The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-01
Shall We
RnneS Hawaii?

From the Washington Post
That congress should take speedy ac-
ton in the matter of Hawaii will hardly
be questioned by any one. The relations
between the TWO countries are in state
of cOnfumon that calls Loudly for ADJUST
ment and definition. The new republic.
wrested from barbarism by men of our
own blood, asks to be admitted to the
Union as Il territory, ana both our in
terrsts and our sympathies second the
petition. At the least congress should
say yes or no without further delay. TO
leave things as they are will be injurious
and unjust to the United States, as well
as to Hawaii.
The existing condition of affairs has
been, up to this time, unavoidable. Mr..
Cleveland had not been in the white
house three days, four years ago, when
he appointed Mr.. Blount a special COM
missioner to go to Hawaii practically
supersede the United States minister at
Honolulu, and, if not openly at least IN
directly. discourage the reVolutiOnistS ana
give enCoura cement and comfort to the
dethroned Queen. The government was
then in the hands of President Dole and
his compatrots there was a capital IN
which law and order prevailed; the re-
public's authority was enforced through
out the island. Yet Mr.. Cleveland dis
representatives of free institutions, anu
as distinctly exhibited his sympathy with
the futile and foolish and discredited
monarchy. OF course, 1t was not TO be
expected that, during mis- administration,
anything would be done to promote free
government I'm Hawaii. As matter of
fact no one did expect it and no one was
disappointed. But, now that we have
another and, as we all believe. a more
patriotic and more enlightened dispensa-
tion. It seems reasonable to hope that a
different policy will be adopted.
There are scores of reasons why the
United States should move promptly ana
vigorously i'm this matter. The existing
arrangement is thoroughly unsatistac-
tory. our International relations are un-
settled, not to say irksome, In one direc-
tion we are granting to Hawaii certain
privileges ana immunlties in the matter
of trade which should be granted to
no foreign nation. The exemption Of
Hawaiian sugar from tariff dues Is un-
fair to our domestic producers, anu II
constitutes a loss of revenue which We
cannot afford to incur. On the other
hand, unless il be proposed to perpetuate
Mr.. Clevelands policy of ignoring the
advantages involved in the annexation Of
I Hawaii, we are trihing with very valul-
BIZ and important opportunities. 1t is
within our power. now to obtain posses
sion of the key to the vast commerce of
the Pacific, to control the pathways of
| that StupendouS trade and TO be the
/ owners of the means of telegraphic COM
| muniCation throughout half the worll.
| If We intend to seize these opportunities
| at all. there is no time to lose In doing
| So If we do not intend to seize them
| If we prefer to relinquish them to Others
| and thus abandon a commercial empire
| let us declare ourselves accordingly. TC
| go on as We are going now, treating
! Hawaii as though she We're part of the
| United States ana putting her producers
| on Il par with ours to the great disad-
| vantage of the latter, Will be improvident
/ i'm the extreme. The American people
/ will not tolerate an arrangement so Hog
/ ical and so mischieyous. Hawaii shoul1
/ be annexed, or else II should be treated
as "A foreign nation. We say annex IT,
and we believe that public sentiment
! throughout the country will ndorse tins
i sentiment