The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-03-13
UNDER TWO FLAGS
Pail Mall Gazette Suggests Two
Pearl HarbOFS."
HAWAII GOOD FOR BRITAIN
Founding on Uncle Sans
Doorstep.
Naval Key of the Pacific Within
British Triangle = Regular
Yankeedom.

D. o,
says in an article entitled ''The Naval
Key of the Pacific: Every time a
fresh President on his entry to office
crosses the threshold of the White
House he discovers a founding living
on the steps, which has now learned
to cry Papa" in such a winning way
that he feels very much inclined to en-
fold it in the president arms and wrap
it in the national flag. The founding
is the Hawaiian Republic.
When President Cleveland met it a
few years back he despatched Para
mount Blount," as he was facetiously
termed, to undo the too precipitate
hOisting of the Stars and Stripes by
Minister Stevens, after the overthrow
of the eX-Queen's Government Final
ly, he surmounted the difficulty of
adopting the waif by declaring that the
United States could not justly b.
party to a treaty of annexation with
a provisional Government in the es-
tablishment of which it's own represen-
tative had unfortunately assisted. 8"
While, however, he thus declared un-
mistably in favor of policy of at all
events temporary abstention the siprit
of the Monroe doctrine evidently un-
derlay the final gTowi, in which it was
distinctly stated that . the United
States would not regard with indiffer-
ence the Intervention of any other
Power" His decision was not a po-
pular one. Abstention however Just.
seldom is. There is not the smallest
doubt that the annexation of the Ha-
waiian group by the United States is
not merely highly favored by the
powerful American settlement eStab-
lished there. but also by the more pro-
gressive party in the States, who
would regard it as a set-Off to some OF
the checks their expansive tempera-
ments have received on the Atlantic
The Government, which was purely
de facto when Cleveland gave his de-
cision, is now firmly established de
jure. There would be no constitutional
objection to negotiating with such a
Government regarding annexation. II
is not surprising, therefore, to find
that according to rumor Mr.. Olney is
considering the question, though it is
scarcely likely to come on for serious
debate until Mckinley comes into
office 1t would, indeed. be stealing
some of his successors legitimate
thunder if Cleveland played to the
gallery by reversing his former policy
and openly favOring annexation.
Commercially there is no doubt that
America. whether she administered it
nationally as a naval station or terri
4
nothing by the bargain. The balance
of the Government assests over liabi-
lities is estimated by the ex-Minister
of Finance. Mr.. Peter c. Jones. at over
1000 600 dollars. and there is little
doubt that after annexation the value
of assests in land would rise considera-
bly, in value.
The assumption of an increased inn
port tariff would at the same time en-
hance the income from custom house
receipts. Even in the event of tn
islands being admitted as a territory,
which would probably involve the re-
tention of the present Government
property by the local Government that
would take its place: it has been esti-
mated that the income from customs
duties alone. for twenty years (the
terms of the Government bOnds) would
pay Iile eUIlIe luIcItSl Oll lut puDllC
debt. together with the debt itself.
and leave a balance in the Treasury
of over 7OO. 900 dollars.
That Honolulu is virtually an Ameri-
can town is evident TO the visitor the
moment he lands. He strikes Yankee
dom here as truly as at San Francisco.
The people. the hotels. the churches.
the shops the accent. even the white
palings round the houses, are predomi-
nantly American. How is ii that our
island empire has left out this large
and fertile group of islands. totalling
up 10 half the size of Ireland? Is it
going to be one of our lost posses
sions?" In 1S43 we were generous
enough to enter into gratuitOus
a agreement with France to guarantee
the independence of this group. The
United States was then invited TO be