The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-06-10
LORRIN A. THUBSTON.
COMMENTS.

The Government has unreservedly
abandoned neutrality. We publish
Mr.. Thurston' letter, however. as a
valuable contribution to the history of
these times.
AS to fear of Spain,'' it goes with
out saying that if the Spaniards had
possessed a fleet in the Pacific near TO
us. and superior to the American fleet,
neither the Government or Mr.. Thurs
ton would have been urgent to force
this city to the risks of capture. The
talk about fear is idle and unprOtit-
able. Human nature is the same here
as it is elsewhere.
Whether Hawaii is or is not an in
dependent State, is purely question
of law The United States and the
European Powers so treat her.
As an individual, as an American,
as an anneXatiOnist, we accept with
cut reservation the abandonment OF
neutrality. How far, we the annex
ationists and the dominant power
here. numbering a small percentage OF
the inhabitants have the right to push
men. women, and children, who large
w outnumber us and do not agree
with us. into the risks of war, how
ever remote they may be, is quite an
other question We may be undp y
conservative. But we saw in 1861, the
| Secessionists of the South cruelty push
| the State Of Virginia into rebelllon'
when the majority of her people were
! against secession Men with our friend
! Thurston's temperament did it. Ihe
! State was left a bHghted wilderness.
| Therefore, speaking for the entire ma
! ton. and abandoning our 1ndlYldual
! desires we have felt that hastily COM
hitting the people of these Islands 10
war policy was a serious question
however remote the danger, and that
the moral responsibility OF the GOV
eminent was very grave.
Again. we have a treaty With Spain
This treaty solemnly provides toI
generalization and arbitration In 0he
event of disputes. We are not at wal
with Spain. With this treaty in tul
force. we suddenly tell her that we
become the war ally of the UNITED
States. The Government and Mr.
Thurston shout, break that treaty
who wants to keep a treaty with The
wicked Spaniards? Bother mpltra
tionl Who keeps a bargain he doesn'
like? We don't want any sneahlnI
moralists around who tells us that
under our Constitution, that treaty
, now a law of the land.
At the same time, we are lust d
s0lemnly telling Japan that she mas u
business to break our laws, or lmpal
our treaty with her.
2 The old darkey woman insisted o
going to church although she had pee
e convicted of stealing a chicken.
y amt goin' to low no chick'n to com
S tween me and de blessed Lord, sn
/. shouted.
f So we shout: mo spanish trea'
h can come between us and annexation
: These considerations are not, pop
1t lar" of course. When President w asl
5, ington in 1898, vigorously malntalnt
! +be neutrality of the United Stat'
/ during the war between England al
France. the people were IN favor
If france. and a hurricane OF hoStl
n oninion struck the President. (ReS
t. Wheaton's International Law.
l. what would you have done!
e TburstOn may ask. We reply:
,e would have left the whole matter
" president McKinleys hands. he Is
n wise counsellor and doesn't lose
E head. 49, Bows
3 r,7lIo and will welcome all that CON
IN There is no question about that. BIO
N e thicker than water and one stan
is I- his friends. We shall preach rlgI
o3usness. even if we don't practlce IT.
d. THE EDITOR.