The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1897-06-09
ANNEXATION.

AlC pcpuldClOh hSAS, 1O4iA ~ " = ~
that political union with the Unit
ed States will be a most potent fac
tor in settling the immigration and
labor questions of Hawaii. Under
annexation the settlement will be
solidIy and positively IN favor OF
the American and assure the build
ing up a population that can never
be cIassed as numerically weak,
from the white labor standpoint.
1t Is useless for our American op-
ponents to dwell upon what they
consider the mistakes In Hawaii's
past. y condition exists and the
question of today is how to deal
with it
We have vet to see any signs of
a disposition on the part Of the Am
erican administration or of a ma
jority of the American people to
throw Hawaii aside, and revoke the
claim held upon it for many years.
Admitting for the sake of the argu-
ment that the commercial policy of
the United States towards Hawaii
has not accomplished the results
hoped for in the citizenship of the
country, the problem the Ameri-
cans have to consider is what
change of policy is required. What
policy will assist in increasing Am
erican immigration to Hawaii!
The history of the last ten years
has shown that as long as Hawaii's
pOlitical future - whether the
country is to remain Independent
or become part of the American
system-continues to be an ever
recurring interrogation point, Am
erican citizens will be slow to in
vest their money and take up perm
anent residence here. Time and
again have the men, who seek to
bring new men and new capital to
the country run up against this
barrier. The planters in their eff
forts to obtain American labOrers
have found it. The indefinite pos
itiOn in which the country is now
placed causes a large number of
American farmers, of Just the class
needed, to stand aloof. They are
not prepared to renounce their
American citizenship and they dis
like the idea of becoming residents
In country where they cannot
have the same voice in public af-
fairs which they have at home. As
a rule, the average American Is
not wanderer outside the limits of
his own country. He has heard
many conflicting stories regarding
the conditions in Hawaii, his pOck-
ct book will not allow his coming
to the country and making an in
vestigation for himself, he is not
acquainted with the laws and Gus
toms of. Hawaii, so he takes what
he considers the safe course and
stays at home.
But let the question of territor
ial ownership be once settled, and
that bv annexation to the United
States, the doubts that now fill the
mind of the American farmer, the
American laborer and American
capitalist Will be wiped out of eX-
istance. By coming to Hawaii
they simply move to another sec
ton of their own country where
they have full rights of citizenship,
know just what to expect, and for
future financial success or failure
take their chances with others of
their fellow cOuntrymen.
In Hawaii today is the largest
American colony outside the limits
of the United States. Reciprocal
commercial relations have strength
en- the hold of the mother country,
so that to cast Hawaii aside at
this time would be quite as disas-
trous as commercially as dropping
one of the States from the Union. !
To maintain the American politi- |
cal supremacy in the Pacific, poll |