Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-02-11
THE HAWAIIAN JOB.

The defeat of the Hawaiian treaty is
admitted by its friends, and it is ad-
mitted to be extremely doubtful, also,
if the joint resolution dodge of accom-
plishing the same purpose could pass
Congress. The Sugar Trust is pretty
powerful, but it doesn't quite own the
American Congress in fee simple
President Dole, himself, whether he
intended it or not, has made short
work of some of the arguments adj
vanced by the annexation syndicate
He has emphatically contradicted the
story that he hurried off to this coun-
try because of a Japanese scare. He
does not fear that Japan will sieze the
islands or think that Japanese soldiers
have been poured in upon the islands
since the Chinese war with hostile in
tent.
President Dole went farther Il can
see no immediate danger he said, ''of
Hawaii being seized by any other coun-
try if the annexation treaty fails to
pass Thus it appears that he is not
greatly oppressed with fear that Great
Britain or some other power will grab
the islands we do not He thinks the
present government or form of gov
eminent will continue if the annexa-
ton scheme fails.
He seems to have no doubt that the
notice which was served on European
countries many years ago that the Uni
ted States would regard any attempt
on the part of any of them to occupy
the islands as an unfriendly act will
be as effective for the protection Of
their autonomy as would annexation.
Thus President Dole, who is now
disconsolately homeward bound. dis
posed of an annexation argument Of
which we have heard great deal And
with it he disposed of another to which
he made no direct allusion. That is,
that we need the islands for strategic
and commercial reasons. Under the
virtual American prOtectorate which
has existed for many years the islands
will be as valuable to- us for CONNER
cial and defensive purposes as they
would be if annexed. With Pearl har-
Dor occupied and fortified we would en-
joy the advantages without excessive
responsibilities and expenditures and
without what ex-President Cleveland
correctly called "a radical departure
from our traditional national policy"
The question as to the danger of this
island from without is largely of one
opinion, of course, and as to that Pres
ident Dole may be mistaken. But as
to another point the case is different.
In answer to an interview he was re-
ported as saying: THE royalists would
tell you, some of them, that all Ha-
waiians are opposed to annexation.
which is not true But how many are
opposed to it and how many are in
favor of it nobody knows" When
asked specifically in regard to the ma
tive population he said: Il cannot say.
| have no means of knowing" And
as to the opposition of Portuguese,
Germans. Englishmen and others he
had only an opinion to offer-no def
mite knowledge.
President Dole seems not to enter
tain doubt about the innocence of his
ignorance on this subject lie may be
assured that great many Americans
think he had no right to be in ignor-
ance as to the wishes of the Hawaiian
people in regard to annexation. They
think it was his duty to be informed
They think that the people of coun-
try have right to be consulted before
the sovereignty is wrested from them
and handed over to another people
more than 1000 miles away.
More than five years have passed
since Dole and his associates dethrou-