New-York tribune., 1898-01-25
TIE SITUATION ~ HAWAII.
1T is ONE THAT CALLS FOR ANNEXATION
FOR BOTH PATRIOTIC AND
BUSINESS REASONS
To the Editor of The Tribune.

SIT: Some Of the opponents or annexation
seem TO show an unfortunate misunderstanding
OF the real Hawaiian situation. and occasion
ally present an array Of American facts that. II
true. would be pitlably sad indeed In THE
Independent" Of January 13 O. e.. Edward /.
Clark. Of New-Yor. City. has probably expressed
the situation as fully and frankly as most Of
the objectors. But / submit that the picture
OF ou- country which he paints IS very gloomy
one II II be true. and certainly an unpatriotc
one II put forth only for the sake Of making an
argument. is there really ground for American
citizens to affirm seriously that we have so
much on our hands that self-preservaton IS now
first pressing duty? Does the United States
really find itself puzzled TO discern how the
great experiment Of democracy Is 10 be made
success with US" or does situation compare
at all favorably with other countries across the
water? Is our problem experimental and
"perplexing" that we can no longer give any
kind Of assurance TO the struggling little South
American republics below US. and should advise
them to revert to the original type OF Eu-
ropean dynasty?
And what a discouragng view the writer
presents Of Hawaii itself. In this he fails en-
tirely to understand the real situation there.
All that great bulk OF people representing
races which have never shown any capacity
for sclfgovernment' and which the United
States has its hands too full tc handle. and
that isolated territory which would require he
prompt expenditure Of many millions for works
Of defence" is at the present time handled by
the Hawaiian Government, and protected with
out a fertilization, without gunboat. and with
a standing army Of three hundred men. And it
Is one OF the cleanest. best administered local
governments in the world \ second fact ap-
parently not recognized is that as large part
OF the native. the Chinese and the Portuguese
populations in the islands are now voters as
would need to vote II Hawaii were actually
State Of The Union For there certainly can be
no objection 10 the wise policy Of the Hawaiian
Republic in restricting the ballot by a reasora-
bic requirement Of property and education
again, the common mistake is made as 10
the number OF Americans in the Islands. There
are three thousand American citizens In Ha-
wall but there are over seven thousand Ame1-
cans. President Dole and chic. Justice JUDD
and host Of others who are the governmental
commercial, educational and religious forces
there are Americans Of the most reliable ana
loyal type, but they arc not American citi-
Zens.
Again. 1t is true that Hawaii does not ask 10
be a State or expect Statehood at present. But
that It Is unfit TO be state Is only on ac-
count Of the size OF its resident popuatloh
That Hawaii has a capacity for local self-gov-
ernment is recognized the world over. II Is
only weak In the presence or foreign powers
a
and remain 50 In perpetuum. so far as prece-
dent in the case is concerned, any one must be
able TO infer from the exception Of Alaska
That We have one such exception makes II en-
t!rely allowable and possible that there shall he
at least one more But IL Is not at all true
that Hawaii must continue unfit AS far as
square miles are concerned, Hawaii is as large
tho states Of Connecticut and Rhode Island
with a thousand square miles 10 spare IN the dl-
rection Il Manhattan Island. There are at
least twenty-five thousend people in the ISL
a. ~. hYf
and IL annexation became fact this population
would easily he doubled In the next decade, TO
say nothing OF what is being done 10 improve
the condition Of the whole people. For IL is .
fact that missionary and educational enter
prlses are more active IN Hawaii than anywhere
else in the would. y great amour; Of land
capable u supp rtirF Rsihrfty rural popula-
uon is at present only t2rtially occupied Flve
acres Of ground dsgcted 70 the cultivation OF
coffee VIII support a family better than most
American farms Of hundred acres. Thrifty
cultivators with small capital, who are Just the
sort 70 make sturdy citizens. are beginning 10
realize their opporinRst in this direction. =.
Another possibility ,rfE valuable Increase in
population is that AvJlh-annexation the I'M
portation of contract labor for the sugar planta-
tions must cease. One-thirG OF the entire chr
ncse ana JapanCS- population OF the Islands are
simply contrac: laborers upon the sugar p,anta-
tionS or the twenty-five thousand l2borers
upon these plantations over eighteen Thousand
arc japanese and Chinese \ movement IS al
ready begun 10 egbstitute America free labor
on the cooperative plan for Oriental 1t may
he done at a boundary loss % the planters,
though that is not-ai all certain. but in this
direction les n development Of great siSnf-
ga nee for tha future citizenship of Hawaii And
some Of the best .iren Of Hawaii are in the
movement It certainly behooves intelligent OBJ
servers In A~crlc y recognize the marvellous
progress that Hawnii is making and certain
to make speedily in this direction.
But the creates; mistake Of oil is made when
II j. supposed that We can continue 70 enjoy the
present prontable c)mmercia relations without
incurring auy OF the wonderfully troublesome
DnsibilitieS ownership would impose.' 1t -
proper 10 call this profitable com
nereial relation" VIXEN over 30 per cent of all
Hawaiian imports conc from American Neds
and fact0rles-a fact which shows that to-day
the islands are practically American and part
cf ourselves Bat 50 far from there being any
ground ID su7poss they viii continue 50. there
can be- no permanent commercial supreme! IN
the Islands for US exccp, as American influence
shall continue predominant in the islands them
selves II everything there could 20 on indet,-
n.tely as II j. to-day. We could talk Indnerently
about annexation for territory or for -slory.
or for any one of dozen other reasons. and
nobody would think It worth while 70 disturb
our dreams or dispute our conclusions But the
serious island desire foI annexation cones from
no such superficial reasons. Annexation IS abb
solufely necessary for the preservation Of all
that Americans have held dear for sixty years
in Hawaii.
4 new power has come upon the scenes In the
Pacln. Japan vas not rash enough t. under
take - seize Hawaii ny force Of arms. II was
not necessar,. There is a better way. She VIII
take il BY q moro pcaceable invasion. The
Jaranese arc quick 10 learn and thcy are amhi-
tious and here is just the significance OF the
situation The Hawaiian Government cannot
keep all these peaceable. intelligent, thrifty Jap
auesc residents AZ arms length forever. and not
ciye them th@ ballot on he same conditions as
others Ani when that day comes. as it Is GER
tain to come II annexation does rot settle this
question ncH when il is 50 easy 10 end IL, West
ern Influence in the islands viii have sUccumbed
10 Oriental. and al the power Of the United
States cannot prevent the resuts-it would then
IN vo 70 richt 10 prevent them. Those ''profita-
III. commercial relations" havine lost IN air Old
local support. VIII then so IN their proper Jap
aue-o direction Those who believe with Mr.
Clark should talk with those great English
tobh.r- In the Orient who thought that Japan
could he trusted to look after The small trade
and did not know enough about the worlds