Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-16
Hawaiian Question lasls.. on Settlement.

! as to leave the impression tnNt so'iiS
project for the annexation of those
4 islands IS under consideration and is
lfavered by President Mckinley.
i Such a step would be consistent not
only witt, Experimentation but with
the traditions Of our government for
half a century, with the exception of
1.-THE term of President Cleveland, during
which attempts to reverse that policy
occasioned disgust and Indignation,
| generally.
So general and SO empathic were
| these sentiments as to leave no doubt
but that the succeeding administration
| would at least restore prior conditions
if it did not so farther and enact such
laws and make such treaty arrange
ments as would render the virtual pre-
| tectorate we have had since 1854 more
permanent
This view of it was borne out in the
Republican platform adopted at ST.
Louis, which declared: THE Hawaiian
| islands should be controlled by the
United States. and no foreign power
them" In his inaugural address Pres
dent Mckinley did not make any
specific allusion to any of the foreign
questions He did say, however
Our diplomacy should seek nothing
more, and accept nothing less, than is
due us" And we believe il is due
us, as it certainly is Hawaii, to
put an end to a dcg-in themaEger
policy toward that country andto carry
the protcctorate policy the wisdom Of
which has been unquestioned by our
| Presidents since 1854, with the excep-
ton Of Cleveland, to its logical conclu-
sion.
| There exist several reasons why this
should not be delayed. One of these is
| the complications threatened by the
proposal to abrogate the reciprocity
| cidust III Jul lttdtS Win tiioeE iSieihe.t'-
If this is done it will be an instance of
selfish disregard of good faith, for we
will still retain the privileges which
the treaty gave to us in exchange.
We are now assuming a protectorate
over the islands without regard to their
welfare, which they urge with ample
argument consists in annexation; some
form of definite recognition such as
they might otherwise get from England.
y proposition to allow England to an
rex those islands. establish coalng
station there, divert their trade to
Dominion ports and make use Of the Is
lands as base from which English
ships could dominate the Pacific as they
now do the Atlantic from Halifax and
the Bermudas would not be popular in
this country. There doubtless are a
few who would be glad of it but the
very great majority of the people be-
lieve that Hawaii is an American coll
ony, that has been developed by our
sons and daughters and our enterprise,
also that it is one which as naval
authorities agree we should hold as 4
protection to our western coast.
They would object to any such
short sighted policy as vigor-
ously as did Marcy when secretary of
state he appriscd England and France
of the determination of this govern
ment not to allow either of those coun
tries to take Hawaii under her protec-
ton He then declared respecting
those islands that 1T seemed to be in
evitable that they must come under the
control of this government"
To follow out the policy laid down by
Marcy and his SUCCESSORS, with the ex-
ception of Gresham, and supported by
such as men as Severance and Stevens
and endorsed by President Harrison to
the extent of arranging a treaty for
annexation, is to act upon good prece-
dent and in line with the best and most
trustworthy opinion ever eXpTeSSeu
upon the subject. Moreover it viii be
popular if we may judge from the un-
popularity excited by the opposite
course.
Nor will such step be detrimental
to our business interests, notwithstand-
ing the beet sugar interests on the
Pacific coast are now agitating against
the free admission of Hawaiian sugar.
We know that the beet sugar business
has become established there and has
prospered to some extent despite the
competition with Hawaii, Less than q
tenth of the sugar imported into this
country comes from the Sandwich is
lands certainly not an alarming
menace to our sugar growing interests
TO break the treaty would be an act
eff bad faith and bad precedent II
| Hawaii is annexed some method Will
have to be adopted which viii prevent
the employment of coolie labor in the
sugar industry, and thus raising the
price of the labor competed with to-