Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-22
STATEHOOD IS
HNDORSED BY.
UNITED HOUSE
CONTINUED from page one)

! merely perfunctOrv. | should like
much TO have the impression reach
| the mainland OF the United States that
| the legislature OF the territory is in
! earnest in this matter: that the peo
| pie OF the territory ardently wish
statehood: that We believe We are en-
titled to statehood; and that the fight
| for statehood Will be continued with
out intermissiOn until our request is
granted Let no member OF the house
| treat the resolution memorialiZing
Congress as a joke: let every member
! constitute himself a committee 10 pro-
mote the idea. TO impress upon per
sons OF influence in the counsels OF
the nation the importance of the ques-
ton and the justice Of our claims.
Within a very short time there will
be an influential delegation visit Ha-
waii. at least two of them are presi.
dental possibilities. If every member
of the house will constitute himself a
committee OF one TO present our
claims on this subject, We will have
made a great stride. Many Of the
gentlemen who are to visit us are
fully acquainted with the. conditions
surrounding other territories at the
time OF their admission as states AS
shall endeavOr in moment or two
TO show, the conditions in Hawaii are
at least as favorable for statehood
as were those of many of the terrific
ries which were admitted as states.
Il take it that the members of Con
gress who are shortly to visit here
come in a receptive mood. ] know
from a perusal of the debates in Con
gress, that Congress itself feels kindly
towards Hawaii. Suggestions made by
us will undoubtedly receive respectful
attention, and facts presented by us
will be given due consideration. Let
us avail ourselves Of the opportunity
afforded to make statehood for Ha-
wall a subject of serious consideration
by Congress.
1T would take up too much of the
time of the house to give in detail
the many reasons why our, prayer
should be granted. 1 shall deal only
briefly with them
Population and Area.
Hawaii has a much larger popuia-
ton than had many of the states att
union, and indeed, at the present
time, has a larger population than
several Of the states. Colorado, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, the two Dakotas,
Oregon and Wyoming, and perhaps
half a dozen other states, had less
population than Hawaii today, at the
time of their admission. The census
of 1910 shows that two of the states, /
Nevada and Wyoming, had less popula
ton then than had HAWAII There
can therefore be no objection made on
the ground that our population is not
large enough to justify admission. AS
to the population question also atten.
ton may we'll be called to the fact
that density of population cuts con.
siderable figure, and in this respect /
Hawaii probably has a greater popu' |
lation than a majority Of the states.
In area we are of course one of |
the smallest of the subdivisions, al
though in that respect we exceed the
states of Connecticut, Delaware and
Rhode Island, and are almost as large
rs Massachusetts, New Hampshire
New Jersey and Vermont.
In so far as the population is con-
cerned, it will of course pc urged
that majority of that population are
not citizens OF the United States, or
perhaps of the Caucasian race. |
Granting to this argument its full
weight, it can still be said that there
ire more American citizens Of vot-
ng age in Hawaii than there were in
several of the states at the time of
heir admission, and statistics will
Jear out this claim. But even as to
his, it may be said that as the years
oil along the percentage of american
citizens very materially increases, and
t is a question of a comparatively
ew years when there will be as large
percentage of citizens within theI
erritory of Hawaii as there are inI
many of the states. The increase in
ur population during the past decadei
as been one made up either from
irths within the islands or from i'm
migration of people eligible to become
american citizens. 1t is safe to pre-
let that the number Of aliens withinj
he territory of Hawaii within thel
ext twenty years will be compare
lively small.
commercial importance.
From the standpoint Of CONNER ,
ial importance, Hawaii easily ranks
ar ahead of many of the states at
he time of their admission, and in
eed, is of more importance in point
f figures than are several of theI
tates at. the present time. The as .
essed valuation of property exceeds !
hat of many of the states, and this 8
kewise is true of our exports. When
re consider the comparatively small ,
rea of Hawaii, its material wealth ,
marvellous, and worthy of earnest {
by the people of the '
mainland when dealing with our re- 6
uest for statehood. Some idea of the r
amount of business trans ,
cted in Hawaii may be gathered from 8
study of the receipt at the various +
ustom houses. | believe that Hawaii T
4 point of collections of customs du- ,
les is eleventh or twelfth on the list ,
( the ports Of entry of the United ,
tateS. s
..Tba ;Dtollipanco oDd pducafjOn Ofl .