The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-14
TERRITORIAL RELATIONS.

The Advertiser, before the act of an
nexation informed its readers that the
act, important as it was, would not
be an unmiXed blessing. II would in
volve the repetition of a truth APP
parent to any one who observes the
Outgr0wth of democracy as a ruling
agency. The condition OF statehood is
that of sovereignty, shOrn of a few OF
its powers. The condition of ter
ritory is that of entire loss of SOW
ereignty, and dependency upon Con-
gress, which is itself governed by the
moods and traditions of the people
Every territory would be greatly bene-
fitted by special legislation suited to
the needs and character of its own peO-
pie. But Congress, always fresh from
the people. who are not students in
the art of legislation, has not gradual
ed from the best schools of political
science or OF political economy, al
though there are many members of
Congress who are wise statesmen The
British alone, after hundred years of
instruction, make wise special 1egisla-
tion, suited to the needs of each
colony.
Hawaii, it is probable, will stand as
the first experiment in special legis-
IatiOn, in American history, unless the
other newly acquired territories take
the lead
1t cannot be expected that the hand
full Of Americans who live here will
receive any special favOrs from Con-
gress. The Federal Government is now
in possession of these Islands, and
owns the public lands. It will abide
by the terms of the Newlands' Reso-
luton, although it will follow it's own
Interpretation of those terms But the
general policy of the nation will not
be changed in the least in order to
specially benefit this or any other ter
ritory. Hitherto, Hawaii, an indepen-
dent state has been governed, as all
other nations are governed, by policy
of self interest. The act of annexation
ignores the self interest of Hawaii,
even if it is wise and wholesome self
interest, and substitutes the national
self interest which in its enforcement
and play may injure the material in
terests of individual communities.
When, in the course of years, the
sugar interest declines, and the pros
perity of our people will largely de-
pend upon other industries, the great
commercial advantages of Hawaii, as
the central free port of the Pacific
will be manifest. Il would be for the
interest of Hawaii alone to maintain
a free port taking in the entire COM
merce of the Pacific. But the Distinct
policy of the United States, if main
tanned, will be to keep Hawaii within
the coasting trade limitations, exclude
foreign ships from this port, aud con-
fine the profits of the mercantile marine
TO American vessels alone. In build
ing up American commerce, the aD-
parent sacrifice of territory counts for
little. If the hardship of this apparent
sacrifice is urged, it will be justly sal /
that in the larger view of American
destiny individuals are Insignificant
units 1t would be in the future greatly
TO the profit of the individual that a
free port existed here. but it is of
much more consequence that the ma
tiOn as whole secure profits by pro
tecting" the American mercantile
marine
In the substitution of the broad ma
fional policy of self-interest for the
local Hawaiian policy of self-interest
we may as individuals find cause for
complaint, but the wise man will accept
the situation, because he must, and
goOd-naturedly endure some of the ills
which are incident to our becoming a
part of the greater America