New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-06
MORE ANTI-HAWAIIAN PLEAS.

Hawaii there Is no one more worthy OF respect
than Professor Edward Won Hoist. His estl-
mable character and scholarly attainments in
vest his utterances on any subject with title
TO respectful consideration In the present
case moreover he at least Is free from the
rspicon Of selfish and Interior motives which
unavodably falls upon some of those who are
lcudest in opposition to the annexation OF
Hawaii He is not interested in the Sugar
Trust and there Is no reason TO suppose that
he is working for the advantage of the com
merce of any alien nation. The salient points
in his recent argument against annexation,
which is being widely exploited as n perfectly
unanswerable AMI final word against the pend
inc treaty. are therefore TO be seriously con
sidered.
From the military point Of view. he thinks,
annexation would be a bad thing for the United
States since the possession Of the islands, en-
tailing fertilization and protection Of them,
would be source of weakness. But In the
very next breath he says that the reason why
Hawaii has not been grabbed by some other
Power Is that all the world knows the United
States would not be an Indifferent lookcr-on.
Exactly. But is 1t supposable that the United
States would become Indifferent the moment 1t
annexed the islands? Would its attitude Of
protection be any less n restraining force then
than now? II covetous Powers have kept their
hands off Hawaii I'm lis independent state, sim
ply because they feared the United States would
resent their aggressons upon ii. Is il suppose
BILE that they will rush to seize the islands
when they are n part of this Union and 1t Is
certain that any attack upon them will mean
war with the whole power Of the United States:
From the diplomatic point Of view, also, Pro
fessor Won Hoist objects to annexation. IT
would entangle this Nation with the politics Of
the rest of the world. II that were true. 1t
would be n potent objection. But, with all re-
spect to Professor Won Hoist. II Is not true ON
the contrary. annexation would free this coun-
try from such entanglements and from the
danger Of them. For fifty years the United
States has had to engage In periodical disputes
with various European Powers 10 keep them
from Selling Hawaii On more than one occa-
sion II has had almost 10 threaten war to make
them renQush the hold actually fastened upon
the islands. Year by year the danger or such
complications Increases as the extent OF I'M
appropriated land and the number Of small
and therefore spoliable States decrease and the
rivalry among landgrabbing Powers conse-
quently becomes more intense. The semi or
tri protectorate over Samoa Is an example IN
point 1t has for years been Involving this
Nation In dsagreeabe if not dangerous con
troverses with a European Power. But once
Hawaii is annexed outright TO this country cH
such troubles and the danger of them will cease
There no wrangles over our ownership OF
Louisiana Possession Of Florida involves us IN
no entanglements nor broils.
The annexation Of Hawaii means the tempta
ton to still further annexations, says Pro
fessor Won Hoist: especially the annexation Of
Cuba, which, rs he truly adds, has been under
&C nsideration much longer than the annexation
Of Hawaii II is probable that Cuba will some
day be annexed There is no Disgusting that
fact 1t has been regarded as inevitable ever
Stree the foundation of this Republic. But the
| Jnited States does not mean TO grab Cuba. on
the contrary it has Mt no little danger and eX
porse to itself been preventing the grabbing Of
that island by various other Powers It's con
sistent contention has been that Cuba must
continue TO belong 10 Spain. or become an indie
pendent State. or else be annexed TO the United
States That is the American attitude to-day
This country Will never voluntarily interfere 10
take Cuba from Spain. If ever Spain wishes 10
transfer the island TO the United States, the
United States will consider the proposition. If
ever the island wins its Independence and
then makes overtures for annexation, the
United States will consider the proposition
That is all That is what the foremost states
men Of this Union have had in mind for a hun
dred years. That is all the terrible tcmpta-
ton" amounts TO.
Professor Won Hoist devctes nm eloquent
peroration to The glorious mission which Provi-
dence has intrusted to this Republic" But
either he misconceves that mission or the Re-
public has from first to last been going straight
against it, AS the earlier guides and protectors
of the Republic saw 1t, that mission was not
Incompatible with the annexation Of Louisiana
a territory then vastly more remote from the
seat of Government more difficult 20 protect
and more likely 10 involve US in trouble than
Hawaii is to-day. They deemed 1t rot viola
ion Of that mission TO annex Florida and Ore
eon and Texas and New Mexico and California
and Alaska. In these things was the Repub-
lie recreant TO It's mission: If So it has by this
time become so hardened sinner that there is
no In trying 10 reform II. Uncle Sam is
joined 10 his idols; let him alone But there
he those. and vast ma jorty of the most Judi
cious and conscientious minds Of the Nation.
VINO reckon otherwise. They believe that II Is
the mission Of this Republic to develop its ma.
terial and commercial resources and TO protect
us welfare and to do so not only for the pres
cnt moment, but for lllimitable posterity. They
would unity the American system and elimj-
nate from II all elements Of dscord. disintcgra-
ION. and so far as possible Of ENHANCEMENT
win alien systems. so that the Republic both
now and centuries hence, may be independent.
nninenaced, self-contoined and self maintain
Ing. without fear and without reproach be-
fore all the world. And to that end they believe
the annexation Of Hawaii, at its voluntary re-
quest. Will be an important and worthy step,