Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-01-17
The ANNEXATIONO OF HA WAzI.

firm or to reject treaty already
made, but also by the people by
and large. The following, condensed
largely from an address delivered by
John w. Foster, Ex- Secretary Of State
and one of the wisest men and best
diplomats in the country, will be OF
interest:
The Hawaiian (Sandwich Islands)
are group of islands a little more
than 200 miles distant from the Pa
cific coast of the United States; they
are about the same distance from the
Samoa Islands and other groups south
and southwest, while the distance is
greater 60 Japan and the coast of Chi
ma. The islands are an isolated group
and valuable as strategic post, as
they are as fertile territory, already
developed by American capital and
enterprise. Their history is interest
ing, but cannot be detailed here. Suf-
ficient to refer to the fact that until
the revolution which destroyed the
native rule under Queen LiluOkalina
in 1898, the islands had been governed
by weak and dissolute rulers, infu-
enced of late by irresponsible and dis
| honorable men, some Of them from the
United States. So intolerable had the
condition of affairs become that it was
declared in a mass meeting of citizens
from all nationalities residing on the
Islands to sshave ceased through in
competency and corruption, to per-
form the functions and to afford
the protection for which all govern
ments exist" The feeble government
was overthrown and another institut-
ed which is still in existence, republi-
can in form and very similar to that
of the States or the United States OF
America. The Ex-Queen undertook
later to stimulate a revolution to
overcome the new order of things,
but was unsuccessful. The President
and officers were nearly all former
citizens of the United ates, and they
established a just and conservative
rule, which proves to be acceptable
TO both native and adopted citizens.
When the islands were discovered
by Captain Cook, the estimated pop
ulation was 100000 In 1882 latter ter
tible ravages of plaques and diseases,
a census was taken and the pOpula-
ton was about 13O, 900. The decrease
continued to be steady and rapid, un-
til at present there are supposed to
be but little over 80, 900 natives with
about 5000 half breeds. The number
of foreigners is 10000, the natives
being but "a per cent of the whole.
The United States has a smaller per
cent, while China and Japan have
contributed large part of the for
eign element.
Some years ago citizens of this
country found the soil and climate
very we'll adapted to the growth of
sugar cane, while labor, both native
and Asiatic, was very cheap. The
Yankee at once started up the sugar
business, investing largely in the en-
terprise, under American manage
ment. In t he meantime government
made a reciprocity treaty admitting
sugar free of duties, while large mar
ket was opened up for several of our
products. Transportation was cheap
and large and growing trade, valu
able alike to both countries, has
sprung up between them. The islands |
are really colony. from the United |!
States. The enterprise, the capital, |
the intelligence, the government are
all American and of the American
type.
The arguments which are made
against the project of annexation are
chiefly that this country does not need
to reach out beyond it's boundaries
for its requirement of any territory;
that the possession of Hawaii will ne
cessitate the expenditure of much
money in development Of harbors and
other needed commercial convenien-
ces; that the country must be forti
fed and protected by forts and yes
sells of war, while war itself would be
made more expensive and hazardous
in the attempt to hold the Islands, it
is claimed that the new country must
either be territorial or state, necessi-
tating representation in Congress,
with all that that involves. There
are several minor reasons against
the ratification of the pending treaty
On the other land it is said that
these Islands are practically SO near
this country in these days of fast sail
cry that they are part of this CONT
tent. All military and naval author
tiles assert that the strategic and ac-