The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-09-09
HIGGINS HERE AGAIN,
GIVES HIS VIEWS
CONTINUED from Pase one,.

NeeANAANNa AANAA n GhN OAAEls
he had privately expressed these views
while here.
Congressman Higgins is not an i'm
perialist," Notwithstanding he repre-
sents the G. o. p. from a strongly
pro-administrative constituency. He
frankly does not think the United
States ought to be hampered in its pro
gress with the Philippines, and says
that in them the country holds a ge-
nuine, bonafide "gold-brick" He prob
ably has a good deal some such senti-
ments regarding Hawaii, although on
this last trip he did not say so. When
he was here before, however he de-
clared that Hawaii was un-American
beyond hope of redemption, that the
Fourth of July celebration which he
witnessed at Hilo, had no semblance
of the real thing, that this was no
country for the American and that tho
American farmer talk for the islands
was an impossible conception.
Congressman Higgins did not visu
! IAAC hlAlppluGb dlInOuBu Ills lIlD
through the Orient has given him
very decided views about them. When
asked yesterday if he thought that the
United States had acquired good brick
when it got the eastern archipelago,
he replied: That term Just expresses
my idea. l do thing we have a gold
brick. 1 also think that the fact IS
becoming more and more evident to
all men in public life, and that the
great question is now to let loose Of
them honorably."
Continuing Mr.. Higgins said: OF
course when the Philippines were taken
over I stood by my party in favor OF
it, but they have never appealed
strongly to me as a desirable possess
sion for the American nation My
observation in the last few weeks
haven't lessened this impression either.
THE long predicted awakening of
the Far East is at hand; no one who
is at all conversant with the Orient will
attempt to refute this, and where we
might successfully hope to keep out of
general embroglio which is almost sure
to come, were we unimcumbered in
that part of the world we can scarcely
hope to do so while we hold the Phhip-
pines
"They seem a hopeless burden to me-
We are not, by nature of our form of
government, fitted for colonial roles.
Where administrations are changing
every four years it is sure to be inn
practical to assure a stable local az
ministration in such distant posses
sion. The people there for the same
reason can never intelligently take
part as electors in our national cleo
tions, and without popular representa-
ton you don't have an Ameri-
can idea of government. With
nation like Great Britain, on the
other hand, with it's more stable adj
ministration and imperialistic policy
the possession of the Philippines would
be more natural and consistent, and
more likely to succeed.
The United States does not need
the Philippines. If we. need to expand
we have lots of room nearer home. Our
| own Alaska has resources which are
! only beginning to be realized. It
would be a much more consistent
policy to annex Cuba, than the Philip
pines.
On the Japanese question Congress-
man Higgins is strongly pro-Japanese.
81 confess had absorbed something
of the prejudices against the Japs that
exist on the coast and to a measure in
Hawaii" said Mr. Higgins But my
visit to Japan has dispelled them. The
idea that there is a sentiment against
America in Japan did not impress me
at all. On the contrary | was never
more nicely treated in my life, and al
though I watched and made special eff
fort to learn, could not find the anti
American feeling which 1 had been led
to believe exists there
"On the other hand Japan is posi-
lively not in position to go to war with
America. Her war with Russia has
given her about all the load she can
carry and her people are taxed the
limit don't think there is any desire
at present at least, to acquire the Phil
ippines, which she could easily seize If
she wanted them l believe on the
other hand that Japan means to do
inmate and lead and direct, the great
awakening of China, and has time for
but few other considerations She is
certainly getting a tremendous in-
fluence of her big neighbor, and where
before American and European teach
ers and instructors were dominant in
the Empire, now are found Japanese.
ut is true that Japan is not ceasing
to strengthen her navy and fit herself
for war, but am inclined to think that
she look forward to another struggle
with Russia, when her domination OF
China becomes more evident. I think
she does not desire or fear complica-