The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-11-01
annexation of Cuba

annexation OF Cuba.
a. The Democratic party is oppos-
ed to the annexation of Cuba.
io) Hawaii should now abandon its
loyalty to the Republican party. ignore
all sense of obligation and throw down
its Republican Delegate and elect a
Democrat as protest and rebuke and
to educate the American people upon
the subject of Hawaii's interest.
AS tn the first proposition which, from
your tone and attitude. would seem to
have come to you III sudden and
startling manner. | ondeavored to point
out the danger OF annexation or of
tariff concessions to Cuba rs matter
which has been before the communities
both or the mainl md and Hawaii for
the past eight years. You either are
unaware of. or else ignore. the persis-
tent efforts which have during this
time been made by those representing
the great cane sugar interests of the
south, beet sugar of the northwest. the
tobacco of the south ami the Con-
necticut Valley. and the sugar of Ha-
wall to prevent action which would
give Cuba tariff benefits, and the re
suits which have been attained.
Your statement, that the Republican
of Cuba, is an assertion I'm justified by
the facts and history of the past few
years.
Put if, for the sake of argument, it
should be admitted that the Republican
party, the great party of the United
States. is inclined to favor annexation,
how absurd it would be for little Ha-
wall to attempt to influence that party
by being treacherOus to it and show
base ingratitude for the great benefits
and blessings heretofore received and
shake its puny little fist and defy it,
This powerful party has been and is
true friend to these islands and the
evidences of this friendship have been
manifest and abundant.
The fact is that the question of the
annexation of Cuba or of granting free
trade relations is commercial question
and favored in certain quarters by
those having large interests in Cuba
irrespective of parties, and viii have to
be fought out mainly on commercial
lines, that is, the great commercial in
terests of the mainland as against the
interests of those having commercial
interests in Cuba. The political policy
of the government as to Cuba and other
Spanish-American countries have been
repeatedly announced and recently
We're again affirmed at the notable con-
gress at Rio de Janeiro.
Your plan may take with thoughtless
and unwary voters and prove to be an
admirable means by which a Democrat
can ride into Congress on Republican
shoulders; but should you succeed the
contempt and ridicule and loss of
friendship which would follow would
hardly reflect credit on the patriotism
of Hawaii.
If | thought that any considerable
number of the voters of Hawaii would
take you and your proposition serious
ly, [ would be perfectly willing to meet
you and discuss this question in public
to the best of my limited ability; but
it seems to me that it would be lend
ing dignity to cheap campaign device.
By the way pardon me for referring
to the following statement in your Aala
address: "The people of the United
States also knows that the people of
Hawaii will this November vote on the
Cuban question, for this is the question
that [ am forcing upon my opponents.
Good heavens, in what awesome sus-
pense the United States must be! God
grant them strength and grace to with
stand the shock when the final an
nouncement is made
w O. SMITH