Hawaii Holomua, Volume II, Number 37, 13 February 1894 Edition 02 — Stevens the Prophet. [ARTICLE]

Stevens the Prophet.

, . — i <«r jtr As long ago as Novernber, 1892. Minister Stevens \vrotea letter setting forth the advantages ot the Ha- j waiian Islands to the UnitedStates and thedesirahility of their acquisi- 1 tion by the country, in whieh he said: “The time is near when we mnst 1 decide who ehall hold these islands j as a part oftheir nalional territory, ' It is nol posib!e for theiu mueh j longer to remain alone. These pe»'ple &nd the l*uited States will j soon be compelled by circumstances ' and events to decide whether the 1 Hawaiian lslands will have unity, liberty and autononiy with tHe Unitcd States or become a eolonial possession of a Eiropean power. Wb*t Webster, Clavton and Mayer saw forty years ag >, and Seward, Frsh and Eiaine and the administrations they reprcseuted clearly i perceīved, may now well beconsidi ered by ihe Amenean people. “Tne entire area of the islands is abjat six tbousard square mi!es In addition to surrar. whieh is now mueh the largest produot. the s >il and c'imate are admirably adapted to raising rice, bananns, oranges. coffee,grapes a d other or*jps ell govemed and pr«\periy developed, tbey are enpih!-' cf mi:ntaining a populalion of o.>0,000 to 4<X),OX). \ There are ext nsive ranoh»-3 for ihe raismg «>f sheep ai.d eallie, so ag to be eapahle of »upplying steamers I and other ve«sel9 both in peaceand war. The two harht>rsof Honolulu and Pearl City, aboiit six milea apart, are entered by narrow ehannela, are c!osely banked by moun1 tains.»o as to be made imprcgnably defeosible at no large expen»e. Thcir uUimale poeaeS8ion by the United States is of the utmoet importance to American commerce in > the Pacific, whieh promise« va»t i deveiopment» il wiaely carried out aud wilhoul too mueh delay.”