The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-25
REASONS FOR ANNEXATION.

1T is pretty plain says a city paper,
"that Republicans and a large part of the
Republican press are advocating the an
nexation of Hawaii just because the adj
ministration is known to be in favor of it.
This may seem pretty plain from mug
wllmp point of view but that does not
make it so. IT would be just as conclusive
TO say it is pretty plain that mugwumps
and a large part of the mugwump press OPP
cause the administration is known to be in
favor of it. So far as the Journal is con-
cerned it has favored annexation from the
beginning on broad grounds of national
policy and without stopping to inquire
what the policy of the administration was
or would be. Annexation itself, or at least
an American protectorate over the islands
years ago, when Hawaiian autonomy was
threatened by European power. Secretary
of State Marcy notified the world that ''if
any foreign connection is to be formed, tho
geographical position of these islands in
dicates that it should be with US" About
that time a treaty of annexation was act
uaily prepared but was dropped. In 1856
Secretary Blaine wrote:
This government has on previous occa-
sions been brought face to face with the
question of q protectorate over the Ha-
waiian group. 1t has. as often as it arose
been set aside in the interest of such COM
mercial union and such reciprocity of benc-
fits as would give to Hawaii the highest adj
vantages, and at the same time strengthen
its existence as sovereign state.
rrl,a uoc -i,.t,1allxr 11pda,. tho r,ro.
tectorate of the United States for years
before the revolution which resulted i'm the
formation of the present government. The
monarchy existed there only by sufferance,
and it might almost have been said that the
United States maintained it. 1t went TO
pieces at the first breath of open OPP
position. The ruling element of Hawaii, the
American element had favored annexation
for years before the present government
was formed. and the first act of the new
government was to make formal tender
of it. The Journal favored annexation be-
fore the treaty was signed and before it
was known whether President Harrison
would favor it or not. The treaty was
signed by the representatives of the two
governments on the 14th of February. 1899
and sent to the Senate by President Harri-
son on the 18th. Two weeks before that,
on jan 81, $685. the Journal said:
The question is one that reaches far into
the future and involves great possibilities
To appreciate these we must consider what
the situation may be a hundred years hence.
BY that time the Pacific coast States viii
have a population many times greater than
they have at present. Our trade with
China. Japan and Australia will have in
creased enormously. The Pacific ocean VIII
be undertake with cables as the Atlantic is
now. There will be several more trunk
lines of railroad from the Atlantic TO the
Pacific coast. and the transconunental
trade will have vastly increased. Our ships
on the Pacific ocean will be multiplied
many times. The Nicaragua canal will
have been completed and large part of the
commerce of the world will be passing
through il. The power that controls the
Hawaiian islands will control the western
approaches to the canal and the commerce
of the Pacific ocean.
On these broad grounds the Journal ia
vored annexation before it was known
whether President Harrison would do so or
not and has continued TO urge these and
like arguments from that time TO the pres
emit 1t still regards them as in the ag-
gregate far outwcighing the objections TO
annexation, and believes that failure on the
part of the United States to embrace the
present opportunity will be one OF the
greatest mistakes ever committed by amy
government The consequences of the mis-
take may not appear for years 10 come,
and in the light OF superficial and epheme-
raj influences the advantage may even APP
pear 10 be on the side OF rejecting the