The San Francisco call., 1897-12-26
WE LED THE raid.
full of them.

HE portentous movements of European ma
tions in China just now hold the worlds
attention
In a speech recently made in Boston Admiral
Bellnap desired to hasten our grabbing of Hawaii
in order that the land hunger of Europe may not
extend to the islands. An impartial study Of recent
history finds evidence that proposition to take
Hawaii has reused the land hungry nations to ac-
tivty in Asia, and the admirals advice is that we get
into the game with appetite whetted as soon as
possible.
Meantime there is talk of the United States pro-
testing against German seizure of Kiao Chau and the
Russian occupation of Manchuria and the grab of
the control OF Shanghai by England Unless we
abandon designs upon Hawaii what right of pro-
test have we, except the ground that our COM
panions in robbery not dividing fairly? If we
take Hawaii on the grounds that make our case for
annexation why may not the other nations take what
they want, for they assign precisely the same
grounds?
The views of Captain Mahan in favor of taking
Hawaii have been recently quoted, in part only, by
the annexation press. They were no doubt in Ad-
miral BelInaps mind while he talked but an ad-
miral would not condescend to quote mere captain
The Call has recently quoted the qualifying state
ment of Mahan, REINFORCED by the example of
Napoleon. The captain says that if we take Hawaii
/
to have the ships and the guns always ready to de-
fend prize against all comers
AS, it would have required the French navy to be
more than doubled to defend and hold Corfu and
Malta, must ours be doubled to hold Hawaii
Manifest destiny good Fourth of July material but
it comes high No civilian bames naval officer for
wanting to increase the navy and advocating a gem
orally bumptous and militant policy for that means
more rapid professional advancement. If the navy
were doubled the subalterns would soon be commo
dores and the commodores admirals and there
would be general getting upstairs all along the line
OF promotion But while may treat amicably this
sentiment OF the navy, must not overlook the
fact that the civil policies of republic are not safely
left to the direction of that sentiment
Captain Mahan has told the country that to take
Hawaii without the ships to defend it would he a
ruinous mistake, and he admits that we have NOT at
present the requisite naval equipment The rwo
must go together. This interests the contractors
who build ships, it touches every artisan and
officer in the national navy yards They all want ~
build ships and take to themselves the result;no
profits, wages, salaries and promotions But behind
them. in too often forgotten places stand the people
who must pay for it all Others ride in pride and r
cumstance along the sunit path of manifest des
tiny, but the people pay the toll while they trudee
afoot on the common highway
We have before referred to the attitude of approv
ing indifference held by Europe toward our seizure
OF Hawaii, and that attitude is now explained bv
events on the Chinese coast. We now Look forward
with interest to the reply that will come to anv oro
test our Government may make against the satiaton
of Russian German and English land hunger in far
Cathay.