The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-07-30
The Colonial Policy.

was made by That veteran hepuD-
lican, Senator Morrill, of Vermont.
1t is worthy OF careful study, and il
the question of annexation is to
come into the practical politics Of
the year it will doubtless be widely
distributed throughout the country.
Let us not make any mistake about
the meaning OF this movement, If
we enter into it, let us enter into it
with our eyes open, and with CON-
plete understanding of all that it
signifies. BY annexing Hawaii we
are adopting colonial policy, and
are making almost necessary, at
least almost inevitable, the reten-
ton Of the Philippine Islands and
Puerto Rico, while our retention OF
Cuba will only be prevented by our
solemn promise that the Cubans
should establish their own govern
ment. Even that promise may not
be kept, in the intensity of the feel
ing in favor OF increasing our terri
tory that will follow the Inaugural
tion of that policy. AS Senator
Morrill, points out, this will end the
Monroe doctrine. We have insisted
and our insistence has been accept
ed by Great Britain as within the
proper sphere Of our action, that
European governments shall not in
terfere with any people on this
hemisphere who are governing
themselves. If now we ourselves
interfere with distant peoples in the
Pacific, preventing them from es-
tablishing their own governments,
and taking over, as we do in the
Newlsnds resolution, the full gov
eminent of foreign people,
majority of whom are unwilling to
come within our jurisdiction, with
what logic and with what con.
sistency can we warn Europe from
interference in the affairs OF this
hemisphere II we have the right
to govern other people against their
will, why has not every other nation
the right to exercise whatever power
it may possess in that direction7
Let us not imagine, either, that we
are about to establish self-governing
colonies after the manner Of the
great English colonies. We are
simply contemplating the deliberate
adoption of the colonial policy
which was England's until we
taught her to abandon it, which is
that OF France and Germany, and
which is, moreover, that which has
reused our indignation and let us
into war with Spain. Our annex
ationists are for governing other
people, not for permitting other
people to free themselves from
Spanish rule to govern themselves.
This colonial policy which we over
threw, and in overthrowing which
we laid the foundation of the great
ness OF England's colonies of to, day
not only costs the governments of
France and Germany immense sums
OF money, but leads to no ameliora-
ton of the human race, and does
not even provide a home for emf
grating Frenchmen or Germans.
So far as Spain is concerned, the
effect of this colonial policy is seen
in the war which we are now waging
against her. We are contemplating
the taking up of this old and dis
credited colonial policy, not, as is
pretended, for the purpose of in
creasing and enlarging and en-
nobling our national life, but for
purely commercial ends--for trade
and all the corruption which is i'm
piled in the intimate association of
trade and government. We do not
believe for a moment that the peo-
pie OF this country would deliberate
ly vote for such policy.-Harper'S
IVeeLbJ