The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-03-18
MILITARY APPROPRIATION
CORREsPONDENTsAY ITsHOULD
GO THROUGH.
Hawaii Occupies Unique Position.
Failure to Provide for The Military
Would be Misunderstood.
EDITOR STAR

EDITOR STAR
Members of the Legislature have
stated openly that not one dollar of
public money would be voted this year
for the maintenance of the National
Guard. l understand that this senu-
ment originated with and was put for
ward by a man who was once himself
an enthusiastic officer Of the Guard,
which makes the proposition all the
more surprising. How deep the senti-
ment has been forced into the legtsla-
tive body 1 am unable to say; but 1
am sure the subject is one of such i'm
portance that it should not be deter
mined in and haphazard manner.
Did it ever occur to Representative
Emmeluth, or Representative Beckley,
or Senator Kalauokalani, or Senator
Russell or others of the honorable mem
bers of the Legislature that the mill
tary arm of this little Territory of Ha-
waii will command in the years to come
more attention and interest than the
vast military machinery of the great
States of the Union? Every year, and
in fact every few months there are
strained relations between the United
States and some other nation. In the
past the Union has frequently been
called upon to answer the questions
How is California fiXed?' What can
New Orleans do in case of attack
"Can New York defend herselfY' viii
Boston be able to hold out until our
fleet can get there?'
In every instance the value of a State
or a city has been measured by its
capacity to care for or protect itself
until the government is able to act.
The thing is logical-is natural.
In Hawaii the matter is more serious.
1t takes fourteen days at the least TO
hear from the mainland. In case of
impending war; now or later, the ques-
ton with 76000.000 people on the main
land is not going to be about San
Francisco, or New Orleans, or New
York or Boston, but about Hawaii.
How is Hawaii fixed?' VIII be the
question from Maine to California and
from Canada to the Gulf Any mill
tary man knows that any foe will strike
first at the valuable outposts. With
the United States, those outposts are,
first, Hawaii; second, Porto Rico; third
the Philippines. Congress is already
aware that in case of war with a first
class power, Hawaii will be the first
and hardest point to defend. Both the
army and navy departments are alive
to that fact as has been shown by re-
cent statements of both, and prelimi-
nary preparations made.
In case of war, which is not impos-
| sible at any moment, the question will
! be How is Hawaii fiXed?" If the plan
swer of the Secretary of War will be:
| I'VE have not a military company III
| the Islands and must rush troops there
| Such an announcement will induce dis
| gust from ocean to ocean, and the peo-
| pie of the mainland will Immediately
get the impression that they have alb
| solved dead weight-an unpatriotic and
valueless people. The result of such an
impression in the face of a patriotic
move like that following the destruc-
ton of the Maine in 1898, might cost
/ this Territory more than it could re-
cover in ten years of penitence.
But suppose in answer to the ques-
ton How is Hawaii fixed?" the Secre-
tary of War should say: Hawaii has a
regiment of well drilled well equipped
determined soldiers. They are fired
with patriotism and are prepared and
ready to hold their own until 1 can land
troops in the Islands" How different
the effect? Can anyone mistake it?
The regiment asks for $4,000 for two
years. This is for Oahu, Hawaii, Maui
and company it is proposed to organ
ize on Kauai. If nothing occurs in the
| two years, it is likely that much of the
money will not be required; but il
something does occur, and the Republic
| is involved in war, which is not inn
| probable but actually probable, the
members of the Legislature will find
that the $4,000 voted by them will re.
| turn on the waters manifold and viii
| appear as millions to their credit and
| the credit of the Islands in Congress
in place of the pittance it actually re-
presents.
l am not a member of the Nationa
| Guard, Mr.. Editor, and the above re-
marks are ventured by me merely as
an American and citizen.
Il. D. T.