The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-08-07
Hawaii and the United States.


prospects and capacity Of the Ha-
waian Islands few weeks ago, we
alluded to the deposition OF Queen
Liliuokalani by the American mis-.
sionaries, anu wa limited at the
chance of annexation by the United
States. Our political foresight has
been demonstrated more quickly
than we imagined; for there seems
to be no doubt that the American
government seriously contemplates
declaring the Sandwich Islands "a
territory" of the United States. The
dethronement Of the Queen was, as
we have pointed out, perfectly
lawless conspiracy, planned by the
American missionary ring, and car
ried out, against the wishes of the
gentle and simple Hawaiians, by the
aid OF Japanese and American mer.
cenaries. The main objects OF the
usurpation were, Of course, COM
mercial, and the trade Of the islands
in sugar and coffee has been rsso-
lutely exploited by these apostles of
the gospel OF getting on. Somehow
or other, the rule OF the missionaries
has not been an unqualified success
Indeed, the government OF President
Dols is so weak and unpopular that
it is made the pretext for annexation
by President Mckinley; but the
discomfort yhich undoubtedly ex-
lists amongst the natives with the
reign Of the usurper is more likely
to be inhsmed than allayed by in
corporation with the United States.
What the Hawaiians want is to be
governed by their Queen, whom they
understand and who understands
them. If there is anything in the
principle that government should
rest upon the consent OF the people
then the Great Powers of the world,
including the United States, should
restore Queen Liliuokalani to her
throne.
What can be more inconsistent
than the swallowing up Of this re-
public by the great republic Of the
Western Hemisphere A large party
in the States loudly express their
sympathy with Cuba, upon the
ground that the Cubaus are rightly
struggling to 10 Tree from Spain.
The very men who advocate the
constitution of a Cuban republic
apparently support the absorption
Of Hawaii, and for the most openly
cynical reason, namely, that its ait
uation is important with regard to
Eastern trade. 1t may be retorted
upon US that the English are the
last people in the world who ought
to object to anybody grabbing land,
as we are always doing it ourselves.
1t is, of course, the fact that the
British Empire has grown by annex
alton; but we may point out to our
American cousins that Great Britain
only annexes under one OF two con-
ditions--when the people themselves
desire it, or when it is a case Of sub
stituting our own government for
the anarchy of savage tribes. Neither
OF these conditions is fulfilled in the
case OF the Hawaiian Islands. The
HaW aiians themselves do not desire
to be annexed by the United States
at least, they have not said So
and there is a properly constituted
Government. A short time ago it
was Monarchy; to-day it is Re-
public. What justification is there
for destroying iti
We do not know whether the
treaty Of annexation will be ratified
by the Legislature. If its full con-
sequences are brought home to the
American nation, we doubt whether
even body SO contemptuous OF
public opinion as the Senate would
be allowed to pass it. The annex
alton of a group OF islands in the
Pacific would indeed be a new and
4 A