The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-07-16
HAWAII AND HAVOC.
From Philadelphia Ledger, June 30.

The lack of substantial argument on
behalf Of the proposed annexation of
Hawaii is indicated, first, by the fact that
its supporters insisted on discussing, in ex-
ecutive session, the now abandoned treaty,
refusing to permit any consideration Of the
subject in public, and, next, that during
the present open consideration of the joint
resolution no senator, except Mr.. Teller,
has said anything in its favor, and even
he has added little to the literature of the
subject. There is SO much to be said in
opposition to the proposition of annexation
that the long speeches of Senators Petit
grew, White and others have been strictly
pertinent, and no matter irrelevant to the
question has been introduced by them,
The address of Senator Pettigrew was par
ticularly forceful, Quite appropriately,
he prefaced his remarks with the following
extract from the opinions of John Sherman,
when the latter was speaking his mind
freely and was not the mere mouthpiece
of the Mckinley Administration
1.-The events of the future are beyond
the vision of mankind, but hope that our
people will be content with internal growth
and avoid the complications of foreign ac-
quisitions Our family of states is already
large enough to create embarrassments in
the Senate, and a republic should not
hold dependent provinces or possessions.
Every new acquisition will create embar-
easements The Union already embraces
discordant elements enough without adj
ding others. IF my life is prolonged [
will do all can to add to the strength
and prosperity of the United States, but
nothing to extend its limits or to add new
dangers by acquisition of foreign territory
The estimated population of the Ha-
waiian Islands in 1897 was as follows ::
Natives, 80, 504; Chinese, %, 9o1; Japa-
nese, 6,476; Portuguese, Is, 249; all
other foreigners, 8,848; total lis, 978.
In 1896 the Americans numbered but
2,266. This handful of Americans, backed
by the guns of the United States men-of-
war, is the only prop of the Dole Govern
ment, which has DISTINGUISHED the natives
and could not maintain its authority TWEEN
ty-four hours, if the United States kept
hands off The bulk of the work in the
sugar fields is done by contract labor from
Asiatic countries, and if these men refuse
to work they are liable, according to the
law of Hawaii, to be imprisoned for three
months This is practically condition of
slavery, and yet it is proposed to continue
this for an indefinite time in the event of
annexation, as the joint resolution provides
that Hawaiian laws shall continue in force
until new laws are enacted. President
Dole said to Commissioner Blount he had
belief that the United States ''will give us
a separate law, so that we can get laborers
here" In 1895 there were eighty four
Americans employed on the sugar estates,
and they were paid $50 to S75 month.
In 1896 they were all discharged and
japanese put in their places at $3.50 a
month.
Senator Pettigrew demonstrated by
means of maps that if the United States
require coaling station in the Pacific the
island of Kiska, part of the Aleutian chain,
and under our own flag, is preferable to
Honolulu, since it is only 300 miles from
Manila, while Honolulu is 1900 miles from
Manila. A vessel, he said, can 90 from
Vancouver to Yokohama by sailing 1902
miles, and thence by sailing 1852 miles to
Manila, 5000 miles in all; while to 90 by
way of San Francisco and the Hawaiian
Islands it must sail 1000 miles. The
Hawaiian Island are not the key to the
Pacific in the sense that the annexation
lists contend. For many years we have
had the right to use Pearl Harbor as a
coaling station, but we have never found
it necessary until now Chief Engineer
Melville has been quoted as arguing that
Hawii can protect our Alaskan trade.
whereas it is 2100 miles from Alaska, and
in the event of war, would be more diff
cult to defend than our own American
coast.
The fact is that the advocates of an
nexation are possessed of sort of 'searth-
hunger, as the Germans express it, and
they demand policy of colonial expansion
because it appears splendid and dazzling
to them. They never stop to consider
the consequences. IF we are to attempt
to annex territory in Asia, why not look
over the map Of Africa and snap up any
inconsidered trife? If we are to compete
with the European Powers for the posses
sion of colonies beyond seas, the Monroe
doctrine will not have leg left to stand
on. And what of George Washington
and his solemn warning againststhe danger
! OF colonization projects and entangling for