Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-16
TAWNEY FOR HAWAII
Annexation of the Islands a Time
Honored Policy.
LONG FAVORED BY STATESMEN
Other Territory Acquired by the
United States.
BUTTRESS IN THE PACIFIC

BUTTRESS IN THE PACIFIC
During the course of the debate on the
post Office appropriation bill yesterday af-
| ternoon in the House of Representatives
Representative Tawney of Minnesota spoke
at length on the advantage of annexing
Hawaii. He said. in part:
Ever since the Islands of Hawaii have
been factor in International politics all
American statesmen and all political par
ties have regarded Their commercial and
military advantages of such peculiar
value to the United States that they
deemed it necessary TO adopt and enforce
| the policy of not allowing any foreign
| power to interfere with, control or colo
| ME them. Since 1882 nine Presidents have
declared that no foreign power should
| dominate the Islands. To the same effect
| L might quote SECRETARIES Seward, Marcy,
| Fish, Bayard and many other distinguished
| statesmen. Recognizing the value of heir
advantages and the necessity for contin-
aing tie policy of non-interference, it was
| declared. in substance, by both houses of
| Congress, within the past four years that
any interference in the affairs of the fia-
waiian Islands by any foreign power would
be considered as an unfriendly act toward
| the United States
Until recently our policy of non-inter-
ference with the Islands OF hawaii 10y for
eign powers has been coCrteously ac-
guessed in by all Il reign nations. During
! this time, it is true the Independent gov
ernment of Hawaii has been iuterfeTed
with, and ii. was even attempted to take
| the islands by force-once by Great Britain,
vice by France and once by Russia. But
| on each occasion the prompt enforcement
| of cur policy prevented them from falling
| permanently into the hands of either one
| of these great powers. Now. however, "a
| different proposition confronts The
Question is not, should may We cor
| t!nue our policy OF non-lnterference, with
| the islands under the control of an indie
| pendent government, or annex them The
| question is, Shall We annex or abandon
them? If we refuse TO annex them, by
v hat right could We enforce any policy
| whatever respecting them against the
| right CT Hawaii to so wheresoever it
| pleases?
Ownership of Property.
''Three-fou-ths of the property is owned
| by those who practically control the re-
| public. Their numerical weakness and the
peculiar political conditions and factional
| differences growing out of the desire on the
| part of the aliens TO see their native coun-
! try in control or possessing advantages in
imicaf to the interests of the United States
| is constant menace to the stability and
rerpetuity OF the government, and there
| lore IdISGIOuS 10 lIie interests
| of those who control the republic. Another
! serious and constantly threatening danger
| is oriental colonization, whereby control
! will ultimately DC obtained without any
overt act on the part of the government
obtaining it.
| '.,rhe authority OF the existing govern
| ment TO tender the islands 10 any foreign
power is conceded. If we reject them, that
| rejection of necessity carries with it
| acknowledgement of the right on the part of
| the republic of Hawaii to determine its own
| political destiny, uninfueneed by considera-
| tons affecting the United States. In that
| event, knowing the dangers, both internal
! and external which threaten property in
| terests and the stability of the govern
ment, they will seek elsewhere mat
| ter of self-preservation annexation with d
| people whose represer latives are Influenced
by broad national interests rather than by
| corporate greed.
In that event, tell me. pray. on what
ground can the United States consistently
| interfere? On none whatever. 1 repeat,
| therefore, the question Is not, Shall We cor
tinue the present status or annex these
islands; it is, Shall we annex them or aban-
don them?
| Capacity for SeIf-GOvernment.
"As the result of causes which 1 have not
| the time TO discuss, the native population
has diminished to less than one-third OF
| the total inhabitants. The question is no
| longer, Shall the Hawaiians be self-gov-
| erned? Se!f-government is, for these peo-
| pie. ~ thing of the past. 1t is inevitable
| that in the near future some foreign power
| will dominate their government.
The question which confronts them and
| us is, Which foreign power shall it be?
| The gentleman from Indiana would answer
any foreign power but the l nlted States.
With this exception, the solution OF this
question is a matter OF supreme indiffer-
ence to him, and TO all those who are OPP
posed to annexation. This is un-American,
| unpatriotic. because it involves the COM
| plete abandonment OF our commercial and
military interests i'll these islands, the pres
| ervation OF which the greatest American
| statesmen, soldiers and naval authorities
have deemed and now believe to be abSo-
lutely essential to the development of our
commerce on the Pacific in times of peace,
and in times OF International difficulties to
The protection of those great American in
terests in That rapidly growing section OF
our country on the western slope of The
Rocky mountains.
sFor myself. and believe but voice the
sentiment of the great majority of the peo-
pie When ! say 1 would meet this question
as James q. Blaine, in 1881, proposed to
meet it. 1t was then feared that the neu-
tra!ity of the islands was no longer prac-
ticable, and Mr.. Blaine said
This government would then unhesi-
tatingly meet the altered situation by seek
ing an avowedly American solution for the
grave Issues presented, meaning annexa-
ton.
Attitude of the Natives.
Regarding the attitude of the. natives to-
ward the question of annexation, Mr..
Tawney said:
From personal conversation with some
of the most intelligent natives, 1 am conf
dent If you could overcome the fear, en-
tertained by some of the leading Hawaii
ans. of the loss of social position as a re-
suit of annexation, you would then have
removed one of the principal causes of their
opposition. 1t is a significant fact that
most of the natives who oppose annexation
are those who have, thus far, refused to
renounce allegiance to the monarchy and
become citizens of the existing republic.
"They not only oppose annexation, but
they desire, and many of them have recent
ly been found secretly plotting for, the
overthrow of the republic and the re-estab-
lishment of the monarchy. They hope to
see the monarchy restored II annexation