISL
ands, 80 far as it has progressed,
offers q spectacle which, while it
may be credtable to the national
character for "smartness," is humili-
ating to the national honor and a
subject OF we'll -merted scorn or the
part of the observant world. The
entire record Of the white man (and
in this case that term is confined to
the American) on the islands is one
OF duplicity. Take, for instance,
the coup by which Liliuokalani was
deposed. The Queen was charged
with conspiracy" to injure the
interests of the merchants.
The United States warship Bos-
ton was conveniently at Honolulu.
and her seamen were landed at the
instance OF Minister Stevens and
Admiral Walker. The guns OF the
warship we're trained on the palace
under the stars and stripes, and the
unfortunate woman compelled to
capitulate. Her subjects, naturally
OF submissive temper, had been
too far enervated by American civil
izstion and their faith in the honor
(O of the white man too far cult
waited, to offer any resistance. The
Queen was dethroned, and the few
adherents who olung to her were
either exiled or sent to work ON the
"reef." This was the GLORIOUS vic
tory" that was injury by assailing
the woman's personal character.
Immediately after the coup the
Provisional Government was formed
by a little band of would-be oil
garchs, with Dole at their head. No
alterations were made in the form
OF government, the sole result of the
change being to transfer the Gov
eminent from the representatives of
the native race to the representa-
tives OF their commercial exploiters.
This is the Government that ex-
lists on the islands to-day. To call