Hawaii Holomua, Volume I, Number 42, 6 November 1893 — PETER SELLS OPIONION OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. [ARTICLE]

PETER SELLS OPIONION OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.

Mr. Peter Sells, the worlJ renowned circns raan, writes as follows to tbe Columbns, Ohio State Joumali “The Hawaiian qnestion that has been so proraineut before the American people daring the past few months, involving the annexation of that territory to the Uuited States, is a matter of more than ordinary importance. A great piineiple is at stake and no a;nonnt of pecuniary advantages ean justify the perpetration of a great wrong upon a weak and defenseless power. That the possession of this Iittle group of tropical islands upheaved by some eartbquake ceuturies ago, would be advantageous to the United States is uuqoestionablv true, but ean we afford to sacrifice a great principle in order to obtain tnem? It b»s been the policv of this government from the time of its 6stablishment Jown to the present day to keep aloof from entangling alliunces and to avoid interference in foreign afi'airs. That the United States has tbe right to insist upon the auionomy of the Hawaiian government aad has the power to enforce her rights no one ean deny. That the geographical location of the illands makes it imperative that no unfriendly power shall take possession of them is eqnal true. Being in tbe track of our Australian and Ohina steamers 2100 miles from San Francisco. tbeir importance as a coaiing station •

an.l port of eail is vital to oar Pacific eommerce. Thev bo!d absolatelv the key to the mighty Pacific and it wonhl b« extremeiy nnfortanate ‘for Ameriea «honId an nnfriendlv power acquire them. This even in times of j»eace; bnt in the event of war witfa any of the.coontries of the East or Asia or the colonies or dependencies of ekliei- Great Britian. France or Germanv, onr disHdvautages woold be mueh more keenlv felt and onr dangers • r> mnltipiied. ‘ For thf ne reasons alone the L nited States ean eonsistentlv insist npon the ma:utenance of nentrality and antonomy. While these facts cauuot be dispnted it woul J be onwise for oor governmeut to recognize tbe commissi<*uers who, after conspiriug to overthrow the goverurueut of Huwaii, rnsh otf post lmste to W ashiugton to enter into a treatv with us for the annexatiou or control of the Sandwich Islands. The Uuited States shou!d take the Iead in restoring order there. W e eannoi take the risk of precipitating a conflict with the mighty powers of the earth. There are many Chinese residents brooght there onder the coutract 8ystem and wbose eondition is not mueh bett r than slaves. What w« could do toward correctiug this evil woold pnzzle our wisest legislators. There are other matters of great importance to be handled -foreign relations, school system, finaueial, jndiciary. legi.slative and executive—all of whieh wouU lead us into labyrinths of difficulties. I fear it would be an expensive experiraent for the l nited Statcs to, assurno control. The Queen, to save Woodshed in the face of au armed and insurrectionary • force, stood aside confident that the uations of tbe world wonld not suffer the wrong j to exist long. At thetime I was ia Honolulu, less tban ten months ago, the Hawaiian army nutnbered less than 100 souls, fifty of whom formed the imperial band, a magnificent musical organiz ation. Tbe greetings of weleome we received from the natives as our steamer toached the dock and tbe garlands of beantifal tropica! flowers witb whieh the natives bedecked oor passengers as we left, the magnificent music of the imperial kand piaying the national airs of Hawaii and the United States as we stearaed away, showed conclasively that thev Vrere a peaee loving, gaileless aud innocent race. For the United States to aid the insurrectionists who have sot np a provisKmal government against this weak peaceful people wonUhe beneath the dignity of this mighty nation. It wonU be cowardly and mean. Bebind this whole atfair tbere is a canse that thns far I have failed to see any menlion of. It is of one of eoin? and not : principles. When the late I King Kalakaua lx?igned he , entered into sorae sort of a ! treaty nnder whieh the pr.xlnctions of the islands whieh consist i chiefly of sng«r, rice and frints were adraitted into the l'nited States free of dnty, in retnrn for whieh the trade or fuUy 90 per eenk. of it was given to San Francisco. At this time the doty on sngar and other prodoctioas snch as we received from Honolnln was considerabte, and it gave a market for them as ad-