The San Francisco call., 1897-11-08
MERCANTILE
MEN OPPOSE
ANNEXATION
See No Benefits That
Would Accrue to
This Country.
SENTIMENT IN LOS
ANGELES.
Protest Against the Opening
Of Our Gates to Hawaiian
Com petition.
SUGAR INDUSTRY WOULD
BE IMPERlLED.
Nothing to Be Gained by Acquiring
Islands So Far From THIS
Contin ent.
Protest Against the Opening
of Our Gates to Hawaiian
Com mpetitiOn.
SUGAR INDUSTRY WOULD
BE IMPERlLED.
Nothing to Be Gained by Acquiring
Islands So Far From THIS
- Contin snt.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL

LOS ANGELES, Nov. z-Hawaiiaa an
nexation is not in favor with the most in
fiuentiaI mercantile element of this city.
This has been demonstrated by an par
tial canvass among number of the mer-
chants. In The course OF the interviews
obtained by THE CALLS correspondent a
remarkable condition was made apparent
Comparatively few had given any deep
thought TO the matter, but those WHO had,
with few exceptions, declared emphati-
cally that they saw few if any advantages
to be gained By this country by the an
nexation OF Hawaii while the disadvan-
tages are many.
1t was further shown that where an
opinion was held favorable to annexation
il was am ost invariably based on q false
pride OF country, mistaken for patriotism.
1t was admitted that Hawaii was of no
real value 10 the United States as a posses
sion, either as q com mercial factor or as a
strategic point in time OF war. 1t was con-
tended, however, that if the United States
did not receive Hawaii into its family
some other country would. But they
were fain 10 admit that even the latter
contingency could be prevented by the
proper application of the Monroe doc
tr.ne.
The tentative investigation thus under
taken By he correspondent demonstrated
clearly that the question OF Hawaiian an
nexa0on is much in the same condition
as characterized the money issue before
the campaign was fairly opened for the
last election. 1t required but q little edu-
cation FOR the psopIe of the country to see
-
h 7lank in the Democratic platform.
I viii be with Hawaiian annexation.
l. 2 General campaign of education is car
riad on and the people be made to think,
II Will be a Conservative prophecy to sa Y
that much larger ma ajority by far will be
opposed to the annexation of Hawaii by the
United States than was IN favor OF sound
money at the last election. Even to-day
ii vote OF the people would undoubtedly be
against annexation, according to the con-
sensus OF opinion here.
Among the principal arguments ad-
va7ced hy those interviewed were these:
To annex Hawaii would be 10 incur addl-
tiOnal expense 10 the United States; 1t
would De q source OF weakness TO this
country in time OF war, as the United
States has now more Seacoast than II can
adequately protect; il would not be of any
advantage commercially, as its geographl-
merClal advantage II can ever nope TO
gain; it would inject two additional and
undesirable problems into the economic
system OF the Unlted States by reason OF
the nature OF tie population of the isl
ands-the labor situation would be seri-
ously disturbed, particularly on the Pa
cIhc COast, and an entirely new and diff |
ferent race would have to be absorbed
into our populatlOn; the territory quired
would be of no material benefit as that
now within the boundaries OF the United
States offers virtually unlimited oppor- |
tunities ior development and the profit |
able investment Of capital; it would be a |
distinct lie 'Timent 10 the beet-sugar in
dustry, which promises 10 be one of the |
greatest and most Temunerative OF Cali !
fornia and Of the other States in the West /
and Middle West.
Some OF the views expressed are here
NVith given:
n. W. Hack, vice president of the Simp- |
sNa & Hack Fruit Company, wholesale |
dealers in and shippers OF fruits and nrod- |
Ece-I think more thought and attenL on |
should be given TO this subject by the DeC- /
ple of California. The more this is done |
the less likely will annexation be We |
are becoming a great sugar producing |
State and the more opposition We invite !
from the outside the worse it Will be for |
u.s. l think, like many others, the annex |
alton OF Hawaii Would simply involve an /
extra expense upon the United States /
We have enough coast line 10 take care of |
now without adding any more. When /
our San Pedro deep narbor is constructed !
Awe will probably want some defeuses (
there, and We surely do not want to take !
anv of the money that might be expended |
here 10 pay for improvements in Hawaii /
Ii the people of the United States would |
pay more attention to the territory they
now have and try to improve and develop !
il and not endcavor to add more useless
country they would be better off.
There is ample room for i'm provement
in The United Sta tes, and especially on
the Pacific Coast l am sure tnat who
ever gives this matter proper thought will
agree with me. The beet-sugar industry
has already been developed to great ex-
tent In Southern California. A number
of new factories have recently been put
up, and others will probably follow
shortly. Why, then, should We want to
bring in sugar from the Sandwich lsian dS
to compete with ths product which we arc
raising9 Il would simply be cutting our
own throats.
Newell Matthews of the Matthews d
ArnGt Company, dealers in wagons, car
ria es and farm implements-I am op-
posed TO Hawaiian annexation because
think 1t Is best for this country to remain
c0mplct and HOMOGENEOUS, l believe
also that annexation would be detrl-
mental TO the beet sugar interests, which
promise 10 develop into a great Industry
IN Fal1 State. | think that the acquisition
OF kth'se outlying islands would be
soLvc2 of weakness rather than OF
stre&cth. We had better devote our en- |
eIgies 10 improving our own country.
NJ. a. Newmark Of NJ. A. Newm ark &
Co., wholesale grocers-As the matter now
stands ] don't see any good that will re-
suit In taking Hawaii. / think we now
have ell The territory we can conveniently |
Aake are OF. Uncle Sans family is bout
Us large as it should be. The population
OF the islands is altogether loreign to US,
and don't think satisfactory amalga- |
rnaticn could be effected. l am not in |