Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-13

sent by President Harrison to the Senate
Mr.. Wodehouse sent to President Dole a
protest. on the ground that the native
voters CT the islands had not been consult
ed. Mr.. Dole rejoined with an inquiry for
any precedent of the British government
. having consulted the natives Of any Pa
ciiic islands before taking possession there
retired from his office.
AS another example of active British
parttsanshtp in favor OF the monarchy, ]
cite the course of the Anglican Bishop
Willis, who wes always an open and pro-
nounced partisan Of Kalakaua ard Lilfuo-
kalani against the reform. party. For
years he continued IN his public services to
read the prayer for the queen instead of
one for the president Of the republic. 1t
sonal knowledge that Bishop Willis was
in the secrets Of the conspiracy preceding
the unsuccessful iBsucrection Of the royal
lists in January. 1895. although 1 am I'M
able to assert that he took part In that
conspiracy. He evidently hoped for its sue
cess.
Another demonstration of British senti-
ment on the subject of annexation. During
the summer of SO a deputation of Austria
ian statesmen spent few weeks in Ha-
wall. While here they were, of course.
mainly In communication with the British
residents, and took color from their SEMI
mcnts. After their return home public lee
lures about the Hawaiian Islands were
given in various cities by MIR. ByrneS of
their number. who was attorney general
of Queensland. OF the islands he said:
Apart from their scenic beauties their
genera! productivene.s and their immense
value to the world of commerce. their
geographical position, which placed them
between us end Canada and in a direct
line with an aggressive eastern DaTer
(Japan?D. gave them an importance which,
under ordinary circumst ances, might read
lily be overlooked The recent upheaval
there and the att tude assumed by the pO-
liticai parties in the states make 1t more
tfan ever necessary that Hawaii should
remain a neutrat state.
The Interests of England.
Assuredly. it is of almost vital necessity
to British interests in the Pacific that, If
they cannot themselves possess Hawaii,
which they covet. but despair Of at least
its neutrality should be secured. For Ha-
wall to pass into the hands of another
power would alarmingly block Englani's
growing supremacy in the commerce of the
Pacific. Let Hawaii remain neutral and
England can continue to multiply her heav-
lily subsidized steamship lines across the
Pacific in every direction, with Honolulu
as the chief crossing point, and can fill
his port with British mercantile agencies.
rendering il practically a British center of
can possession that prospect is at an end
and the rival con. mercial empire or the
United States will dominate the North
Pacific as England's commerce dominates
the other oceans.
The danger from England to the legiti-
mate domination of America in Hawaii is
not much from any direct exercise OF
British supremacy, which is likely to be
avoided as it is from practical CONNER
cial domination by means of the immense
British superiority in tonnage on the ocean.
This superiority will come to be vastly
more felt whenever the commerce OF the
Atlantic shall begin to pour into the Pacific
through an iSthmian canal. Them of
course. vast feet of steamers crossing
to the orient will call for coal at Homo
lulu. Most of those ships will be British.
his win necessarily convert Honolulu into
practically a British port, unless previously
occupied by the United States.
England and Monarchy.
The restoration Of the monarchy under
either Lliuokaani or Kaiuani would be-
yond question be highly favorable to Brit
ish ascendancy in Hawaii. and for that
reason our British residents would be
pleased to see it, although most of them,
like Mr.. Davies, no doubt regard it as now
impracticaole. Their hope, however is to
secure the same ascendancy by means of
the votes OF the native population, whom
Mr.. Davies has been inviting to vote under
the republic. 1t is expected that majority
of the natives would regard Rritishers as
their friends anxious to maintain their in
dependence. and Americans as their enc
mics seeking to deprive them of independ-
ence. Accordingly the natives would vote
for British and not American legislators
and the government of the islands would
fan into British hands. Such result will
be highly probable if annexation is very
long delayed. IN the meantime the other
peril, often adverted to, will continue-that
coming from a probable numerical! as
cendancy OF Japanese, who would soon be
able to claim the right of suffrage
kAMETJ AMEIJ.