The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-07-08
THE PEARL HARBOR LANDS IS NOT THE ORIGINATOR
DIR. JORDAN NOT FATHER OF THE
ANNEXATION IDEA.
Tells What He Said to Tom Fitch and
Why He Said It-Believes, However,
That Scheme is Good One.

President David Starr Jordan who
was the first to give expression in the
Islands here, to the revival of the an
nexation to California idea, says he
did not originate the movement, if
there is one, to put the idea into effect
He said this morning that the move
ment, if there be one did not originate
with him, although he had suggested
the annexation proposition to two men
in Honolulu. And though since, he has
found native sentiment against it, the
reasons which brought him to his opin-
ion favoring annexation, appeal to
him as strongly as ever; and though
he had Joined In no movement to effect
annexation and was engaged in no pro-
poganda to that end, he had not modi
fed his opinions on the subject.
IF there Is a movement for annex
ation," said DR.. Jordan, "I did not
originate it. One day while leaving
the hotel with Mr.. Fitch, the lawyer
that gentleman spoke of the decisions
of the Supreme Court affecting terri
tories and suggested that there was a
possibility of duty being placed on
Hawaiian sugars and of other embar-
easements to the Territory. l replied
that to my mind the safest thing for
the Islands was to become annexed to
California, inasmuch as it would en-
sure the safety of sugar and would
give to the Islands a voting representa-
tion in Congress, which they have not
at this time and may not have in
very long time to come.
Il may say just here that this idea
of annexation to California was made
to me in the east, and has been talk
ed of for some time. In the east there
is a strong objection to giving Hawaii
statehood, chiefly on account of the
small proportion of white people in the
Islands and also on account of the Ter
ritory being detached and at a great
distance from the mainland. Person
ally I feel, and have always felt that
when the United States acquires COM
mercial or other benefits as came to us
with the Hawaiian Islands, the Repub-
lie should also assume the responsible
ties, if such there be. But l am only
one of 76,000,000 Of people, and the OPP
position to statehood is very strong
and is growing. especially in the east
THE Hawaiian Islands are in such
a position that they may suffer at any
time from the moves on the worlds
political or commercial checker board.
For instance just now and for some
time past, there has been a great mill
tary movement through your doors to-
the Philippines and the Far East. This
has drawn attention to the Islands and
mas improvements dlTeduy
made and to come. But remove the
theater of the worlds interest y an
other ocean and what will be the re-
suit? Hawaii will soon be FORGOTTEN
lost sight of by the world-and any
body can forsee what that might mean.
The Hawaiian delegate in Congress has
no vote. and a Congressman without
ability to give favors for favors can
hope to accomplish little.
"The annexation idea in the east, and
which I presented to Mr.. Fitch, con-
templates the erection of the group in
to a district with one Congressman.
The Islands would themselves be at
tached to California as independent
counties with their own governments,
and the center of government of the
group would be removed from Honolulu
to Sacramento. 1t is important that
Honolulu harbor be enlarged and that
Hilo harbor be improved. Other vast
improvements are needed. With this
voting Congressman, as proposed,
there would be some hope of accom-
plishing all these splendid results; but
your delegate without a vote, without
the power to help as well as to accept
help, has hard work before him II he
hopes and tries to accomplish much.
"These are the views I have met with
in the east and represent in part my
own conclusion. 1t was thirty years
after Alaska was organized into dis
trict that it received proper attention,
and probably would not then have been
given good laws and an efficient ad-
ministration had 1t not been for the
gold discoveries and the rush of people
into that country. There Is no prece-
dent upon which to base a conclusion
that Hawaii, as an outpost, would re-
ceiVe better treatment.
For those reasons I spoke as I did
to Mr.. Fitch. AS I said before l am
not the ORIGINATOR of the plan, or sug-
gestion. and am associated with no
movement to carry it out. have only
spoken to Mr.. Fitch and to an editor
of a city newspaper, who subsequently
came to see me, about the matter. If
there is an organized movement in the
direction indicated I have not been
made aware of 1t. I spent a night with
Mr.. Thurston and have had many con-
ferences with leading citizens of the
city but none of them, outside of the
two gentlemen first mentioned, ever
preached the subject to me.
"I have been given to understand
that the natives of the Islands do not
favor the suggestion. This is largely
a matter of sentiment which ] can
readily understand Although I admire
the sentiment. I do not wish 1t to be
understood that I have backed down