Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-02
Some Reasons for Annexation.
tho Editor Of Tho Evening Star.


Most Americans do not know that many
more ships flying the stars and stripes touch
at Honolulu every year than at any other
port of the world outside of America The
annual foreign commerce of Hawaii in 1860
was about S2.0OO.OO0. Through American
enterprise 1T had risen in 1890 to $50 900 900
per annUm. The exports of Hawaii large
ly exceed her imports, and 9S per cent of
them come to the United States OF her
imports 10 per cent are from the United
States. In case of annexation being 'ac-
complished this per cent would be largely
increased, and the total Of imports would
doubtless soon be doubled.
Hawaii instead of being q lazy tropical
country where white men cannot work
outdoors as Mr.. Brice, the Englishman
mistakenly asserts, is one of the most in
dustrious and commercial countries in the
world Its annual foreign commerce per
capita FAR Surpasses that of the United
States, and probably that of any other
country, being 500 annually for every man.
woman and child in the republic of Ha-
wall
Mr.. James, who went to the islands
strongly opposed to annexation and spent
some months personally investigating the
Iacts, came away enthusiastically in favor
OF annexation. He says he does not know
OF single person who has investigated
the FACTS on the ground who has not reach
Cd the same conviction. He saws the eli
mate is simply perfect" On the seacoast
tne temperature ranges from 60 to IS, sell
dom rising to 30. In the interior on the
coffee lands. it ranges from so to 80. Still
higher up the mountains and on the higher
plateaus 1t goes down to the freezing point
1t Is never as hot IN Hawaii as it is fire.
quently in New England in July and Au-
gust.
The children of Americans born in Ha-
wan are larger. taller and stronger, than
their parents. Americans there have larger
families than in the United States. and
there is much less mortality among their
ehlioren In that Paradise of the Pacific"
Americans live longer than they do in their
own country. In tine tug of war" eleven
men pulling against eleven men on n rome
fative Hawaiians have uniformly beat
G en- suery otner nation, Portuguese. French,
1t Is objected that Hawaii is too far
away. But our Aleutian Islands Off Alas
Ka are as far west of Honolulu as HonoIu-
III Is west of San Francisco
Distance is practically measured by tho
time 1t takes to travel 1t or to receive mes
Sages: travellers go from Washington to
honoluiu In ten and a half days When
from Washington to Honolulu will he ra
ceived four hours earlier than it was sent
honolulu may know the mind of the Presi
Ieht at a m when Washington cannot
KNOW IL I'LL II m. of the same day. That
certainly is near enough. Honolulu Is no1,
Practically nearer Washington than Maine
or Buffalo was in the days of Washington:
twice as near as ST. Paul
IL Is objected that the Inhabitants of Ha-
wall are not fit for American citizenship
ihey are certainly a great deal better fl
ted than the Alaskans
There Is actually less illiteracy among
those born in Hawaii of all mathematics
man tnere is among the native-born inhab-
rants or any state of the United States.
All cnlldren are in school between the ages
OF hve and fourteen.
most Americans speak but one language
Most of the voting citizens of the renuhIic
OF Hawaii speak. read and write two or
more ianguages All the children are
taught English in the schools
me Fourth of July. Thanksgiving day
anu anu, decoration day are celebrated in Ha-
wan with more devotion and enthusiasm
man IN America Captain Mahon says the
strategical Importance of Hawaii is un-
rlVaied and cannot be easily exaggerated
Inc London Times says it is the kew of the
racine. the Malta and Gibraltar of the
greatest ocean. William A. Seward saws:
me Paciiic ocean, its shores. it's islands
ana the vast region beyond will be the chief
,heater or events in the worlds great
hereafter Hawaii is the crossroads of