Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-05
WHY ANNEX HAWAII?
The Question Answered by San Fran
cisco's Chamber Of Commerce.
THE TRAFFIC OF TIE PACIFIC
Another Field for American En-
terprse.
MARKET FOR CALIFORNIA
Another Field for American En-
MARKET FOR CALIFORNIA

ser atOr ferklnS tOuay presented IN the
Senate memorials from the chamber of
commerce Of San Francisco, Cal. in favor
of the annexation of Hawaii. and obtained
permission for treir being printed in the
Record. The first formal memorial was the
same which was received by telegraph
some days ago and submitted to the Senate
and was printed in The Star at the time.
The second is a supplemental statement of
the reasons why the chamber of commerce
feels that HaW ali should be annexed 1t
says:
The chamber of commerce of San Fran
cisco, deeply soicitous for the honor and
ratioral prestige of Our country as well
as the prosperity of our Pacific coast, re-
specfu!1y present to your consideration the
following suggestions in regard to Ha-
Wallap annexation.
To our fellow citizens: The Pacific coast
and San Francisco are SC vtally interested
IN Hawaiian arGeXation that the question
deserves careful and unprejudiced inquiry
The objections thereto are based on rad
1cal grounds and On the general policy of
tee declining the acquisition of more terri
tory, especially that separated from our
COZ lntry by water 1t is argued with a
show OF reason that, inasmuch as we now
nave uilhcuity IN governing what country
more we propose 10 answer these ohiec-
iionS to the best of our ability, promising
'iat theSe were tefab!e opinions until re-
'eiit years have convinced US that our
country cannot. with the conditions con-
u. .toiiins its interests and welfare, permi,
'he Hawaiian Islands to be dominated ar
owned by al other nation
. FIRST, let US consider the radical obiec-
tiohs. Ihe last Hawaiian census shows a
10 .otai population of about 100, 900, of which
.ioto were Chinese and $4,000 Jananeee
Ihe remainder are natives Americans ana
europeans. The treaty provides against
urtt ,,t,. Nninese entering our mainland, and
win our exclusion act applicable on an
hexatlon the number of Chinese will grad
uaiis uecrease The remainder of the pop
uiatloh is no more mixed than that of
utaier @ .erritory already annexed, and we
may depend upon the increase of Ameri-
can citizens to offset this obiectionable
feature, while the islands remain under
territorial government, probably ten. pos
jections tenable, New Mexico and Cali
1ornla would not now be United States ter
ritory. The political objections demand re-
spectful consideration. Could we keep the
Hawaiian lslanos under our commercial
control permanently. it might possibly be
best to do so. But events are proving that
we must no longer depend upon the for
pearance or foreign powers. Either the is
iahdS must become American or pass into
the hands of our commercial and political
competitors.
Statesmen, as well as merchants, fully
understand that the power which owns the
Hawaiian Islands will dominate the North
Pacific ocean commercially as we'll as DO
lltlcally. We need not remind YOU how
eagerly other Pacific islands have been
parceiled out among the same powers that
are also dividing Africa between them
selves and quarreling about a fair alot-
ment- Shall we then reject this great pos
session, so freely offered us, more import
ant than Alaska, which cost $1,000, 900
While Hawaii costs nothing, the govern
ment property ceded being more than the
amount of its public debt.
There are some who assert that if we
annex we must defend. Well, that applied
to the California coast. to Florida, Louisi-
ana and Texas; it applies to all national
territory. But Hawaii, connected with our
own coast by cable, with an American
population and her coal depots fortified
VIII be lmpregnable to any maritime at
tack, becoming a stronghold of American
commerce in mtd-Pacific; shelter to our
naval forces and merchant marine. AS to
distance the western portion of Alaska is
more distant by sea- and we already eyer
else dominion there.
w also desire to present another con-
slderation to our fellow-citizens During
the four years war between our states.
nernuda was thorn in the side of our
country. Spain had proclaimed belligerent
rights for the confederacy within sixty
days after Fort Sumter was fired upon.
England and France followed. Daily our
eastern press published the probability of
English Intervention. At Bermuda Eng
land had a powerful fleet, great coal de-
Pots' ana IT was headquarters for the Eng
lsh blockade runners. AT that time it
took as long for steamer to reach Ber-
nluda from New York as it would for ono
OF the fast Atlantic steamships to reanb
honolulu from San Francisco now WHY
lhen permit another bermuda in the pa
snic: @ are we to have regard for the
iulure safety and prestige of our countr,Io
are We called upon to permit a thorn in
ehe Vitals of our own people?
FROM the day that annexation ic MO-
ela,ined e oah Francisco and California will
ieel the impulse of the increased commerce
winch even now goes abroad from, Uswo;i
f1er commercial marine of considerahla
Voluine ana mostly OF American build. will
@ .o.uI uLdef our nag. and her American
population will rapidly increase Orr com
rymeh Will have another field for their on
terprlse and emerge Her agricultnra will
pecome diversified instead of being restrict
eo pracucally to the growth of sugar cane.
ana labor Will greatly increase in vaIua
Our beet sugar ihterests should have no
more fear of Hawaii under our flag than Of
Louisiana.
IL would be most serious blow to the
prosperity of California to lose fts Hawa
iian trade. The vessels employed are large
~ the products of our shipyards manned
mostly by our citizens; dispersed at orr
seaports, and ladened hence with the prod
ucts of our farms and factories Hawaii
is in fact the best market that California
has FOR Its farm products and local manu-
factures.
We shall establish naval station ard
coaling depots there and the islands will
become the connecting link between Our
northwest coast and the growing commerce
OF Occanica and eastern Asia. If we intend
to push our commerce and manufactures
in competition with the world, we need the
Hawaiian Islands. Every consideration cf
patriotism and commercial interest should
induce us to support our government in the
policy 1t has adopted. We deem the rea-
sons we have presented conclusive, and we
respectfully request their support from the
Commercial organizations of our fellow
citizens of the Pacific coast"
This is signed Hugh Craig. president, and
William l.. Merry. secretary and treasurer
of the chamber of commerce, San Fran
cisco.