The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-08-31
WOULD NOT OPPOSE UNION
COLONEL MACFARLANE TAKES
STAND.
Insists that the Intelligent Voters Of
Hawaii Would Gladly Favor AnneNa-
ton were Hawaii to be State.

Colonel George w. Macfarlane, for
merly Chamberlain to the late King
Kalakaua, while in England less than
month ago, on a visit to Princess
Kaiulani. gave a long interview on the
Hawaiian question to London jour
nal. Regarding the feeling in the Is
lands towards annexation, Colonel
Macfarlane said:
81 begin to feel that owing to Eng
fish supineness and Indifference to the
Hawaiian question since the establish
ment of the Republic, annexation is
inevitable. While being somewhat
pro-English in my sentiment and feel
ing. am forced to admit that 7 would
not oppose annexation nor would the
intelligent voters of Hawaii if full
statehood as an integral part of the
American Union were granted to the
Islands. I would oppose a ratification
of the treaty by Hawaii if she We're
admitted only as territory like Alas.
l<a. as I understand is proposed, for
the reason that we are an independent
civilized Government, having all the
machinery of a well organized State,
recognized by all the powers, and hav-
ing treaties with them. and not rude
and uncivilzed country like Alaska.
eff we are admitted as a territory,
our Governors and officials will all be
appointed by the Federal Government
at Washington. and we shall be over
run by carpet-baggers and their like,
who will seen to control our public Of
fees. The reins of local government
would be taken entirely out of the
hands of the tax payers and the con-
servative element. AS a State of the
Union. however, we would elect our
own Government officials. our munic-
ipal ard judicial officers, and have rep
resentatives in Congress, to which we
should elect our own Senators and
congressman.
"Of course I assume the United
States could not annex Hawaii without
consent of the governed-that is that
majority vote of the inhabitants of
Hawaii must be obtained for ratifi-
cation of the annexation treaty. While
| do not deny or affirm that Hawaiians
will not vote for annexation under any
conditions, l have no hesitation in say,
ing that a plebiscite on the existing
treaty admitting Hawaii merely as a
territory would not yield five aflirma-
tives votes in 100"
Dealing with the effect annexation
of the Islands would have on Great
Britain the interview says:
st is matter of intense surprise
to me that no mention has been made
of the commercial and political value
of the Sandwich Islands to Great Brit.
ain, not only as being the only avail.
able landing place irh the North Pa
cific for the all-British cable across tht
Atlantic, via Canada and the Pacific &c
the Colonies, but also as being the
only port in mid-Pacific on the high
way of trade and travel with Austria
liza, China and the far East. Should
the Panama or Nicaragua canals be,
come fats accompls' these Islands
will be on the direct route to Japan
and China, and would form the only
available coaling and supply station
with the far East. With regard to the
Bratish Pacific cable it will become al
impossibility if Hawaii is annexed tc
the United States. The Hawaiian grouI
forms the only possible landing place
for such line. 1t is quite impossible
to stretch a cable from Vancouver tC
any island south of the equator that
may be controlled by England without
an intermediate resting place, and the
only one provided by nature is some
port of the Hawaiian Islands.
IF annexation, however, be agreed
to the opportunity will be lost forever
to lay British cable across the Pact
fic via Honolulu. I hope the British
Government will not shut its eyes tc
| this important fact"
/