The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-12-30
Continued from LIST pagc.)

hardly be denied;" but his successor
in Office finds it neither inexpedient
nor unnatural to form permanent
political union with people 1000
miles from the nearest port OF the
United States and 5000 miles from
the seat OF government. The neces-
sity and wisdom Of this union lies in
the fact that, unless the Hawaiian
Islands are annexed by the United
States, Japan or one of the Eu-
ropean Powers will probably bring
them under their flag, and in some
manner, which not even the most
Jealous advocate OF annexation has
thought it necessary to explain, a
dependency in the Pacific, 1000
miles from American territory, is to
be construed as a menace to the
American Union. a.Af
The Monroe doctrine of 1897
means the absolute supremacy OF
the United States over the Western
hall of the globe Mr.. Olney voiced
this feeling in the single sentences:
1.-THE United States is practically
sovereign on this Continent, and its
fat is law" Whether it is dispute
between Chill and Peru, or a differ
ence between British Guiana and
Venezuela, or the building OF canal
on NicaraRuau territory, or the re-
volt of Spanish colony, the United
States, as the lord paramount OF the
American Continent, must be con-
suited, and reserves TO itself the
right to veto or to approve as it may
see fit. To carry out this policy,
practically to fortify itself and ex-
tend its territorial sphere, it anuexes
the Hawaiian Islands; eventual an.
nexation as the necessary outcome
of that policy" will be the fate of
Cuba; and should the Nicaragua
canal ever be built, it will be because
the United States sanctions it and
controls it both politically and com
mercially.
1t is no vagrant fancy OF the
Imagination to predict the outcome
OF this new policy. 1t is plain
enough where it leads: "The an
nexstion Of the Hawaiian Islands,"
says one newspaper, "locates our
first fighting and base line 1000
miles west OF the Pacific coast :"
Another paper, a paper published
in the City of Washington, and
noted for its conservatism SUI, sings this
song OF triumph: "We are exclu-
sively land power no longer. We
are sea power AZ we'll, and must
support that power in every proper
way 1t is especially necessary
that we make ourselves strong in
the Pacific, and The Hawaiian ISL
ands are the key to the Pacific" A
New York journal, in some respects
one of the most Influential news
papers in the country, uttered this
comment: "In the grand westward
ocean highway OF the future the
Sandwich Islands will, Of course,
play an important part, being a aalf-
way station whose advantage i, OBJ
vious and incalculable. 1t goes
without saying, that it should TO in
the possession and under the con-
troll of the United States, whose
commercial star is making it's way
westward"
Two thoughts find expressid On in
these citations, and they are lhirly
representative OF the sentiment OF
the country regarding annexa ion;
the United States must push Itself
westward across the Pacific Or ean |;
the United States must control the
Hawaiian Islands because of heir
military importance in case ofwar.
The Sandwich Islands are to be
brought under the American flag,
not because their dependence or
their acquisition, even by any other
Power, transcends the rights of the
United States or menaces its safety,
but so as to enable the Republic to