The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-10-14
THE ANNEXATION OF HAWAII
LoRIN 4. THURSTON MINISTER
FROM HAWAII, ISSUES A HAND
COOK THEREON.
BENEFITS 70 THE UNITED STATES
Says II would Insure Almost AbsO-
lutte Immunity From Naval At
tacks on Pacific COast-SOme
Foreign Power VIII Annex.

Washington, Oct. 9.-Lorin A. Thurs
ton, minister of Hawaii. has issued a
hand book on the annexation of
Hawaii" of SO pages, in pamphlet
form. In specifying the reasons for
annexation, Mr.. Thurston says:
1t will prevent the establishment of
an alien, and possibly hostile strong
hold in a position commanding the Pa
cific coast and commerce of the north
Pacific, and definitely and finally Sc
cure to the United States the stra tegi-
cal control of the Pacific, thereby pro-
tecting the Pacific coast and commerce
from attack.
All of the great powers of Europe
having coaling stations within steam
ing distance of the Atlantic coast of
the United States, no nation possesses
a coaling station near enough to the
Pacific coast to be available as a base
of operation against it.
The Pacific is so wide that naval ships
can not cross and operate on the Pa
cific coast without recoaling. A
country in possession of Hawaii would
have base of supply and repair within
four or five days steaming of any part
of the Pacific coast and be a standing
menace to it and it's commerce.
By simply keeping other nations out
of Hawaii the. United States will Sc
cure almost absolute immunity from
naval attack on it's Pacific coast.
Upon the opening of the Nicaragua
or Panama canal, practically all of the
shipping bound for Asia making use
thereof will stop at Honolulu for coal
and supplies.
are as follows:
"The conditions are such that the
United States must act now to pre-
serve the results of it's past policy and
to prevent the dominancy in Hawaii
of a foreign people.
1T Is no longer question of whether
Hawaii shall be controlled by the ma
tive. Hawaiian or by some foreign peo-
pie, but the question is which foreign
people shall control it,"
Those inimical to American interests
may obtain control in Hawaii and ter
inmate all special privileges now held
by the United States and transfer them
to rival nations. and that other atoms
stand ready to avail themselves of the
opportunity is evidenced by the fact
that the English government has re-
Gently attempted and is still attempting
to obtain the cession or lease of one of
the Hawaiian islands as a cable sta
tion. All that has stood in the way
of it's consummation has been the
reciprocity treaty and the determination
of Hawaii to keep it's face turned
Amarica-wards until the annexation
question is settled.
Whether the reciprocity treaty is con-
tinued or not conditions have developed
which will accordingly evict American
interests and control from Hawaii MS
though it were accomplished by the
of treaty or by hostile guns.
Under the head "The Awakening of
nJpan," Mr.. Thurston refers to heavy
japanese immigration to Hawaii. and
adds:
Regardless of the declaration of the
Japanese government Hawaii has,
against the will and efforts of it's gov
and people, drifted Japan
wards during the past two years, and
unless radical action is taken to stay
II - process there can be but one logi-
cal result, viz, the ultimate supremacy
of the Japanese and thereby of Japan
and Hawaii. This will be accomplished
in the teeth Of the American policy of
exclusion of foreign control and with
no tangible overt act on the part of the
government of Japan.
The controversy with Japan is the
preliminary skrmish in the great COM
ing struggle between the civilians of
the east and of the west The issue in
Hawaii is whether, in the inevitable
struggle. ASIA or America snail nave
the vantage ground of the control of
the naval station of the Pacific
All that is now holding Hawaii from
retrograding into an Asiatic outpost is
handful of determined men. But there
is Il limit to their strength. and if help
is to come in time it must come soon.
Annexation will settle the issue and
maintain American control in Hawaii,
and nothing else will
Mr. T'hurston enumeratcS other rea-
sons, chiefly of a commercial nature.
and then answers twenty objections to
The answers cover the questions of
of the proposed annex
alton; Hawaii as point of weakness in
time of war: expenditure on navy. ETC.,
to protect Hawaii; application of the
Monroe doctrine; status of protec-
torate; influence on American beet SUI
gar trade: effect on sugar trust: assump-
ton of Hawaii's debts; leprosy in
Hawaii; United States already large
enough.
Debs Solving the PrObIem.