Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-22

| illteracy existing amongst the people
OF mature years For instance, the
| percentage OF illiteracy amongst Ha
waiians is -. This percentage is
! divided as follows: Persons from "a
| TO Il years OF age. Id per cent II
To ~ years, IS per cent 20 to -
! years. 81 per cent Is to - years
Al per cent s. 10 ~ years, 40 per
| cent A. TO ~ years, 81 per cent 81
to SO wears. per cent 65 years and
over, l5.3 per cent This same mark.
! ed difference prevails with other
races. For instance. with the Portu.
! guese. from ~ to II years of age the
percentage OF illiteracy is but Al. and
| from 65 years and over. S44. This is
a splendid demonstration, OF the pro
| gress which Hawaii has made in the
| matter OF education, and shows clear
| ~ that by the time another ten wears
| have elapsed We will rank well up
with any state in the union on the
matter OF education. The progress
made in this direction was remarkable
| enough TO have attracted the attention
| OF the census officials
| Other Reasons Advanced.
We have. therefore, the necessary
population OF the requisite character
sufficient area. and wealth enough to
maintain Z state government In most
instances on admissions OF states into
the union, these were the three tests
applied, a statement. of course, which
is not applicable 20 the davs when
the question OF slavery was OF vital
nature. But We have more reasons
than these for being admitted as
state, reasons to which no other terri.
tory could make appeal
With the opening Of the Panama
Canal. undoubtedly Hawai- will al.
vance greatly along commercial lines,
and will be the calling point of many
more vessels than in the past II
will become in fact as we'll as in
name the Crossroads OF the Pacific.
1t will be visited by the vessels OF
every nation with a merchant marine
Would it not seem important that
such subdivision OF the United
States, of so great commercial i'm.
pOrtance. should be one Of the states
and not a mere territory? Would il
not be matter of pride to the ma
ton itself to point to Hawaii as one
of the states? While, indeed, it is
true, Congress- in its wisdom has Civ
en- us a fairly large share In the man
agement of our home affairs, still we
are not as yet one of the states, and
as long as this remains true, We are
necessarily treated more or less as a
colonial possession.
Strategic Position.
Again. Hawaii is important to the
United States from its strategic posi-. |
ton. 1t is recognized as the key toll
the situation IN the Pacific, a naval |
basis from which our ships may OPP
crate. Particularly since the outbreak !
of the terrible war in Europe has our
importance in this respect become
recognized. Should an unfortunate war
occur between the United States and
some other nation or nations, the eyes
of the world would be on Hawaii. Is |
it not of importance that the United |
States should make us one of them,
with fully organized state govern
ment, recognizing as We would, our |
duties and obligations as one of the
states; taking pride in our full part
nership in the affair of the union; |
having power to send to the Congress
of the United States senators and
members Of the house of representa-.
tiVes, to counsel and vote with mem. I
bers of Congress on international mat
tiers. 1t is no answer to this to say |
that the very strength of Hawaii
from a naval standpoint, is a reason
why statehood should not be granted,
but that it should remain under the
absolute control of Congress. With
all due respect to Congress-made up
as it is Of brilliant, able, patriotic
men, / do not hesitate to say that
full administration of the affairs of
the territory under statehood, by the
people of the territory themselves,l
would be less likely to lead to inter
national difficulties than at present, /
for a legislature of the state Of Hal
vail necessarily understands condi.
lions much better than does Congress-,
and should international difficulties
occur, and war result, Hawaii would
not be less patriotic, would not be
less willing to defend the honor of the
nation as a state than she would as a
territory. Il
Capacity for seIf-Government.
OuOuIu ali cudGlluS az Ec PIOScnI-J
ID to Congress certain questions would
,e propounded 20 us. Could We sue
carry on a state government?I
f admitted into the Union, would we
Ne able to establish and maintain the
deals which are back of every other
tate government? Certainly, emphat-l
cally, do l say that both OF these !
uestions could be answered in the af-
Irmative Should the 49th star be
ddei to our flag by our admission, 4 ,
redict that none of the other 4S stars
would glisten more brightly than ours.
he people of Hawaii have been
aught fortmore than three-quarters of
century the principles ard doctrines :
f a republican form OF government. ,
Without perhaps being able to define
nth technical accuracy and nicely 6
that these principles and doctrines 6
re, yet instinctivcly, for it is in his
lood, the Hawaiian knows what they
re.
From away over in France, more :
han a century and a quarter ago, d,
l