The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-02-06

they deprecate any expression of opin-
ion, either viva voce, or otherwise. by
persons holding views opposed 10 their
own.
II men are 10 be branded with ugly
names for valuing and using liberty of
opinion on the annexation question,
what becomes of the principle for which
men and women left the Old world
and landed on the rock-bound shores
of New England's coast? Is not liberty
OF thought and the privilege of eX
pressing the same in decent language
that shall no. offend by its coarseness,
as great loon now, as in those long
passed days? OF a surety it is so, and
in the name of common sense and JUS
tice TO all, TO citizens of the great, as
well as of this small Republic, why
should the use of such right be de-
cried? For, in words of Milton, who
ever knew truth put to. the worse in a
free and open encounter
The late Sir John Seeley, professor
of Modern History in the University
OF Cambridge. and member of the His
toTical Society of Massachusetts, says,
in his lectures on the expansion of
England: In the United States we do
indeed see a boundless dominion sue
cessfully guided under a democratic
system. But the territory in this case
extensive though it be, is all compact
and continuous, and the population
however large it may come to be, will
still be in the main homogeneous If
the United States should come into
possession of countries separated from
her by the sea, and of different nation
ality, her position in the world would
no aT nnca essentially alf y
The supreme happiness for a country
of course is to be self-contained, to
have no need to inquire what other
nations are doing. Very wisely did
Washington advise his countrymen to
retain this happiness as long as they
could"
If, sir, any are attempted to argue
that the material greatness of the
United States necessitates the annex
alton of these islands and that the time
has come when her sons must, eX ne
cessitate, seek for the expansion of that
''boundless dominion" whose shores
are washed by two mighty oceans, or
emulating it may be the wondrous
colonial experience of the mother coun-
try, consider it wise and patriotic to
seek the absorption of Hawaii, then,
| say, let them consider calmly and
without passion the profound, striking,
aye, almost phenomenal differences be-
tween the two countries.
When | say profound, striking and
almost phenomenal, | refer not to eth
biological or governmental differences,
but to the very evident and patent fact
Of Great Britain being a small island
with an ever increasing population, and
that is. even now, more than three
?: hof Of II
approaching not far from 400 per square
mile! And what, sir, do we find the
condition of affairs in the United States
that her loyal and steady sons should
seek in any way to extend her magni-
ficent and commanding position. We
find this: We find noble and extensive
continent in which could be planted
forty Great BTitains and with a popu-
iatiOn of twenty only to the square
mile, 'Stagnation and progress in
deed; how can any, hint at the former
with such vast and open field for the
latter?
If, sir, as on another occasion I have
said, the trials and triumphs of Amer
lean civilization even now reverberate
and echo round 4 world, what will be
the condition of affairs when her rapid
| ~ increasing population shall have ap-
! proXimated more closely to that OF
Europe? In the food for thought here
| found is there no room to suppose that
Washington, the great and good, would
not have commended the action of the
present chief magistrate of seventy ode
millions of Americans, as wise, states
manlike and prudent. The ethical ques
lions involved are not here touched
upon, neither shall l ask your further
| indulgence to speak of the materia
advantages that might accrue to thi:
| community from annexation. My OBJ
| ject has been to endeavor to show that
| it is compatible with being a gooC
American citizen, to hold views ad
verse to the idea of the ABSORB
ton of these Islands by the Unit
ed States. May | also give expression
to the thought that. Hawaiian citizen
may also be right minded, even though
unable to see the advantages of poll
teal union with the United States il
the same light as those who so strenu
ously advocate and believe it to be, tn
ne plus ultra of all that may be hope'
for of good for Hawaii.
| am, sir, yours obediently,
CHARLES F. HART.
Waikiki II, l.. Jan Both, 1897.