Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-14
Wherein Entitled to Sympathy.

pOrary, the Portland Press, says:
Neither Louisiana nor Alaska
was an independent state The
former belonged to Spain and the
latter to Russia. We purchased both
of them of their rightful owners under
the laws of nations. Hawaii, However,
is an independent state. it's owners are
it's people. Before we annexed Louisi-
ana and Alaska we got the consent of
their owners. Why not get it in the
case of Hawaii?"
Hath a community not IAN indie
pendent state any rights the
quality of mercy that lis not
strand but i"dreppeth as the gentle
rain from heaven" can reach? 1t
might seem not The Indians whose
lands we took weren't sorganized as an
independent state and got little mercy,
but We're treated according to the
laws of nations" so it may be in
ferred were entitled to none. But the
population of part of the Louisiana
purchase was sufficiently large that
it was admitted as a state in
nine years from the time we acquired
control of it without reference to the
wishes of the people, taking it with it's
mixed population. its French, Span
iards. Indians, negroes, half breeds,
pirates and Arcadians, all with their
feuds, prejudices and ignorance, be-
cause we wanted an outlet of our own
for our. commerce on the Mississippi
river. Back in 1885, Spain acquired
control of those people without their
voice in the matter, and a distin-
guished writer has said. Its inhabi-
by every law of nature and human
freedom they how the right to protest
against the transfer of their allie
5, glance, Their protests We're in vain.
They were a strong and growing peo-
pie but their owners said so and So,
accordingly they were entitled to no
sympathy. perhaps.
On the other hand here is land that
a few generations ago was inhabited
by cannibals. What advance those
cannibals have made from their former
state to tlfefI. present condition was
made chiefly through the influence Of
Americans. Their power passed from
them as inevitably as the power of the
savages in this country passed to the
superior race under the laws of ma
tions,' but thestransition was by easier
stages. The nominal rule of their
queen but really of the Adventures
and corruptionists that controlled her.
was tolerated as long as possible by
those who had acquired possession of
three-fourths of the property there, by
methods that would certainly bear
comparison with the methods employed
by our ancestors in acquiring this land
of the free and home of the brave.
When this nominal rule became un-
bearable those who had the real power
assumed the functions of control
Those who sympathize so deeply for
the Hawaiian were then sure that con-
troll was accomplished only by the aid
of American marines, notwithstanding
the marines were not present at ths
time. They said, if the support
Of with
drawn that provisional govern
ment would speedily come to an end.
President Cleveland speedily lent what
encouragement he could to that idea.
Did the provisional government ter
inmate? Did these Hawaiians who it
is assumed are being deprived of their
rights did they, encouraged by those
whites who had great stake in the re-
turn of the corrupt Queen, overthrow
this rule? No.
If they have the right to control
Hawaii they demonstrated under
Liliuokalani they hadn't the wisdom
and they demonstrated under the
policy of Paramount Blount they
hadn't the strength, accordingly under
the law of nations their right doesn't
amount to much. Under their Queer
they demonstrated that they were as
incapable of clean government as have
the Indians now occupying Indiar
Territory, but from which Uncle San
will probably soon GUST them because
of the corruption existing there.
The present government in Hawai-
has demonstrated it's right to rule ant
it's ability to rule wisely as conclusive
ly, to say the very least, as had beer
done by those powers, which the Pres:
speaks of as the rightful owners o
Louisiana.
But that is. not all. At the genera
Hawaiian election the question whic;
excited more interest than any othe
was that of annexation. The part,
favoring it, the Union party, wa
triumphantly victorious. That govern
ment so chosen seeks anneya tion as