The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-08-23
TEE PROPOSED ANNEXATION
OF HAWAII
| From The Forum FOR AUGUST, 1897.

On May 16 OF this year the Presi-
dent Transmitted to the Senate a
proposed treaty with the so-called
Republic Of Hawaii, by which it is
designed to merge that nation into
80 United States. The Executive
I'D the Secretary of State at the
4 ne time enumerated the grounds
ich they deemed sufficient to
warrant annexation. | shall en-
Z, ;avor to show that none Of the argu
I. ants made in advocacy OF the out
Q'hed programme is sound, that Ha-
Naiian annexation is detrimental to
ethe interests of the United States,
and that il such a policy might at
any time be desirable, its accom-
plishment now and under circum.
stances at present prevailing must
be alike impolitic and dishonorable.
The President apparently relies
upon the declaration that annexa
ton is "the necessary and fitting
sequel to the chain Of events which,
from very early period Of our his
tory, has controlled the Intercourse
and prescribed the association Of
the United States and the Hawaiian
Islands" Unfortunately for this
contention, the recitals made by the
Executive show merely friendly and
commercial intercourse and the
adoption of uniform policy favor
ing Hawaiian autonomy. True, the
popular suggestion which refers to
the dominancy of American inter
ests in "that neighboring territory"
is noted by the President. 1t is now,
however, actively urged that the
AL essence ins% he Islands of a few
.aericans necessarily requires our
-, Convention and permanent occu-
r, ncy.
n The Secretary of State bases his
ecopmepdation upon the authority
sffed by the Hawaiian Constitu-
.w of 1894. He opposes CONNER
W union because of the dangers of
The 'vicissitudes of public sentiment
in the two countries" He evidently
wishes to strike the iron while it is
hot, and seeks to make a perpetual
s,compact because OF the uncertainty
of popular desire. He does not care
lbo risk reversal of present policies
"Let us grab it while we may" cpl
tomizes this craftsmanship. The
Secretary assumes that there must
be annexation or commercial
union or protectorate. He forgets
the propriety of following pre-,
cedents by attending to our do
oiestic concerns. He does not re,
lect that our official notice oil
n-interforence by other Powers
always proved effective Possib
the Administration hopes tc
ten, by mid-Pacifc conquest, the
gent of that prosperity so con
entity and vainly promised. While
% President may not have fell
bound fully to sustain his theories
nevertheless 3uggestions intended tc
excite sympathy have been made
elsewhere from day to day W.
have been te,.ss that our Pacific
Coast will - "a safe until we are
masters TIE Hawaiian Islands
In form" to allude t.
siiese7A 4 I-Sea folk as sour kins
men," t. call attention to thei
proximity" and to refer, as doe
President Mckinley, to "that neigh
boring territory" "Neighboring,
as thus used, is defined to meal
SITUATED near by, being in the vici
nifty adjacent" 1t is important t
remember that the soil we propos
to absorb-this "neghboring terri
tory'-is more than two thousan
miles from the nearest point of th
present United State. Our "neigl