The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-07-27
The United states and Hawaii.

Preside t Mckinley has evidently
pome to the conclusion that it is
now high time that he began to put
an individual mark upon his term Of
Office; and, having done so he pro-
ceeded to the remarkable act of an
nexing the Hawaiian Islands. There
is no need to pay much attention to
the pleasantly paradoxical manner
in which he announces an auuexa-
tion which is not an annexation at
all, but merely "a continuation OF
the existing relations between PEG.
pie closely related by blood and
kindred ties" We are thoroughly
Injured to this sort OF explanation
on the European side Of the Attain
tic, and pass at once to the probable
outcome of the situation thus Great.
ed. The two Powers most interest
ed in the matter are GRAFT Britain
and japan. The japanese Govern
ment has already entered an ener
getic protest against the action OF
the States, and though we trust
that the rights and privileges OF the
Japs in the islands will be thorough
ly secured as to obviate all p)ssibil-
ity OF any serious impasse arising,
there is strong chance that the
jiugo spirit OF the Senate may carry
the President out OF his depths. As
for Britain, she has the weightes,
sort Of case against the States. In
1843 an understanding was come to
that Hawaii should be left to work
out it's own fate. There certainly
was no treaty to that effect, but the
Powers virtually recognized and
guaranteed the independence of the
small kingdom; and il it cannot be
said that the United States Execu-
tive has violated any formal Conven-
ton, it has without doubt commit
ted breach of faith. Whatever
Japan or anyone else does, we trust
that Lord Salisbury will give Presi-
dent Mckinley to understand that
Great Britain must be consulted and
her rights safeguarded before the
annexation is finally carried out. 1t
must be- remembered that Hawai-,
il made a frstclass naval station
would dominate the Pacific Ocean,
aud command our western route to
japan and China; and though it
must be long cry to the time when
the States conld put it into the
necessary condition therefor, we
cannot sit quietly by and watch the
preparations being made aud gradu-
ally carried out. No amount Of So
phistical argument or rhetoric will
explain away the strategical import.
auce of the islands to Britain, aud
il they are not to retain their indie
pendence we must have our inter-
ests in the Pacific protected in ad-
vance. To turn to the annexation
from the point Of view OF the States
themselves; we quite fail to SIZE
where any great advantage is to be
secured, while many possible disad-
want ages are obvious The posses
sion of a group of islands distant
between two or three thousand
miles from the mainland calls for
the possession also Of an efficient
Heet-which is precisely what the
United States does not possess.
Suppose, for instance, that war
were to break out with Spain
over the Cuban question, Homo
lulu would be in the power OF
the enemy within few days from
the outbreak OF hostllities. And il
Japan should go the length OF
making a naval demonstration at
Hawaii in support of the protest
already put in, we should not envy
Mr.. Mckinley and his Cabinet the
perilous position in which they
would find themselves. The naval
power OF Japan is 80 UNNECESSARILY
superior to that OF the United States
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