Hawaii, 1893
No sooner did you take office in March than you found a
huge problem waiting for you on the Pacific islands of Hawaii.
Half of the people of these islands are native Hawaiians. The
rest are a mixture of Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese, German and
American settlers.
Although the Americans make up only about five percent of
the population, they control most of the islands' business interests,
such as the sugar and pineapple plantations and the banks and hotels.
Until now, the traditional Hawaiian government under Queen
Liliuokalani had ruled Hawaii. But in January, a group of
American businessmen living in Hawaii revolted.
The U.S. has high tariffs, or taxes, on goods from other countries.
Becoming a U.S. territory would save the businessmen a lot of money.
The businessmen formed a new government and requested to be
annexed by (made part of) the United States. This would make Hawaii a
territory under U.S. protection, but not a state.
The previous U.S. president, Benjamin Harrison, granted that
request. The Senate, however, had not acted on that treaty by the
time you took office.
After hearing disturbing reports that U.S. troops were used in
the revolt without the president’s permission, you send a
congressman to investigate. He finds that a US official played an
important part in the revolt, and that most Hawaiians are against
annexation by the U.S.
Knowing all this, you must decide what to do with Hawaii.
BACKGROUND
The small islands of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean are important
because of their location in the middle of the shipping lanes
between Asia and North America. This makes them important for
trade and for military reasons. .
The United States has been friends with Hawaii, and even got
permission to build a naval base there at Pearl Harbor.
The American businessmen who planned the takeover, led by
wealthy planter Sanford Dole, grew frustrated with Queen
Liliuokalani, whose slogan was “Hawaii for Hawaiians.” They
viewed her as a primitive tyrant (unfair ruler), a backwards queen who
would ruin the businesses they had worked so hard to build.
Dole received secret approval from John L. Stevens, the U.S.
ambassador to Hawaii. Acting without permission from the United
States government, Stevens helped the businessmen. When the revolt
started, he ordered marines ashore to "protect the lives and
property of United States citizens."
The marines took over government buildings and stopped the
queen's supporters from keeping control of the government. Dole's
group declared itself the new government of Hawaii a n d p la c ed
Queen Liliuokalani under house arrest. Stevens immediately
recognized Dole's government and declared Hawaii to be under the
protection of the United States.
THE DECISION IS YOURS.
What action will you take concerning annexation of Hawaii?
Option 1: Annex Hawaii
While Stevens may have illegally used marines to support the
revolt, matters may have worked out for the best. You have a strong
interest in Hawaii for several reasons.
The islands may seem far away from the United States, but if
they fell into enemy hands, they could provide a base from which
another country could attack the California coast. For example,
Germany has been trying to take over Pacific islands like Samoa,
and Japan might also try to expand into the Pacific.
Queen Liliuokalani is a dangerous tyrant—the kind of ruler
that freedom-loving Americans have always opposed. For example,
she believes she has the right to behead those she regards as her
enemies. As long as she continues to rule over a large and wealthy
minority, Hawaii will be ripe for revolution.
Revolutions can be far messier than this one proved to be, so
you are better off leaving matters as they stand. If you put her back in
power, you would do nothing more than postpone Hawaii's problems
for a later generation to solve.
Economically, Hawaii's prime location makes it a center of
international trade. With Dole's government in power, trade will be
especially good for Americans. At this moment, the United States is
plunging into a severe economic depression. Losing Hawaii and the
money it brings in would hardly help this situation.
Option 2: Reject annexation put Queen Lil’ back on the throne.
The honor of the United States is at stake. Without receiving
any authority from th e U.S. government, Stevens schemed and
plotted with his American friends on the island to destroy Hawaii’s real
government. No business interest can justify the United States interfering
in another country’s affairs. Historically, the United States has tried
to stand on principles of individual liberty and freedom.
Furthermore, the American citizens in Hawaii are not the poor,
persecuted minority that th ey make themselves out to be. Dole and
his supporters arc greedy people who are looking out only for their own
interests. Although the small percentage of Americans already own most
of the island's wealth, they are looking for a way to pile up even bigger
profits. They want to gain control of the government so they can make
laws that will favor them.
One of the main reasons they support annexation is because they
know the U.S. government provides price supports to American sugar
growers. If Hawaii becomes part of the United States, Hawaiian sugar
growers will share in that handout.
