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commercially.  Whatever  makes  for  national  welfare  makes 
for  the  welfare  of  these  Islands,  so  in  working  for  national 
improvement,  we  necessarily  are  working  for  that  which  will 
bring  to  these  Islands  a lasting  benefit. 
The  subject  of  deep  inland  waterways  is  so  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  subject  of  oceanic  commerce  that  they  can- 
not be  separated.  Well  may  we  of  Hawaii  be  intensely  in- 
terested in  a Federal  appropriation  for  the  building  of  deep 
inland  waterways  along  the  Atlantic  seaboard  and  in  the  Mis- 
sissippi Valley.  For  with  the  completion  of  the  Panama 
Canal,  it  will  mean  not  only  an  increased  trade  between  these 
islands  and  the  mainland  states  at  greatly  reduced  freight 
rates,  but  also  an  increased  commercial  intercourse  between 
the  Orient  and  the  Occident. 
“Westward  the  course  of  empire  take  its  way” — and  in  these 
days  surely  that  prophesy  is  being  fulfiled,  with  Hawaii  placed 
in  mid  ocean,  by  the  hand  of  Providence,  to  play  her  important 
part  in  the  world’s  great  progress. 
One  of  prophetic  vision  may  see  in  the  years  to  come,  when 
China  has  awakened,  and  our  nation  with  a population  out- 
numbering Europe,  this  greatest  of  all  oceans  as  the  highway 
of  the  world’s  greatest  commerce,  the  Occident  and  the  Orient 
paying  their  tribute  to  progress  in  their  mighty  interchange 
of  material  wealth,  more  and  more  bound  by  the  ties  of 
brotherly  love  because  becoming  more  at  one  in  the  knowledge 
of  laws  that  make  for  mental  and  spiritual  progress. 
Midway  between  these  two  tremendous  expressions  of 
national  power  lies  fair  Hawaii  with  all  that  nature  has  of 
beauty  to  bestow.  “Paradise  of  the  Pacific”  she  has  always 
been,  but  now  “Gibraltar  of  the  Pacific”  as  well.  She  is  the 
military,  naval,  and  sanitary  out-post  of  defense  to  America’s 
western  shores.  No  war  vessel  can  leave  the  Orient,  cross 
the  Pacific,  do  effective  work  on  the  western  coast  of  the 
United  States  and  return  without  coaling  at  Hawaii. 
Important  as  these  Islands  are  as  a military  stronghold, 
still  more  important  are  they,  as  the  commercial  cross  roads  of 
the  Pacific.  So  significant  is  the  position  of  Hawaii,  and  the 
extent  and  character  of  Pearl  Harbor,  that  years  ago  Presi- 
dent Tyler  and  his  Secretary,  Daniel  Webster,  enunciated  a 
sort  of  special  Monroe  doctrine  for  Hawaii,  which  was  main- 
tained by  the  succeeding  President  until  the  time  came  when 
Hawaii  became  part  of  the  Great  Republic. 
O'ther  nations  beside  America  have  been  strong  factors  in 
bringing  Hawaii  into  such  rapid  national  importance.  The 
Spanish  war  brought  about  the  annexation  of  Hawaii.  The 
Japanese  question  developed  her  into  a military  and  naval 
stronghold.  Now  the  harbor  development  so  necessary  for 
the  nation’s  commerce,  with  well  spent  millions  from  the 
national  government  is  progressing.  Let  us  hope  that  in  the 
