The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-30
POINTS OUT GREAT ADVANTAGES
The Writer Has Spent Thirty Years Of
His Army Life Upon the Atlantic
Coast-His Letter to Sen
ator Morgan.

picking being the easiest kind of labor.
The Hawaiian coffee is unequalled for ex-
celence, and commands from two to three
cents per pound more than the finest grade
of Costa Rica or Guatemala coffee in the
market of San Francisco Hawaiian cof-
fee is selling there now at from 1Sc to 20c
per pound, and the regret on all sides is
that there is SO little of it. 1t is so superior
that 1t needs no blending or mixing with
any other coffee; and, in the language OF
a senator of the United States who recently
visited the coffee plantations of Hawaii,
my sons among them-"It is so good that
the cooks cannot spoil it,
Believing that President McKinley's
course in recommending the annexation of
these islands was, and is, wise, patriotic
and In strict accord with his high office;
that his intentions and views are states
manlike and far-seeing to a most pre-emi-
nent degree. and in the true interest of the
constantly growing needs and requirements
of this whole country, [ felt and still feel,
as do so many others, that the congress
of the United States will wisely and patri-
otically second his efforts to secure to us
this paradise of the Pacific, and plant our
flag there, never again to be pulled down
while one American lives.
The commercial side of the proposition
is by no means the most important. 1t
is mere folly to assume that other nations
do not want Hawaii their unconcealed in
terest in the present situation of AFFAIRS,
and various recent events that need not be
specified prove the contrary. No one can
Justly blame them for this desire. They
need Hawaii as we need it; because it's
possession dominates and comnands the
entire North Pacific where, today, as
prophesied by Secretary Seward, the COM
mercial and other conditions are more
rapidly changing than anywhere else on
the globe
Hawaii is the stepping stone, the gate
way OF Asia and the pivotal point of the
whole Pacific; the one, the only point of
supply for thousands of miles In any di
rection. glance at the map shows its
prodigious Importance to any nation which
possesses 1t. 1t is nearer to us than any
nation, and, as a matter of fact, though
not generally remembered by even our well-'
informed people, 1t is east of our western
boundary of Alaska; and the Aleutian Is
lands, our possessions, are about a thous-
and miles still further west of Hawaii.
Non-contiguity. the stock argument of so
many people (used likewise against our
acquisition of Alaska), is of little value or
force when these facts are considered An
other glance at the map will reveal the
vital, overwhelming Importance of Hawaii
in connection with the Nicaragua canal,
which, sooner or later, must be construc ed,
and l firmly believe is deferred merely
because of our excessive caution, prudence
and conservatism. We were, as we all re-
member equally conservative about the
building of our railroad 10 the Pacific
coast; the war broke out and an empire,
from the British possessions to Texas. and
from the Pacific ocean to the Rocky mount
aims. was put in jeopardy by the previous
failure to build that road. AS a conse-
quence California and Oregon, while in one
sense overwhelmingly loyal, were largely
disloyal because the Pacific railroad had
not been built, and the troops recruited
in San Francisco for service east We're re-
tanned on the coast by the war department
because of the feeling, and the possible
action, of those who advocated a Pacific
republic" The road was finally built and
the people were satisfied. 1t was deemed,
and i'll very fact the building of the road
was, essentially and thoroughly a war
measure. Its construction and loyal citi-
zens Kept the Pacific coast in the union
and California poured it's gold into the
treasury ana the blessed sanitary commits
sion.
In the lives OF nations, as of individuals,
there are times when q course of conduct
Is thrust or forced on them; q condition
prevailing which, irrespective of all argu-
ments, leaves open but one wise course
This l believe is the case in regard to an
nexlng the hawaiian islands now. 1t is
conceded that under no circumstance can
we. or should we permit any other nation
to acquire Hawaii; and we know that for
over seventy years this nation by its high
est officials and the explicit resolutions of
congress has practically said Hands off
Hawaii" to all other nations. 1t must be
admitted that there has existed an over
ruling cause for this course on our part
That cause was, and Is self-preservation:
self-defense; self-protection, defense and
protection of that which is ours, and for
which we are ever ready to fight If need be.
Herein lies the vast Importance to us of
Hawaii.
child now knows that the value or use
fulness of modern man-of-war is limited
to her coal capacity. without coal she is
merely so much iron or Steel harmless as
the proverbial lamb. The nation that
holds Hawaii possesses the one point where
coal and other supplies can be obtained
in the North Pacific. A warship from the
Asiatlc coast is about out of coal when she
reaches the Pacific coast. Someone may
remark that a British battleship. In case
of war between England and the United
States can re-coal at Esquimault I say
no, because we will then have taken Es-
quimault by land, and never thought the
ornaments of Esquimault were. or are in
tended for us. They are intended for the
great and important changes and events
now, as for years past, taking place in the
Pacific. In fact, within the last few days
the world has come to realize that the dis
memberment of China has begun; and ia
pan having emerged from her position as
q hermit nation has become a strong In
sular war-like power with military prestige
and existing conditions of over-population,
ETC.. which cause her to have aspirations,
natural aspirations, which she feels QUITE
capable of indulging and seems more than
ready to maintain. Whatever may be her
intention or wishes touching Hawaii, It
still remains for us to know. as we do,
that her possession of Hawaii would be of
the greatest import to US.
The Hawaiian race has been, and is rap
idly dying out, and in fact, is today in the