The only way the United States can restore its reputation is to
undo the injustice it has caused and return the situation to what it was
before Stcvens interfered.
Option 3: Reject annexation and let Hawaii solve its own problems
Stevens's actions on behalf of the U.S. government were
unforgivable. Therefore, you must not tarnish the United States by
accepting stolen property.
On the other hand, you cannot turn back the clock and restore
everything to the way it had been. The queen vows to cut o f f the heads
of any who took any part in the revolt. Putting her back on the throne
would seal the death sentence for many Americans in Hawaii. These
people are American citizens. You have an obligation to help them
protect their lives and thei r property from the whims of foreign rulers.
The two sides in Hawaii have shown no interest in compromising.
The Dole government refuses to give up power voluntarily, and forcing
it to do so would require sending U.S. troops to fight on the side of a
foreign nation against U.S. citizens. This would probabl y outrage many
Americans. Then, after your troops fought Dole and forced him out,
they would probably have to stay in Hawaii to protect American citizens
from the queen's forces.
Chances are good that the islands would erupt in civil war long
before you got matters straightened out. The last thing you want is for
the United States to provoke a civil war and then get caught in the
middle of the crossfire.
Option 4: Supervise popular elections to determine which
government Hawaii wants and whether it wishes annexation.
If the United States truly believes t h a t government should
reflect the wi ll of the people, then it will help Hawaii create a
government that does just that.
The United States should not use its power to help either Dole
or Queen Liliuokalani . Rather, it should use this power to
supervise f ai r elections among t he Hawaiian people.
Such a policy would encourage both sides to participate in a
peaceful solution to their problems a n d would prevent other countries
from moving in to take advantage of the disorder.
You are the President – What is Your Decision?
Option 1
Annex Hawaii.
Option 2
Reject annexation and put Queen Liliuokalani back on the
throne.
Option 3
Reject annexation and leave Hawaii to solve its own
problems.
Option 4
Supervise popular elections to determine which government
Hawaii wants and whether it wishes annexation.
Queen Liliuokalani
Sanford Dole
Grover Cleveland
President Grover Cleveland chose Option 3.
Cleveland generally tried to do what was morally right rather
than merely what was in the best interests of t he Unit ed States. In
March, 1893, he said t h a t if the U n i t e d States were ever to annex
Hawaii, the action must clearly be the will of the Hawaiian people and
free from an y pressure from officials of the U.S. government.
Cleveland did not like the idea of powerful nations taking over
small, weak countries. If the United States started doing this, other
nations might try some empire-building of their own.
Cleveland saw that the request for annexation came from a small
special-interest group on the islands and not from the majority of the
people. The president, therefore, rejected annexation.
Also, the role of Stevens a nd the U.S. marines in the revolt
disturbed Cleveland. He believed t h a t the wrongful use of U.S.
military force was responsible for putting the Dole government in
power. The United States had to answer for that action.
Cleveland also did not want to take any further military
action. He feared this would start a civil war in Hawaii. Also, h e
thought Americans at home would be angry if he sent U.S. troops
to fight Americans in Hawaii. He tried to get Dole’s government to step
down and get the queen to promise not to cut off their heads, but he
took no further action.
Result
Neither Queen Liliuokalani nor Dole budged from t hei r
previous positions. The queen continued to threaten violence, and the
leaders of the new government refused Cleveland's request that they
resign. Dole, who had used the United States to gain power, now claimed
he was outraged at the "interference" of the U.S. government in the
internal affairs of Hawaii.
Unable to negotiate a solution and unwilling to send troops,
Cleveland dumped the problem in Congress's lap. After much debate,
Congress decided that he should recognize Dole’s government. Cleveland
reluctantly agreed. He went so far as to compliment Dole publicly and
to wish hi m "personal prosperity" in the new Republic of Hawaii.
Dole's g o v e r n m e n t r e m a i n e d in power a f t e r Cleveland
l e ft office. The new president, William McKinley, agreed to
annex Hawaii. Hawaii became the property of the United States. It
became the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959.
Hindsight
Cleveland’s main concern was upholding the nation’s honor. He also
wanted to prevent the United States from expanding into the Pacific
Ocean. He failed on both counts.
His efforts to prevent expansion into the Pacific did nothing but
delay the annexation of Hawaii for five years. The president recognized
that agents of the United States had acted dishonorably, but he could
find no way to undo the damage.