The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-16
WHAT TO DO WITH HAWAII.

Into the huge vortex of corruption
| that surrounds the framing OF ;hy
! Sugar schedule by any, congress. it
would appear that the question Of the
| relations between the United States
and Hawaii is now about to be drawn.
The sugar schedule is the legitimate
and perhaps the most perfect fruit of
that breeder of abuses called the
protective system. The sugar trust Is
the most powerful as we'll as the most
| voraciouS monster that has been raised
up for the American people to fight,
and no body of representatives seems
inclined to break a lance against it.
Not only has it been able to .'ecure all
| that it asked from successive Sc: ates;
not only does the new tariff bin en-
large its opportunities for taxing the
! American people, but it is to have
something to do about Hawaii. What
! is to be our future policy with regard
! to the Sandwich islands will be deter-u
! mined eventually by the wishes of the
sugar trust. The fight now on is be-
! tween those who would have
| the Hawaiian reciprocity treaty
abolished and those who would
retain it under certain condE
tons. In order to settle the condi-
tons and possibly to make the sugar
trust still more gigantic affair, there
is a probability that some scheme Of
annexation will be approved by con-
gress and ratified by the president
The advance reports sent out from
Washington are all indicative of this.
We hear the same old rumors about
foreign intervention in Hawaii only
! this time it is Japan instead Of Great
Britain that is the bugaboo. A few
years ago. when the Republican party
was endeavoring to justify President
Harrison's interference in the Sand
witch islands, we were told that Great
Britain was bent upon adding them to
the jewels of the imperial crown. That
spook having been laid effectually, we
now learn that the japanese have vo-
racious designs that can be frustrated
only by prompt action on our part. All
this is only the fairy tale Of the poll
tician in search of pretext. There is
no more danger, under existing ar
rangements, of an attempt by any for
eign power to dominate Hawaii than
| there is of the acquisition of the tate
| of Virginia by some nation Of Europe.
We have no possible use for the
Sandwich islands. The arguments on
that side are mere fustian and moon
| shine. The way station and Clear
| ing house" talk about the Pacific trade
is worse than silly. Goods in transit
between the American and the Asiatic
| continents are not discharged at some
middle port. Hawaii is Of no earthly
! or possible consequence to US. The diff
ficulties and dangers of endeavoring to
incorporate this distant group of ISL
ands, with their heterogeneous popu-
lation composed mainly of races that
We, regard as inferior, and some of
whom we exclude from our territory,
ought to weigh with any earnest citi-
zen.
The whole scheme is a gigantic job
and the pressing of it at this time in
dictates that it is now a part of the
campaign of the sugar trust The
| whole world recognizes today the fact
that the United States exercises vir-
| tual protectorate over Hawaii. Every
nation on the face Of the earth under
stands that this country would not per
NIT a Hawaiian government to be sub
verified by external force, and our in
terests are as perfectly served by that
as they would be if Hawaii were ter
ritory or in whatever other status is
possible under annexation. AS mat
tiers stand, however, we think it likely
that the annexation idea will be push
ed, as fully in keeping with the work
which congress and the president are
now forwarding in the interest of de-
livering the people of this country,
bound hand and foot, to the great and
aggressive corporation Of CONNER
cial era.