The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-10-23

| comprehend the subtleties OF "su-
perior" and "iuferior" races under
form OF government in which all
men are supposed to be equal.
Therefore, there is a danger that
they may demand say in the run
ming OF things or course, il that is
permitted, the Japs would come
pretty near running the islands them.
selves, To prevent this the United
States is politely Offered" the ISL.
auds.
That is to say, we are offered the
choice between taking upon our
selves the responsibility Of all the
past acts-of the oligarchy and up
holding it in future with our own
men and money, or leaving our COM
patriots to deal with a situation
which they themselves have created
as best they may. National honor,
not to say justice, would dictate the
latter course.
q There are not wanting those who
believe that the outcome OF the
present negotiation is a foregone
conclusion. Those people believe
that the Government at Washington
will continue the course which it
has evidently outlined. The treaty
of annexation has been signed by
Secretary Sherman and Immediately
ratified by the Hawaiian Senate
after "mature deliberation" of two
hours. Whatever the United States
Senate may or may not do cuts no
figure in the opinion of many.
If the Senate refuses to ratify the
treaty what is easier than to create
another Conspiracy" scare on the
islands, land seamen and annex the
pot2 Then the Cabinet will go to
Congress and say: Seen tlemen,
what are you going to do about it?"
1t will then be case OF devil
take the statesman who suggests
that the islands be turned back to
the control of the Ignorant natives"
and "coole laborers." Old Manifest
Destiny will be paraded in full dress
and Congress will have to sing
small.
This is the program according to
a very general opinion. But it is
not yet too late to enter protest.
The subject is being very widely dis
cussed and l believe that were the
consensus OF opinion taken it would
be overwhelmingly against the pro-
ject.
There are many reasons, both in
dustrial and political, for this
opinion. 1t is impossible to amplify
upon those reasons in the space OF
this letter, but / may mention
briefly the fact that by far the
greater part of the labor on the ISL
and is Asiatic, carried on under the
contract system. 1t is, in fact, slave
labor. There is absolutely no
ground for the contention that
that labor would be confined to the
islands in the event of annexation.
In that case the coolies on the ISL
xpds would be as free to enter the
United States as are the coolies now
in this country to 60 from one State
to another.
1t is futile to talk about dis
placing the coolie labor with Cauca-
sian. The history of territorial
aggression and of colonization
offers no instance of Caucasian labor
in tropical cline. II we annex the
islands we must reconcile ourselves
TO the permanent adoption of the
slave State.
Politically the annexation OF Has
waii means the advent of policy of
territorial extension and the subver-
sion Of the Monroe doctrine, with
the loss of whatever safeguards the
latter policy has provided.
Not only that, hut it means the
enlargement and maintenance Of an
army and navy far in advance of