Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME LXXIII-NO. 99.
HAWAII'S HOPE.
The Islanders Expecting
Annexation.
WAITING IN SUSPENSE.
Evidences of Monarchical Disin
tegration.
THE FIRST AMERICAN FETE.
Picturesque Scenes and Conditions
in the Rich " Gem of Hie Pacific."
A Monarchical View.
Special Cojrtspotidcnce of Tne Morning Call.
m.ri.r, March 1.1893.
Ill's quiet along the
luanu to-night," and
a "intelligent New
alander" who might
ance to land unex-
Ctedly in the streets
Honolulu would
ircely believe himself
be in tbe midst of
I Honolulu would
;oly believe himself
c in the midst of
it and upheaval of
c law, with grim
volution stalking tin
idden through the
iet thoroughfares.
The latest revolution
these islands ought
go down to history
as the telephone revolution. It was, how
ever, really a very thorough-going and com
plete affair in its execution and achieve
ment, entirely worthy of a larger audience
of the tourist variety than graced it by
attendance. From all accounts it must
have been as entertaining a spectacle as an
exhibition of military tactics by the United
States naval reserve.
I see that some of the San Francisco
papers report that one man was killed.
This is anerror; a native policeman was
wounded, not seriously. The Provisional
Government's council bave made up a
nurse for him of $200, and his salary is to
be paid him regularly until sucli a time as
he shall be able to resume his duties. This,
theoniy shot that took effect during the
whole affair, probably did more than any
thing else to convince would-be reslstauts
that the Provisional Government was in
earnest.
The history of this, the first and last shot
fired during the revolution, is very simple.
On the morning of January 17 Captain
John Good bad been appointed an ordnance
officer. In the discharge of Ills duties it be
came necessary for him to gather up guns
and ammunition available at the different
•tores and transfer them to the armory.
Half-past 2 in the afternoon was the hour
set for the removal of the ammunition from
E. O. Hall & Son's. Mr. Good selectedJMr.
. \ -, !
Captain Gilbert C. Wiltse.
Benner of Castle & Cooke's to drive the
wagon, detailing Edwin .Paris and Fritz
Kowald as guards. Tno ammunition bad
been packed In the morning, the packing
having been more or less supervised by
some policemen wbo were hanging around
with instructions tn watch closely what
was going on. At 2:20 o'clock Mr. Good
proceeded to execute the transfer and or
dered Mr. Bonner to drive rapidly out of the
rear entrance. As the wagon came out of
the gate a policeman crabbed at the reins
and ordered a halt. As the order was dis
regarded the officer blew his whistle, which
was immediately answered by four or five
other policemen, who came running up and
joined in the effort to stop the wagon.
The Fort-street car had just crossed King
and alongside of it was a dray. This com
pletely barred the progress of the wagon.
One of the poli emen seized the bit, but was
warned off ly Mr. Good, revolver in hand.
Ano'her endeavored to climb up, but re
ceived a smart cut with the whip from Mr.
Beiiner. In the meanwhile two policemen
in the rear had been kept off by Paris and
Bowald. On the rear platform of the street
car were J. A. McCandlessand Mr. Mai tin, a
tailor. The latter covered one of the officers
with his revolver, but did not fire. In the
meantime came from McCandless on the
streetcar, from i.. O. White at Hall's and
others calls of "Pull, pull." Warned by
these Mr. Good now faced square around.
One of the officers was coining up at a run,
and when a few feet distant put his band
behind him as though to draw a revolver.
The indications being that some one would
be shot, Mr. Good promptly fired and
the man fell with a bullet in the
shoulder. This ended the effort to
capture the ammunition. The horse* started
forward, and the wagon proceeded up Fort
street, followed by two policemen iv a back
who were kept at a respectful distance by
Paris, who leveled his rifle at them. The
wagon proceeded up Fort street to School,
and then down Punchbowl to the armory,
where they were glad to lee Zicgler's men
already in line. Even the Queen's Guard
had no arguments to advance after that,
and when the incoming regime, having
taken possession of the Government build
ing, decided to pay off the guard and dis
charge their., the Kanaka soldiers received
the news without a murmur, each man
pocketing his pay, shaking bands with the
member of the council who bad informed
him of the new order of things, and
going off in true Kanaka fashion
to have a good time. Immediately
thereafter the ex- captain of the
guard, by order of the Provisional
Government, re-enlisted thirteen of the
men, who, with himself, form the present
guard around the private residence where
Liliuckolani is established. The Govern
ment allowed the ex-Queen this native
guard partly from a desire to "let her down
easy," as it were, and partly as a precau
tionary measure, as it was feared an attempt
might be made upon her life by some anti
monarcbial fanatic. The guard has now
been dismissed, no danger being anticipated.
The ex-Queen still draws her personal sal
ary from the Government, provision having
been made therefor, and the latest report
from official circles is to the effect that both
the and the Princess Kaiulaui are to receive
from the Government $25,000 and Lilluo
kalani is to retain all her personal property
and real estate. The crown lands will, of
course, revert to the state.
Even without such provision from the
new Government "Mrs. Dominis" would be
in no danger of coming to want She has
an .'{-dependent fortune in her own right
and is a shrewd, clear-sighted business
woman, despite the act of besotted folly
thai has cost her a kingdom, who will not bo
apt to let herself be led into financial difli
The Morning Call.
cullies as sbe has been into political hot
water.
