Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-11

may be withheld, Japanese merchants are
rapidly establishing themselves in Hawaii
and destructively compete with the Ameri-
can merchants in an notwithstanding de-
gree. ~
Hawaii is Drifting Japanwards.
Regardless of the declarations of the Jap
anese government, Hawaii has, against the
will ana efforts of Its government and peo-
pie. drifted Japanwards during the pas.
two years; and unless- radical action is
taken to stay the process there can be but
one logical result, viz: thes ultimate SUI
premacy of the japanese, and thereby of
Japan, in Hawaii This VIII be accom-
plished in the teeth of the American pol
Icy of exclusion of foreign control and with
no tangible overt act on the part of the
japanese government. i
The controversy with Japan is the pre-
liminary skirmish in the great coming
struggle between the civilizations of the
east and of the west. The issue in Hawaii
is whether, in that inevitable struggle, Asia
or America shall have the vantage ground
of the control of the naval key of the Pa
cific," the commercial crossroads Of the
Pacific"
All that is now holding Hawaii from ret
regarding into an Asiatic outpost is hand
full of resoute and determined men But
there is limit to their strength. and if
help is to come in time 1T must come soon.
Annexation will settle the issue and MAIN
tain American control in Hawaii, and moth
ing else will.
Third Reason in Favor of Annexation.
1t will increase many fold and secure to
the United States the commerce of the
islands.
Statistics are given showing that already
Hawaii is the largest consumer of Amer
lean products of any country bordering on
the Pacific, imports from the United States
during 1896 amounting to S3,464HW. These
results have been achieved by affordng to
Hawaii, under the reciprocity treaty, free
market FOR, practically. only three Of her
products, viz: sugar, rice and bananas.
while under annexation the country would
have a free market for all products. In
1896 Hawaii had a foreign trade of over
sos per capita for every man. woman and
child in the country, record almost I'M
paralleied in history.
Hawaii can support population of mil
lioa as easily as it does a hundred thou
sand. Even this Increase will place its
commerce in the front rank of American
export trade. If Hawaii becomes American
territory, the protective tariff will give TO
Americans practically all of its present for
eign trade, and an Immensely larger trade,
which will spring into existence under the
influences of a stable government, fertile
soil and free market.
Fourth Reason for Annexation.
1t will greatly increase and secure to the
United States the shipping business of the
islands.
Hawaii is today the mainstay of the
American merchant marine engaged IN
deep-sea foreign trade. table Is gwen
showing the number of entries in American
ports of American ships from foreign coun-
Frcm all Europe, 80 ships; from all Asia,
?o ships from all Australasia, 80 ships;
from all Africa, ~ ships; from the uni,eo
kingdom. So ships; from all the Pacific
islands, other than Hawaii, 50 ships; from
Hawaii, l91 ships.
In other words, Hawaii furnished cargo
for 131 American ships. and all the world
besides, outside of the American continent,
furnished cargo for only 23S American
ships. Tables are given showing tina; n.
American ships did about 50 per cent OF
the business of Hawaii in 1876 After an
ne xation, the coasting trade laws will ap-
ply, and freight and passengers can be
carried between Hawaii and other parts OF
the United States in American vessels only.
AS the American tariff viii bar out almost
all imports from foreign countries, prac-
ticalIy the whole freighting business of
Hawaii will be with the United States and
will be transacted by American vessels.
With the increase of population and COM
merce under annexation, the number Of
American vessels required in the Hawaiian
trade will double.
Fifth Reason I'm Favor of Annexation.
1t will remove Hawaii from international
politics, and tend to promote peace in tie
Pacific by eliminating an otherwise certain
source of international friction.
Within the past eighty-five years. Hawaii
has been taken possession of: Once by Rus-
STA, once by England, twice 10y France. and
by reason of hostile denonstra tions. Great
ing the fear of foreign conquest, cession of
the country to the United States was made
in 1851. and treaty of annexation nego-
tiated IN 1854. Since 1874, on four occa-
sions, foreign troops have landed for the
protection of the interests of the several
nations there represented: The existing
conditions in the world and more particu-
la ri In 10 dow, f., "a
suppose that there will be- no further con-
fict of interests in Hawaii.
With the rapidly progressing develop
ment of the Pacific coast of Siberia, the
construction of the railway from ST. Pc
tersburS to the Pacific and the fore
Swallowed absorption of northern China.
there can be no prediction of the limit Of
Russian interests and strength in the Pa
cific. In the short space of year Japan
has become not only Pacific but a world
power. With its rapidly increasing popula-
ton Of nearly fifty million, it's navy now
stronger than any other in the Pacific. its
demonstrated power of organization and
military execution. its progressive COM
mercial and aggressive national spirit,
there is no safety in basing any calculation
upon the n.eekness or weakness Of Japan
Australia and New Zealand are in the
springtide OF their development, and will
increasingly control British policy. Their
statesmen nave repeatedly advanced the
theirs by right. Today their influence and
strength is not sufficient to control in the
Pacific. What their power may be fifty
years from now no man can tell. The
statesmen of the United States should look
not to the conditions of today only, but
to the fuure as well.
independence of Hawnii a Menace.
For the immediate present, the govern
ment is under the control of those favor
able to the United States. There is no GER
tainty that this will continue AS long as
Hawaii Is Independent, other nationalities
Will naturally and legftimately seek to ad-
vance their interests at the expense of those
OF the United States. 1t is not necessary
that any foreign government should at
tempt to do this, as a government
The present difficulty with Japan is an
illustration of how international troubles
may arise through conflict of the private
interests of the different nationalities resi-
dent In Hawaii Today ths-friction is with
Japan. Tomorrow it may be with Europe,
England or China. AS long as the country
is independent. there will be a growing
tendency to internationsl friction among
Its Inhabitants, which wifi inevitably draw
into controversy the respective govern
ments. When annexation was proposed in
1888 no government objecfed. Today Japan
interposes vigorous objection. It may
NOT