The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-10-28
The Hawaiian Problem,

Hawai-, the advanced sheet summary
of handbook on the annexation OF
laval, which he has prepared, con-
sisting OF reasons in favor of annex
alton, and answers to various OBJ
jsctions that have been raised. After
reading over the presentation Of
this case, prepared as it has been by
a gentleman who has made, as
special advocate of this subject, a
close study of the question, we can
not find in the points which he has
raised or the arguments that he
endeavors to confute any reason for
altering our often expressed opinion
that annexation is unnecessary, and
would involve our country in greater
liability and possible loss than can
be Offset by the adoption of this
policy.
Brought down to final analysis
his argument and that of almost all
annexatienists is, il the United
States does not take Hawaii some
other foreign nation will, and
hence, as its possession by
foreign nation might be de-
trimental to our interests, prudence
requires that we should take it now
that we can easily get it. 1t seems
to us that there is no stronger
ground for urging this plea than
there was forty-three years ago,
when in 1854 tho same problem, as
Mr.. Thurston admits, confronted
President Pierce and Secretary
Marcy. If we had listened to the
fears then expressed we should have
made these distant islands in the
Pacific part of our rational domain
line OF action which if taken at
that time would probably have re-
suited long before this in the at
tempted acquisition by the United
States OF other distant colonial
possessions.
We are we'll aware that the sit
uation is complicated at the present
time by the incoming of the Japa-
nese as an international factor, but
at the same time it seems to us that
the establishment Of protectorate
would easily secure Hawaii from
undue in duence on the part OF the
Japanese, and that under such a
form OF control we should not be
politically responsible for the up
holding OF an oligarchy, which is
the only form Of government under
which Hawaii can be properly con-
trolled. Mr.. Thurston says that
this problem came before President
Harrison and Secretary Foster in
1893, and before President McKin-
ley and Secretary Sherman in 1897,
and in each case the decision was
against protectorate and in favor
OF annexation; but this is a state
ment Of fact and not reason, and
it would be equally pertinent to say
that President Cleveland and Sec
retsries Gresham and Olney took a
different view Of the situation.
Mr., Thurston says that under a
protectorate the United States will
assume the responsibilities incident
to ownership without the power.o of
CONTROL" and that Hawaii would
still continue to remain ian incubs-
tor OF international friction" As to
the first of these two assumptions
we should say that the American
people are quite prepared to permit
the control OF Hawaii to rest in the
hands OF those who are now govern
ing the country. There is no reason
for interfering with them, for they
appear to be able to carry on the
affairs OF the islands in an eminently
satisfactory manner. We could not
logically enter into complete con-
troll without dispossessing them, as
their political system is antagonistic
to the American democratic theory,
and with their dispossession the
government Of Hawaii would be less
efficient than it is to-day. Our re-