The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-12-29
THE FUTURE.

All dTblcle from tne pen OF the gem
tleman who writes i'm the Washing
ton Star under the pseudonym of "Ka-
mehameha," which was published in
these columns on Monday last, was,
and is worth study. The Star is well
aware that at this stage of the annex
alton fight nothing that may be said
at this end is likely to influence the
conflict that will, in u few days come
on in Congress, but it is just as well
that we here should thoroughly I'M
derstand the situation, if others do
not
When the United States bought
Alaska on the 18th of March. 1867, for
$7,2OO,O0O, there were those in the
United States who denounced the ac-
ton of their statesmen as vicious, and
there were those who considered it
demented, and today what would the
United States accept for that terrific
ry? The price that she paid for it?
No! The price at ten per cent inter-
est for the thirty years of tenure?
No! The price at compound interest?
No! The United States will never
yield foot of the land of that bleak
and inhospitable country, acquired by
purchase without the slightest consid-
Grafton for the rights of those who oc-
cupied the country by right of birth.
In that statesman the United States
had far seeing man. Had all states
men at Washington been so far see
ing as he, the whole Pacific seaboard,
from Cape st. Lucas to the Arctic
Ocean would have been United States
territory. The chance was there, AS
we know historically, but the far see
ing statesmen were not on hand.
But the United States now holds
Alaska, and Alaska is going to be, IN
spite of the rigor of the climate, Il
place where thousands. and perhaps
hundreds of thousands, will make
their permanent homes. 1t will be-
come the duty of the United States
to protect that outlying province. The
United States has one important strl-
tegic point to protect that outlying
province from. viz: The Hawaiian Is
lands. This "Kamehameha" showed in
his article, and it is needless to reed
pitulate. But it is in point to show
that the same motives which urged
the American statesman of 1867 to OBJ
tain possession of Alaska. even at IA
sacrifice of seven million odd dollars,
are in view at this present time when
considering the annexation of the Ha-
waiian Islands. The Hawaiian Is
lands can be acquired without cost,
they are for the present fruit to he
had for the picking, but if not pluck
cd now they will fall into some ones
else apron, and the trouble will be to
get them out of it.
The people of the United States as n
mass endorse now the acquisition of
Alaska, as they endorse half dozen
other acquisitions of territory never
contemplated by the mighty fathers
of the republic. Has the development
of the United States ceased that It
cannot longer absorb other lands and
other races. Daily the United States
absorbes indigestible scum from Eu-
rope. 1t has absorbed territory before
now and knows the advantages gain
ed. and yet when the Islands of Ha-
waii are offered, when the key of the
North Pacific is offered, when the
thinking men and the commercial
men all unite in striving to show the
Importance of acquiring permanent
control, there comes "A cold douche,
that seems likely to put the matter
aside. But it will not be put aside,
and the star of Anglo-SaXon destiny
is now at hand, in spite of all that
may be said against it,