Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-01-27

holds undisputed possession from Bber
ing Straits and kamscatka to Corea and
| China. and the partition of the Chinese
| Empire may be the next aggressive
| movement.
/ the spacious harbor Of Manila and the
! Caroline group.
! The Dutch Netherlands have held naval
aud trading stations in Java Sumatra,
| Borneo and New Guinea.
Portugal OWES the I.adrone Islands
! with the fine harbor of Guanm
| Japan, with population nearly 40
millions, has become world power with
navy soon to be as powerful as any
other in the Pacific. and with an aggres-
sive commerce and colonizing spirit. she
will then be able - plan her outposts as
readily as any other nation. Japan. %
day objects to the occupation Of Hawaii
by the United States. showing the nossi-
bilty of rapid Developments III opposition
to American control in the Pacifc
She will soon become a first class naval
power and is now building ships IN Eng
lish ship yards fully equal to those cor
structed for the English navy. Her f,,.
ture occupation of Hawaii can only be
prevented by annexation 10 the, Jnited
States.
Thus it appears that the principal Ell
ropean nations have already secured the
strongest strategic points in the Pacific,
where trading coaling and naval sta
tions can be located Formerly the
United States possessed one solitary
cGalInG station in this ocean. Midway
Island tnOw abandoned and uninhabit-
cd Not pound of coal could therefore
be obtained in the Pacific for our naval
vessels except by consent of other ma
tonS.
Hawaii when connected with the Pa
cific coast by cable and admitted as
contiguous territory with her coal depots
fortified, will become a stronghold of
American commerce in mid-Pacific a
shelter to our naval forces and CONNER
cal marine. Will it not be wise then to
secure the advantages offered by Hawaii
before it is too late. lest some other
power intervene to possess it?
Prior to 1876, when the first reciprocal
treaty was made with the United States
the total commerce of Hawaii averaged
secrecy two millions annually. Since
den steady growth has brought total
value of exports and imports for the
year 1895. of S21.57S.SS $50. not including
specie values amounting to $l.20o00O
During this year about 100 United
States vessels entered at Honolulu, also
many others under our flag al the Ports
of Hilo. kahului and Mahukona, with
return cargoes of sugar TO American
ports.
Nearly seventy-five per cent. of Amer-
can and Hawaiian products are now
transported in American bottoms and 80
per cent. of Hawaiian products are con-
sumed in the United States.
The valae, of he American. .Yesselszfa-s
gagged in this trade lis s3105.tb9 besides
this "A fleet of small American built yes-
sells and steamers under the Hawaiian
flag. which in the event of annexation
Will come under our flag and shut out
vessels of other nations. The present
tendency of our commercial intercourse
with Hawaii is one of expansion and it
is confirmed by official records that it has
created and furnished a fleet of Ameri-
can vessels greater than to any other
country.
In 1896 s. United States vessels entered
at American ports from United Kingdom.
From Europe, Asia. Africa. Australia
and Oceanica, 210-From Hawaii, 1871. In
other words. Hawaii furnished cargoes
for l9l American vessels, while all the
rest IF the world outside the American
continent. furnished cargoes for only 29s.
Six lines OF steamers now touch at
Honolulu. en- route to China. Japan,
Samoa, New Zealand and Australian
ports. The Pacific Mail Company will
soon add two new American steamers to
their fleet. besides the Oceanic monthly
line to Honolulu.
With our 5000 miles of coast line 'front.'
ing on both oceans, inviting the COM
merce Of the world and stimulating our
exports by its vast wealth of products.
our deposits of iron, coal and our mines
OF silver and gold, we should become the
most wealthy and prosperous among ma
tions. .s
The assessed value of our Pacific coast
states in 1890. was seven Thousand lIltS
lions: with the advent of new popula- &
tion to Alaska following the dscovery.of
large deposits of gold, IA hardy and enter +.
prisipg people will soon develop all the s
resources of that valuable territory, n
The growth of the Pacific States has
steadily increased. both in population
and wealth. The estimated increase OF
wealth in the United States from 1870 to 2
1880, was $500 for each inhabitant. while
on the Pacific Coast States for the same !
time it was Sl56.
We, can no longer depend upon non I;
of foreign powers. Hawaii
must become American. or pass into the :
hands of commercial competitors.
This interesting group of islands con-
SututeS the only natural outpost of our "a
Pacific coast. 1t is essentially an Amer.
can colony, its interests largely developed 81
by American capital civilized and
christanized by intelligent and indus-s
triouS citizens. =
Closer connection with Hawaii is alb s
soutely necessary to promote and secure &
our maritime interests with Oceana and
Eastern Asia. With the ocean cable and
corn Iletion of the Nicaraguan Canal Ha- =
waii will be the cross roads the key
Of the Pacific, furnishing coal and sup
plies for all oiir fleets and constituting
port of arrival and departure for our !.
commerce.
An influx of American population Will
follow the acquisition of Hawaii stlm.
"H''iHS H'" anu uiNefSliltu d6i
pursuits and industries increasing the
wealth of new possessions to the United
States.
The occupation and fortifying of that
fine land locked harbor at Pearl RIVER,
will constitute a stronghold for our
naval fleet. base of protection ana sup
ply in mid-ocean for all time, from Ell
of the Great Powers strug-
Cling for ascendency in the vast Pacihc
With the endorsement of the present al
Congress should adopt sucn
as will secure this Important
outpost for American interests in the Pa
ciiic and which has been so earnesti!
by our leading Republican
H. w. SEVERANCE,
E.x-U S. Consul General.