The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1897-07-23
NOT AN UNTRIED POLICY.

Some of the London papers,
commenting on the annexation of
Hawaii to the United States, speak
of it as "a new experiment III the
thorny path of Colonial expansion
"a new departure from Americas
historical policy" This is not the
case, by any means. When Alaska
was purchased from Russia in
1871, objection was made by many
that it was too remote and separ-
ated from the United States, that
it was inaccessible, cold and bar
rem land, fit only for Indians and
wild beasts But it has proved not
only easily accessible, but each
year lines of fine steamships ply to
its principal ports, crowded with
passengers and freight, returning
loaded with lumber and products
of the new territory. The mines
already discovered and worked, are
proving to be among the richest
on the cOntinent-a continuation
of the great deposits of gold, sill
yer, lead, iron and coal that
abound so plentifully throughout
the Rocky mountain range from
Colorado to British Columbia, and
the Arctic Ocean. These may yet
prove to be the most productive
and profitable mining regions on
the continent. The United States
paid Russia $7,2OO,O0O for Alas
ka, then considered only fit for In
dians and wild beasts. But does
anyone believe that Uncle Sam
would part with it, if offered one
hundred millions of dollars
Never. This purchase of foreign
territory" took place twenty-six
years ago, and it certainly has not
proved "a thorny path of colonial
expansion" but on the contrary, a
veritable bonanza, whether viewed
as stragetic move or a field for the
expansion of her growing laborlng
population of miners and farmers.
With the valuable acquisition of
foreign territory can1e= also the
chain of islands that stretch from
Sitka nearly to the Asiatic coast,
the most distant island Attau, be-
ing about two thousand miles west
of Sitka, 2,943 miles from San
Francisco in a bee line, and nearly
5000 miles from Washington, the
Capital of the United States. From
the island of Attu to the most cas-
tern point of the State of Maine is
1876 degrees of longitude, or more
than half the distance round the
globe. The sun in summer is al
ways shining on some part of the
United States. When the June
twilight settles on the fsherman's
hut on Attu, the morning light is
already glowing on the hills of
Maine. 1t is useless to talk of "a
new and untried colonial policy"
to nation whose domain stretches
from sunset to sunrise. AS to Ha-
waiians being like wild untutored
Arabs, the Aleuts may be more
nearly like them, though classed
as Greek Christians, but the Ha-
waiians are mostly Pfotestants or
Roman Catholics, and as a rule
more or less educated; there being
few among them unable to read
and write.
The language of the London pa
pers that ''the acquisition of for
eign dependencies like Hawaii will
bring with it new and untried
foreign policy" has no ground to
rest on, as the policy of acquiring
foreign territory has been tried for
at least twenty-six years, and SO
far, has been quite successful. Nor
need any fears be entertained that
when Hawaii is annexed, the same
success will be developed. Says
the New York Sun, president
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