The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-11-18
The Thing to Do With Hawai-.

SiNN W ou chSSblNo piONcSVOi olc uuu
small rebate on its sugar, sufficient
10 give it an advantage over other
foreign countries, but not enough to
enable it to kill our very promising
beet industry. That compromise
leaves the Hawaiians, white and
black, free to govern themselves as
they have been doing, and saves the
United States from a troublesome
and entangling alliance, whilst at
the same time it accomplishes all
the good for both parties that either
of them claim for annexation. That
the whites, mostly Americans OF the
keenwitted sort, would not under
that arrangement be able to govern
the natives and subject them to al
most any kind of control, lis contrary
to existing facts, and to all that we
know OF Hawaiian history. No race
under the sun is easier managed
than the happy-go-lucky Kanakas.
Good natured to fault, they have
given away about all they possessed
to men who have proven themselves
very unworthy of gifts. The
United States might have taken
the islands without whimper from
the islanders had not hands been
laid upon their loyal house. Alice
Tomato to degree, they only wanted
the strengthened the will-to save
their queen, whom they knew better
than the creatures OF our own race
who 80 vilely caricatured and
abused her. She and her predeces-
sor gave Government better suited
to the Hawaiians than we shall ever
be able to do. The worst of our po-
liticians, whom we would be asham-
ed to send anywhere else, will gov
ern the islands under annexation,
and their Government will become
by-word and reproach. We can
not keep the Office seekers from
stealing right here at home, and
what they would SO without sur
veillanee away down at the islands
would some day become so notori-
Gus as to wound American pride.
AS harbor of defense, we already
have Pearl Harbor, and in return
for protectorate we could have al
most anything we pleased. But
then what good would such a har-
Dor be to us? Our vessels bottled
up In it would be in more danger
than those having an open sea and
better Notifications in the rear to
run to if necessary. In point of fact
a Hawaiian harbor would be our
point of weakness. We could not
afford the loss Of prestige involved
in its capture, and would necessarily
have to fight to keep it, That is
simply thing we could not do
against either Japan or England:
Being weak point, it would be the
first place attacked. Full employ
ment will be given our navy nearer
home, and Hawaii would necessarily
have to take care of itself. 1t may
be said that protectorate would
involve us in similar responsibilities.
Not at all. 1t is about the only
thing that would save us from them.
The islands would be independent
and afford no temptation to attack
them on our account. They would
remain, as they have ever been, the
coddled and petted wards Of the
natioas. In the event OF war, Ha-
waii annexed will be the first point
attacked. Hawaii independent would
not be attacked at all.
We are simply luringthe islanders
to their ultimate ruin. Left to
themselves they always have had
peace, but now we want to make a
kind of buffer State OF them, we'll
knowing their utter uselessness for
that purpose, and knowing further
that as such State their commerce
and trade would be eternally dis
turbed by wars aud rumors of wars,
which latter in these sensational
days are as numerous as the sands