New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-06-29
B4WATT AND STATEHOOD.

! The folly of establishing ieTrltoTldl govern
ment with practically universal suffrage among
people unframed 70 the exercise OF poilncai
mower has been conclusivey illustrated in
! Hawaii by the doings of incompetent legislators
and mischief making demagogues. The expert
| mpnt has resulted in conditions which 1t Is evil
| dent cannot permanently he endured. and many
| schemes are being exploited for superseding
| tbe prcsent establishment. one of these Is for
annexing the islands to the State Of California.
We are surprised TO see. in n recent dispatch
from our San Francisco correspondent, that so
able and original man as DR.. David Starr
Jordan has lately announced his adhesion 10
this plan.
Such n solution Of the difficulty would he n
case of jumping ont of the frying pan into the
fire If a people incompetent to exercise
the limited powers of elf-gOvernment in local
affairs permitted them by Congress in an or
ganized Territory. II is impossible To suppose
them capable of exercising the practically I'M
limited powers of self government and the right
of participating in the rule of the whole country
possessed by citizens of a sovereign State. DIR.
Jordan has hitherto been known as an oppo-
nent OF any policy of expansion. 1t is not easy
10 believe that he has now fully considered the
reasonable objection 10 TaGal, Moro, hanaka
and West Indian partnership in the settlement
of American questions, and Is really read!
10 take the first step toward conferrlng Stale
hood upon these outside islands. which could
only result in the admission of the entire outfit
Just as soon as the politicians of any party
could arrange TO use their votes in national
convention and campaign.
II is the first step that counts. Either we are
going TO have all of these peoples in their ig-
norance and unfitness for American citizenship
Introduced into our electorate and made instru-
ments of INSCRIPTIONS men TO rule us. or We
are going once and for all TO establish the prfn-
ciple that the union of States is an American
union and n continental union, and that its
character is not 10 he changed by the incorpora-
ton into our citizenship of every semi-civiliZed
or barbarous tribe which may chance at any
time 10 come under our sovereignty. Only by
drawing the line now in fixing the status of our
first extra continental possessions and saying
that the States which make up the United
States shall be confined 10 the continent can any
effective resistance be made TO the pressure of
selfish interests for the lowering of our standard
and the admission of less and less fit people 10
participation in our government. The towards
of politics, of course. hesitate TO meet this
question of the proper treatment of depcnden-
ces in a straightforward fashion, being afraid
Of the misrepresentation of opponents deludng
the ignorant WIFI catcnWOrnS. nut II Is lle
duty of thoughtful patriots 10 face this issue
squarely. concede nothing 10 selfseekers, over
come prejudice and establish while there is yet
time the safe rule for the preservation of Amer
lean institutions.
Evidently a mistake has already been made
I'm giving Hawaii Territorial organization and
encouraging IL ultimately TO expect admission
as n State. In view of what the Kanakas are
perfectly we'll known TO be. the idea of magn-
flying that mistake by making the islands a
State or part Of State is grotesque. 1t is
reckless almost beyond belief. So long as Con
gress retains control bad conditions are subject
to correction a government that breaks down
can be superseded just the same as unsatis-
factory extravagant governments have been
In the District Of Columbia. But once make the
Hawaiians citizens of n State and they can
manage their islands as scandalOusly as they
please. and as much in defiance Of national in
terests. just as the AIormons have done in Utah
Hawaii is a strategic point of national impor-
lance, and the Federal government must there
keep effective control and undivided authority
for all emergencies. Just as II would do at any
other Of its forts cOaling stations. Hawaii as
part of California would he just as troublesome
as IL 1t were a State 10y itself. 1t would partici-
pate not only in the government of the United
States. but also in that of California. Local
abuses would be beyond any practical control
either by State nation. California has It's
own interests to attend to, and all legislation
on Hawaiian affairs would depend entirely on
the selfish uses which politicians could make
of tie Hawaiian electors in imposing their
schemes on California. The Inhabitants Of
| Hawaii are justly entitled 10 such measure of
/ self-government they show they can wisely
use. but Congress cannot afford to abdicate its
complete ultimate authority. particularly In
view of their demonstrated need OF guardian
ship. people who cannot manage a Terri
| tOrial government properly cannot be trusted 10
/ help govern the nation rulers of State or
| part of State.
THE NEW TENEMENT HOUSE LAW.