Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-10-15
HAWAIIAN ANNEXATION.

Hon. Lorrin A. Thurston of the Hawaiin
Islands, will soon issue Handbook on
the Annexation of Hawaii" advanced
sheets of which are out, which will set
forth the reasons for joining those islands
to the United States in a clear and con-
vincing manner. Briefly they are these:
Hawaiian Contamination, civilization,
commerce, education and development
are the direct product of American effort.
Hawaii is in every element and quality
which enters into the composition of q
modern civilized community child of
America. Hawaii is the one American
colony beyond the borders of the Union.
Honolulu is the one foreign port in the
world where the stars and stripes float
over more ships than all foreign flags
combined.
Annexation will prevent the estab-
lishment of an alien and possibly hostile
stronghold in position commanding the
Pacific coast and the commerce of the
North Pacific, and definitely and finally
secure for the United States the strate
gical control of the North Pacific, thereby
protecting its Pacific coast and com
MERGE from attack Mr.. Thurston dis
cusses the Claim that Hawaii is no emore
necessary to this country than islands
like the Azores would be in the Atlantic.
The difference is that, while all the great
powers of Europe lie or have coaling
stations within steaming distance of
America, no nation possesses a ooaling
station near enough to the Pacific coast
to be available as a base of operations
against it. In the Atlantic there are
scores of islands which can be used as
bases of naval supply and repair, while
in the Pacific, from the equator to Alaska,
from Japan to the American continent,
there is but one spot where coal, bread or
water can be obtained, and that spot is
Hawaii.
SIN support of this it is shoH that the
Pacific is 50 YiiSsSss tt Asttw arships cannot
tf0ss and operate on the Pacific coast
without recoaling. The distance from
San Francisco to the nearest naval sta
lion of England is 1900 miles; France,
1900; Spain, 400; Russia, 400; Japan,
800, and China, $500 miles. By keep
ng other nations out of Hawaii this
COUNTRY will secure almost absolute i'm
nunity from naval attack on its Pacific
'oast. Seven Transpacio steamship
ines ply between North America and Ja-
'an, China and Australia, and all but one
make Honolulu a way station. Upon
he opening of the Nicaragua or Panama
ANAL, practically all of the shipping
round for Asia making use thereof will
top at Honolulu for coal and supplies.
Gas second and stronger reason for
Mr.. Thurston offers the
The conditions are such
hat the Uuited States must act now to
preserve the results of its past policy
md to prevent the dominancy in Hawaii
If foreign people, Ga this point he
observes with striking force that it is no
oDger q question of whether Hawaii
hall be controlled by the native Hawaii
IN or by some foreign people; but the
question is, what foreign people shall
control Hawaii"
The treaty under which our present po-
ition in the country is maintained and
enable is terminable on years notice.
The elements in the islands inimcial to
American interests at any time may gain
control of them and, after denouncing
he treaty, transfer the special privileges
md influence of this country to some
oreign nation. Mr.. Thurston Analyses
be new position held by Japan in the af-
airs of the world, and shows the dangers
rom the quarter to which attention has
zen recently attracted by Geographic re.
orts of the colonization of Japanese
oldiers on the islands as "laborere," but
nder the most strict military regola-
ions. He sum marizes all the objections
made by political and monopolistic in
erests, and disposes of them logically
nd satisfactorily. The Handbook on
be Annexation of Hawaii" s q valuable
'ork by reason of the data it contains,
nd throws much needed light on num-
or of vexing questions.