The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-05

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Der of the Union, nor qualified to con-
dlrct the business of legislation WITHIN
| it's own borders. much less qualified
therefore to send Representatives ana
| Senators to Washington to formulate
policies for the American people. Inc
annexat;oniSts argue that Hawaii could
come in as a territory. but this argu-
ment is merely a subterfuge. Our Com
stitut;on has no provision whatever for
| the governing machinery of II petrified
| territory. If Hawaii cannot be govern
ed as Il State or ais Il territory it rs eVl-
dent that some partisan government
| must be invented by Congress, ana
such a scheme would offer field for
political iobbery and bribery.
Not only are the A1awaiians incapable
of citizenship but they are actively OPP
posed to becoming citizens of this Com
monwealth. One of the vital principles
of our republic is that the government
derives it power from the consent of the
governed. In pursuance of this princi-
pie it becomes necessary to consult the
wishes of the Hawaiian people. If the
HawaianS are favorable to annexation
then why has not some supporter of the
scheme presented some petition proving
this to be q fact and thus Obviated II
vital objection?
Even granting that the Hawaiians are
willing to become American citizens,
still annexation would be unwise, mex
redient, and suicidal. Our political sys-
tenn is already heavily strained. Our
family of States is already large enough
to create embarrassment in the Senate
Ring rule bribery and complicated race
problems have already polluted the
temple Of our liberties" With these
m0mentOuS questions awaiting solution,
it is the most consummate Inconsistency
to introduce another problem into our
political system.
In the future the energies of our
statesmen must be directed toward the
perfection of American institutions, and
not dissipated in fruitless efforts TO as
simulate foreign people.
+. X. Graham. '9S. of Charlotte. was
the second speaker for the University
of North Carolina. He confined himself
to the stragetic point of view. He denied
that the possession of Hawaii would in
any sense prevent n hostile attack on our
Pacific coast. In Nancouyer's Island the
English have Il far more effective base
of supplies; the naval stations in the
South Sea Islands are within easy radius
of our coast. while China and Japan,
even. are within reach by means of coal
ing at sea.
He showed further that the Pacific
coast is already we'll fortified and did
not require SO great q sacrifice to be
made for its defense.
BIT even granting that Hawaii
was the only base and that our western
coast was weak, there is but one stra-
tegic position in the whole group Of
islands. Pearl River harbOr. Accord
ing to the report of the United States
Commission it is the only possible naval
station. The speaker argued that the
United States already had the perpetual
ownership of Pearl River harbOr. with
the right to use it as she would; and
that with the requirements of this right
all strategic advantage that Hawaii
could give was already obtained. He
then considered the strategic result that
would follow should the United States
annex the islands, and endeavorcd to
show that under a policy Of protection
by adequate naval and coast dcfences,
there would be tremendous expense and
greater weakness than now, while under
policy of non-protection. which would
be the probable course, there could be
only strategic disaster
Ii was then claimed that annexation
could give no possible advantage be-
yond those of either neutrality or con-
troll The claim that England or Japan
had designs ON the island was briefly
considered. Their neutrality is for the
interests of all nations" it was sald.
Emphasis was laid on the fact that by
joining Germany and England as was
offered in 1888. the United States could
guarantee their Independence. This
proffered compact was refused. however.
only because the United States consid-
cred her own guarantee sufficient. She
had made bond Of commerce that was
inviolable. enormous benefits by reel
procity had Iaade the islands all they are
tive are their very life"
But added to this commercial union
was the great potential force of the
country behind the declaration that the
island should not be mOlested. This de
claration had in all other cases been suf-
ficent; it had been sufficient as to Ha-
wall for sixty years, it would be sufficient
i'll the future.