The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-17

! out of accord with all our precedents can
| only be successful by incorporating
what we have done in the past. There
cannot be found in our history an in
! stance of the annexation of territory in
which the conditions were similar to
| those surrounding Hawaii. Our first an
nexation was the result of purchase. The
territory comprised in it was all contigu-
Gus to our then existing domain. The
moving cause of it WAS well grounded
fear on the part Of Mr.. Jefferson that the
possession of New Orleans by the French,
through which," to quote Mr.. Jeffer.
sons language, ''three-eighths of the
| produce of our territory must pass to
market, would constitute q constant
menace to US. The annexation of the
territory comprised in the Louisiana pur,
chase was a natural expansion of our do.
main and besides the possession of it was
| necessary to our protection and defence.
Florida, which was also annexed by pur-
chase, was, like Louisiana, contiguous
| territory. California and New Mexico
were all contiguous territory, and they,
! too, were paid for though they had pre-
viously been wrssted from Mexico.
Alaska was not contiguous territory,
but 1t was purchased from Russia. The
only other territory which we have an
| nexed was Texas. That differed from the
other cases in that Texas was an indie
pendent state, and in that case the con-
nf iphc h fpY tc ol,%
fore annexation.
Hawaiian territory is the first we have
attempted to annex without gaining the
consent of its owners and without com
pensation. There is no precedent in our
history for such a procedure. The nearest
approach to it is the annexation of Cali
fornia and New Mexico during the Next
can war, but their seizure could fairly
be regarded as a war measure, and subse-
quently we compensated Mexico for them.
The following of precedent would in
eyitably lead to the defeat of Hawaiian
annexation. In the case in our history
where the facts were precisely like those
of Hawaii annexation was defeated. The
case of San Domingo was in every essen
tial particular analogous to Hawaii.
Like Hawaii San Domingo was an is
land. Like Hawaii it WAS Republic
Like Hawaii it was peopled largely by
| another race than the Caucasian, race
usually regarded as inferior. AS in the
case of Hawaii, it WAS said that its pos
session was necessary to us as means of
defence and protection. 1t would give
us command of the Caribbean Sea and
this Isthmus OF Darten, as it is said that
Hawaii will give us command OF the
Northern Pacific. As with Hawaii, its
| government had fallen into the control of
a minority, with Baez at its head. Like
Hawaii it was offered to US, nay urged
upon US, by that government. In every
essential particular the case correspondent
to that of Hawaii. The argument for it's
annexation on strategic grounds was far
stronger than it is in the case of Hawaii,
and it's inhabitants needed to be rescued
from themselves far more than do the ma
tive Hawaiians of today. Yet the Senate
of the United States rejected the treaty of
annexation which the Baez government
| rendered us chiefly on the ground that to
ratify it would be an unjustifiable en-
croachment on the rights of the people of
San Domingo. Thus in the one annexa-
| ton scheme which was similar to the
Hawaiian the action of our government
was unfavorable- If we are going to fol-
low precedent we must also reject the
Hawaiian treaty, and as that prt csdent
was founded on justice and right and
cannot be deviated from without impugn-
ing our honor we ought to follow it.
Gloss it over as we may, with vague
phrases like manifest destiny" and
'sphere of influence try to convince
ourselves as we may that we are doing a
kindness to the Hawaiians by placing
\ them under our government, the fact
cannot be got out of sight that we are
grabbing land without the consent of
it's owners, that we are doing precisely
what we have irequ emily denounced Eng
land and Germany for doing. No prece-
dent can be found in OR history for do
ing what we are seeking to do, and no
justification for it outside of the maxim
of barbarians that might makes right.
|
| ULMER'S ELECTION CONFIRMED.