Evening star., 1900-01-13

ment's replies to the questions formally
asked of it by the Hawaiian government
A long drive through Honolulu. new and
old, to Punch Bowl and to Waikiki gave
visible corroboration of what had been said
concerning Honolulu's boom. Here and
there were semi-tropcal suggestions, as,
for example, growing taro, Chinese men,
| women and tiny children gathering rice,
canal-furrowed banana orchards, lofty CO.
coanut palms and a wonderful luxuriance
of vegetation and foliage. But pervading
and dominating the scene was a distinctly
American city, vigorous, bustling, springing
up and pushing outward in every direction.
Hawaifs Problem Comparatively Easy
of Solution.
We can deal the more promptly and con-
fidently with the first of recent island
acquisitions because it is already Amer
icanized. and the natives, educated, Chris
tianized and civilized through the labors of
American missionaries, are ready, under
the wise limitations which were applied in
the recent republic, to participate in a ter
ritorial form of self-government. They
have not been massacred or oppressed by
the whites. They have not been rendered
Spanish misrule They are prosperous and
content. The dominant whites have learned
how to cooperate with them and 20 in
fiuence them, and have not abused their
control. The difficult problem which is to be
solved by us in our other island possessions
has been worked out for US in advance by
Americans in Hawaii The easiest quick
est and wisest way to govern satisfactorily
in the islands is to adapt existing conditions
to American forms, to continue as far as
possible the methods which have COM
mended themselves by their results and to
utilize to a large degree in public service
the men who have so well learned the les
son of sustaining the white mans rule in
the tropics without degrading or ill-treating
the natives.
Hawaii is entitled to prompt consideration
and to first consideration by Congress Not
even Puerto Rico should share this primacy
The easier and wiser is also the juster
course. As a station the way to Asia a
naval AMI coaling outpost Hawaii was nee
| essary to US for trade and strategic rea-
sons if the Philippines had never been ac-
quired. The argument for its annexation
was perfect before the war with Spain
That and it's, results multiplied Ha-
waits value to the United States. But it
came to US voluntarily, not as a result of
the war. 1t refused to declare neutrality
though temporarily rebuffed by the United
States in its annexation proposals. 1t took
the chances of war as an ally or as part Of
the American republic, and rendered Valll-
able assistance in that capacity. 1t is sure
ly entitled to considerate legislation in ad-
vance of the islands won for the United
States in a war in which it virtually par
ticipated. 1t has its own distinct problems
as in the labor and immigration questions
which will furnish material for the appli-
cation of American craftsmanship and work
sufficient delay in final action concerning It.
To treat it a war acquisition, and to
throw it into legislative hotch-pot with
Puerto Rico and the Philippines, would be
so ungrateful, unjust and unwise that the
policy is inconceivable.
Perfect HawaiPs HALFWAY Annexa-
ton.
The Attorney General says, and the Pres
ident indorses the view, that the annexation
of Hawaii was so perfect and complete that
title to the public lands passed instantly to
the nation beyond the reach of the local
laws and the local government, which Con-
gress and the President had continued NOM
inally with all their former power If Ha-
wall Is thus an integral part of the United
States in one vital respect justice and con-
sistency demand that there should be no
delay in making it so in all respects. When
Hawaii has recognized territorial status
we shall do away with the anomaly of a
Hawaiian president, with his minister
of foreign affairs" and consuls in the ports
of the world. There is room for only one
President within the borders of the United
States. The local government will be re-
lieved of supervision by a special agent"
Of the State Department. 1t Is surprising
that this extraordinary system of manag-
ing Hawaiian affairs, with all its infinite |
possibilities of personal friction, has worked |
with so few open and serious bitches. The |
local government has been continued, as If |
trusted, and supervised. as If distrusted |
told to go ahead with the enforcement of |
LEGAL laws and then abruptly held up when |
the application of some particular law has |
not seemed to the national government to |
work well; encouraged by the State De-
partment to move in one direction, and |
barred from that course by the decision of |
the Attorney General
There is not and of course should not be |
any disposition to make mountain of the
molehill of this lack of uniformity in ham
ding Hawaiian affairs during the transition
period. The men who have accomplished
the task of educating and civilizing the ma
tives, who have since 1898 maintained an
the islands, in spite of enemies. open and
concealed. royalists. representatives Of the
opium ring and of the Louisiana lottery,
and the threatening thrush of the Japan |
ese. and who have finally turned over the J