The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-03-08

IlcIlS. |
Such a population if erected into q
State would neither be Il useful mem
| her Of tine Union, nor qualified to con
| duct the business Of legislation Wlthln
| It's own borders, much less qua1led
| therefore 10 send Representatives ana
Senators to Washington To formulate
policies for the American people. Inc
anncXationistS argue that 1iaWah couio
come in as It territory. but TINS arSu-
mcnt j. merely q Subrerfu2c. ouf 'oh-
sfitution has no provision whatever for
he Governing machinery of "A petrnied
TERRITORY. If hawaii cannot be govern
ed os a State or az Il territory it is evil
dent that some partisan government
must lie invented by Congress, and
such a scheme would offer q field for
political jobbery and bribery.
Not only are the 41awaiians incapable
Of citizenship but they are actively OPP
posed to becoming citizens Of this Com
monwealth. One of the vital principles
Of our rcpublic is that the government
derives it power from the consent of the
governed. In pursuance of this princi-
pie it becomes necessary To consult the
wishes of the Hawaiian people. If the
IIa waiianS are favorable to annexation
then why has not some supporter Of the
scheme presented some petition proving
this to he Il fact. and thus Obviated Il
vital objection?
Even granting that the Hawaiians are
willing to become American citizens.
still annexation would be unwise. mex
pedient. and suicidal. Our political Sys-
TEN j. already heavily strained. Our
family of States is already large enough
10 create embarrassment in the Senate
Ring rude. bribery and complicated race
Problems have already polluted the
temple of our libertfes.' With these
momentous questions awaiting solution,
it is the most consummate inconsistency
to introduce another problem into our
political system.
In the future the energies of our
statesmen must be directed toward the
perfection of American institutions. and
not diSsiratpd in f~ruitless efforts to as
simulate I foreign people.
f. *. Graham. '9S. Of Charlotte. was
the second speaker for the University
Of North Carolina. He confined himself
to the Stragetic point Of view. He denied
that the possession Of Hawaii would in
amy sense prevent Il hostile attack on our
Pacific coast. In Nancouver's Island the
English have i far mere effective base
of supplies: the naval stations in the
, South Sea Islands are within easy radius
of our coast. while China and Japan.
even, are within reach by means Of coal
: in" at sea.
He showed further that the Pacific
+ coast is already we'll fortified and did
not require 50 great Il sacrifice to be
/. made for its defense.
But even granting that Hawai-
WAS the only base andsthat our western
! coast was weak. there is but one stra-
tr@ic position in the whole group 81
islands. Pearl River harbor. Accord
i ing to the report OF th" United States
1 Commission it is the only possible nava
A.. station. The speaker argued that the
/, United States already had the perpetual
ownership of Pearl River harbor. Will
the right To use it rs she would; an'
@ that with the requirements Of this RICH
:. I'LL strategic advantage that Hawai-
: could give was already obtained. III,
> then considered the strategic result tina
would follow should the United State:
Y annex the islands. and ~cndcavorcd t,
show that under Il policy Of protection
by adequate naval and coast defenceS
there would he tremendous expense an,
= greater weakness than now. while unde'
Il policy of non-protectiOn. which woul'
be the probable course. there could b,
. only strategic disaster.
9 1t Was then claimed that annexation
I could give no possible advantage be
II You'd those of either neutrality or con
| troll. Inc clam tllat england or japan
' had designs on the island was briefl,
considered. Their neutrality is for th,
g interests of all nations.' it was sali
o Emphasis was laid on the fact that b,
II joining Germany and England as wa
offered in 1883. the United States coul
O guarantee their Independence. Thi
n proffcr"d compact was refused. however
r only because the United States consid
: cred her own guarantee sufficient. Sh
q had made Il bond Of commerce that wa
inviolable. enormous benefits by rec
IS procity had made the islands all they ar
I'VE are their very life"
: Itut added to this commercial unio,
Wa tie =rcat potential force of tn
country behind the declaration that tn
island should not he molcStcd. This IL
Il claration had in all other cases been sui
= ficient: it had been sufficient az to IIa
wall for sixty years. it would be sufficicn
ii in the future.
REJOINDER.
Mr.. Roberts challenged the ~ncgativ,
to show another island commanding tn
strategic position of Hawaii: he discuss
ed several other solutions OF the Hawai-
ian's problem and showed them all to b
=, either impossible or suicidal to .Amcri
!; can interests.