The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-04-28
FOR ANNEXATION
Hon. G.. w. Baker of Cali
fOrnia FaVOrS it.
Suggests Sending Speakers to the
States-People there Not Post
ed on Conditions.

president of the Silver party in Cali
foTnia; one of the attorneys for the
Southern Pacific system of railways,
the Comstock mines, the Germania
Life Insurance Company and a mum
Der of other large corporations in Cal
ifornia With him on this, his first,
visit to Honolulu, are his wife and
daughter, Irene. Mr.. Baker came down
10 spend a month. and intends taking
things in true Hawaiian fashion, with
Silver party in California, Mr.. Baker
did lot of hard, and, in measure,
effectual work
when you consider that Mr.. Bryan
was defeated by only 100000 votes"
he said last night, land that 10000
properly distributed would have elect
ed him, you will not question the adj
visibility of conducting the campaign
four years hence on the same lines. |
do not say that Mr.. Bryan will be the
standard bearer, for | am not a man
worshiper; still, | have no fault to
find with his campaign. Our fight was
that of the laboring men against the
capital of two continents. We were
poor and had to depend upon a few
men to contribute funds with which to
conduct the campaign. At the head OF
the California delegation to st. Louis
was ]. r. Lane, the largest mine own
er in the world. This gentleman does
not OWE a dollar in silver mines, and
he contributed and worked for the
cause of free silver because he adj
mired the principles. | have been
Republican worker all my life, but l
considered the platform of the Silver
party the one which would bring the
greatest benefits to the poor classes.
Il favor anneXation-always have
because | consider the United States
in need of an outpost in the Pacific.
In the event of a foreign war, Hawaii
would be a great place for coaling
and supply station, and if vessels of a
foreign power could not get provisions
here because of the Notifications, it
would be a difficult matter to carry
on a war People over there; that is,
people who discuss the subject at all,
think the expense of Notifications too
great. but / tell them that it would be
easier and cheaper to fortify than to
try and get the Islands away from a
foreign power, whose gunbOatS formed
coast defense.
II think something should be done
to secure the Islands to the United
States, provided, of course, your peo-
pie here want annexation. AS | un-
derstand it. there is a danger of some
other power coming in and securing
the territory by laying on of hands,
and if not by this means, by right of
superior numbers. You have here, I
believe, approximately, $4,000 Hawai-
ians, $4,000 Japanese, $4,000 Chinese, |
and, say, 10000 Caucasians. The in
crease in the number of Japanese in
the last five years is alarming, and |
the question with us is how much |
longer can the tail wag the dog?'
'In California very few people out
side of San Francisco know anything |
about the Islands, and | doubt if many |
outside those few in San Francisco
who are directly interested in the ISL
of the conditions here.
They see the spots on the map and by
the advertisements know they can
reach here in six days What your
doris to the United States and let them
talk to the people, enlighten them as
to the conditions and convince them
that there are advantages here which
make Hawaii a desirable place for
to live, There is a great
deal of talk about beet sugar in Cali
'ornia and the influence it will have on
he reciprocity treaty. When you sift
he beet industry, you find it settled
in one man-Claus Spreckels-and 1t
may be that when the farmer finds his
oeets must have a certain percentage
IF saccharine matter in them before
hey will be received at the factory
ne may conclude that any other prod
let would bring more satisfactory re-
urns. There are many reasons in the
minds of Californians for Directing to
continuation of the reciprocity
reatv: beet sugar is not the principal
me. because people who are not in
crested in beets will fight it. This is
, foreign country, and the planters
nave waXed fat on it. pitting Asiatic
jgainst American labor: for that rea-
;on. [ personally do not believe it will
)e continued.
Senator White is against the treaty
or reasons known to himself. I do not
hink he would be influenced by Claus
Spreckels. unless he thought it was for
lis own good. He is reaching out for
power. and if he believed he could get
t by opposing the reciprocity treaty
le would, no doubt. do so.
1.-The absence of cable to Hawaii
would imagine, was a great obstacle
o business. That is one thing that
would follow annexation closely. but l
oubt very much if the tolls would pay
or maintenance, unless the line went
through to Australia or Japan. But
ay or not, with annexation you will
ave quick communication with the