The times., 1897-08-31
Professor Proctor on Hawaii.

The Hon. John Z. Proctor, chairman OF
the United States Civil Service Commits
sion, has a mcst interesting paper in the
September Forum, on Hawaii and the
Changing Front OF the World" In it he
presents the Hawaiian case in light
which may he new 10 many readers HIS
view is that the great political changes
that have taken place in Asiatic countries
during the PAST few years. considered in
connection with the extension of the Cars
influence, systems of railway, and geneE-
ally of power TO the Asiatic shores of the
Pacific. shortly must change the course
and oenters of the worlds commercial
intercourse, and largely transfer interna
tianal activities. ambitions and differences
from the Atlantic TO the Pacific Ocean.
Russia has been striving for centuries 10
Tedcn the open sea. lie cream Oh L feber
the Great has become crystallIzeG into a
Ia uonal aspiration. Gibraltar, Malta, tine
Suez Canal, and the pTeponderatlng
strength oil the british navy make the
MeCllIerranean an EngIIsil lake even Shouiu
Russia pass tite Bospnorus- The entrance
To nussld : Baltic ports Is blocked by Ice
for great part OF the year. Ihwarted
on the west and south, lcc-bound or the
north, this great, mysterious, ceeminSiy
III esist tiDle power extends her dOtninon
steadily untlI she reaches the sea or
Japan ON the east; acquiring, by bold and
ssIiIIul Diplomacy, tile Aniur country,
equal In area To France. For the purpose
OF uniting her vast dominioDS, Russia Is
pushing 10 speedy completion her great
Siberian railway from tile Ural Mountains
TO her A sian scaporE-f rtress. The names
around tnis Eastern fortress indicate Rus
san aspiration lladiyostock means
Ruler OF the Ia 80 the harbor Is called
the Golden HoTn,' the passage 10 the
sea, the Eastern BosphUrus; ana the
bay, the Gulf of Peter the Great Ii not
in Europe, yet in Asia, after centuries or
patient striving, will Russian dreams or
becoming d sea power At last be realized.
The presence of Russia IN the Far East,
and the possibility or combination De
tween Russia and China. foilowed by the
awakening OF China from her sleep or
centuries; the extension or frencn DO
Ininiou IN Indo-China, Siam, and NADIA
gascar: the parutionlnS of Africa ana the
islands of the Pacific among European
powers; the Industrial growth or Japan,
and her entrance into the family of ma
tious a a great naval and military power;
the completion of the great military high
ways from Halifax TO Vancouver, and
from st. Petersburg to FIadiyostock; the
ia pid peOpling OF BRUSH Columbia ana
our North Ia Cific States, and OF the ATnur
and Manchuria districts ali tend 10 change
the front OF the world, and 20 transfer TO
which, for three centuries past. have rem
dered the Atlantic the theater of stirring
events.
We must expect point : Of vantage in the
Pacific to be occupied. There is vast
area of the Pacific Ocean with Une and
only one, great IaDd-lOcked hariior. easily
dafer"nd Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian
Islands.
From ali these and other facts con-
nected with the situation Prof. Proctor
reaches conclusions exactly like those which
have mar ked tbc Hawaiian policy of this
Journal from the beginning of the agita-
ton The HGwaiian Islands-the most
important strategic position in the Pacific -
are today Ike q derelict fl yiug flag OF
distress IN nid-ocean." We quite agree
with him, that the grave and far-reaching
interests and dangers involved demand
the immediate action of our Government
and that we cannot with honor recede from
the protccl0rate which We have maintained
for fifty years. Prof. Proctor truly says.
"a continuance of existing conditions may
at any time involve this country in troubles
which could not arise were the islands TO
become part Of our possessions. Our
interests. as well as our national honor.
now demand the annexation of the Ha-
waiian group