Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
The needs of Hawaii are peculiar; every aid should be given the
islands; and our efforts should be unceasing to develop them along the
lines of a community of small freeholders, not of great planters with
coolie-tilled estates. Situated as this Territory is, in the middle of
the Pacific, there are duties imposed upon this small community which
do not fall in like degree or manner upon any other American community.
This warrants our treating it differently from the way in which we
treat Territories contiguous to or surrounded by sister Territories or
other States, and justifies the setting aside of a portion of our
revenues to be expended for educational and internal improvements
therein. Hawaii is now making an effort to secure immigration fit in
the end to assume the duties and burdens of full American citizenship,
and whenever the leaders in the various industries of those islands
finally adopt our ideals and heartily join our administration in
endeavoring to develop a middle class of substantial citizens, a way
will then be found to deal with the commercial and industrial problems
which now appear to them so serious. The best Americanism is that which
aims for stability and permanency of prosperous citizenship, rather
than immediate returns on large masses of capital.
Alaska's needs have been partially met, but there must be a complete
reorganization of the governmental system, as I have before indicated
to you. I ask your especial attention to this. Our fellow-citizens who
dwell on the shores of Puget Sound with characteristic energy are
arranging to hold in Seattle the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition. Its
special aims include the upbuilding of Alaska and the development of
American commerce on the Pacific Ocean. This exposition, in its
purposes and scope, should appeal not only to the people of the Pacific
slope, but to the people of the United States at large. Alaska since it
was bought has yielded to the Government eleven millions of dollars of
revenue, and has produced nearly three hundred millions of dollars in
gold, furs, and fish. When properly developed it will become in large
degree a land of homes. The countries bordering the Pacific Ocean have
a population more numerous than that of all the countries of Europe;
their annual foreign commerce amounts to over three billions of
dollars, of which the share of the United States is some seven hundred
millions of dollars. If this trade were thoroughly understood and
pushed by our manufacturers and producers, the industries not only of
the Pacific slope, but of all our country, and particularly of our
cotton-growing States, would be greatly benefited. Of course, in order
to get these benefits, we must treat fairly the countries with which we
trade.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account