• Just who were the ex-Queen's advisers In
her fatal move is a matter of no little con
jecture throughout the kingdom. The pre
vailing impression seems to be that the most
prominent finger in the pie was that of the
redoubtable Sam Parker, at that time Mm -
Ister of the Interior, but it is hardly likely,
that Parker had more to do with it than
thai, when he saw the Queen was deter
mined in the effort to force lier extreme
policy on the country, he aided her in gath
ering ab tut her a Cabinet that would second
her efforts. Probably there is not a man on
the islands better known in the States than
Sam Parker, who has spent a groat deal of
time and an enormous fortune in seeing
life tlier.'. In a talk with me recently be
expressed his belief that in the event of
annexation a period of greater commercial
prosperity was undoubtedly in store for the
islands, but as a nearly full-blooded
Hawaiian he could hardly witness the
downfall of the kingdom of his ancestors
without regret. His own personal belief
was that a monarchy under an American
protectorate was the only form of govern
ment for which the kingdom was yet ready.
Governor A. S. Cleghorn is another Ha
waiian who believes that a monarchy under
a protectorate is the only form of govern
ment for which the country is yet reads'.
As the father of the heli-apparcut to the
throne the Governor could hardly be other
wise minded. I had a long talk with him
on the morning of the arrival of the China
antl even at that late date he expressed liis
conviction that the United States would "do
what is right," i. c., establish the Princess
Kaiulaui on the throne and assume protec
tion over her. The Princess will be of age
this fall, and before the present overthrow
it bad been the intention of those having
her in charge to have her visit the United
States, attend the Columbian Exposition
and spend several months in visiting the
principal American cities and becoming
acquainted with the people. As Kaiulaui
has been kept very much secluded during
her school days in England it was thought
she would see more of the American people
~ i= "^^^^■--^^ ? J -
TUE ISltl STATES FLEET IS IIARROR.
during the trip than she had of these of
England during the four years of her stay
there. Like the ex-Minister of the Interior.
Colonel Cleghorn was inclined to regard the
matter very philosophically. In fact even
the stanchest adherents of the ex-Queen
begin to realize that the Hawaiian goose
has been by her pretty thoroughly cooked.
About toe best summary I have yet *
heard of the whole situation a native gave i
me. "I'm sorry for her," he »".i I. "Sorry ; j
but it looks to me so: Sho know perfectly
well the United States people want to get
control of this Government and she open
the gate wide and say 'Walk right in.'
They had to do it." There is not a states
man in either country who could have put
it more clearly. The ex-Queen knew. if she
knew anything, that neither she nor her
brother lias ever really had the sympathy
or allegiance of the natives. She was well
aware, could she but have profited by her
knowledge, that no detrimental inter
ference on her part would be tolerated by
those who had the progress and peace of
the kingdom at heart. Sbe seems to have
Main Entrance to the Present Residence of
tite Ex-Qneen.
remembered, however, only tho absolute
power wielded so wisely by the Kame
iiamehas and to have forgotten that the
world lias moved and civiliz-ttion has pro
gressed since the days of that dynasty.
The best possible parallel to what Liliuo
kalanl has done would be to Imagine
Queen Victoria to-day suddenly arro
gating to herself the powers held by
Charles 11. At the present stage of the
world's history such a course em her part
would be borne with far less patience by
the English than tlie people of the islands
have shown in their dealings with Liliuo
kalani.
Well, the "revolution" is now passed, and
on Washington's birthday Ilawaiians cele
brated their first national holiday as a part
of the great American people. The cele
bration may have been a little premature,
but the people, at least the large proportion
of them on Oahu and in Honolulu, bave
about made up their minds that they are
American citizens, and are rejoicing accord
ingly. All the stores were closed, and
natives and whites alike went to playing.
There has been a liberal display of red,
white and blue bunting, and about the only
man at work in the island lia3 been John
Chinaman. Even he, however, celebrated
uproariously in the evening. On board the
Mohican in the afternoon Admiral Skerrett,
Commander Ludlow and the officers were
"at home" to nearly the whole town, and
the seamen on board 11. B. V. ship Garnet
and 11. I.J. M. ship Kon-go entered with
those of the United States ships Mohican,
Boston and Alliance into the yacht and
swimming contests arranged for the enter
tainment of the flagship's guests.
Perhaps a few words will not come amiss
anent these Incoming citizens of ours. I
see that one worthy Senator from Texas is
on record as opposed to admitting to the
Union a country whose inhabitants are
"half-civilized savages, and Chinese," etc.
In point of fact there is probably less civili
zation to be found to-day in some parts of
Texas than iv almost any part of the Ha
waiian kingdom. Go where you will upon
any of the islands, and, even among the
very oldest of the natives, yuu will scarcely
find one who cannot read and at least write
his name. Less than 5 per cent of them
cannot both read and write, a showing
scarcely equaled, certainly not surpassed,
hy any other people In the world. Here in
Honolulu it is difficult to realize that one is
not In an American city. Throughout all
the islands the process of Americanization
of the natives is going on very rapidly.
There are 28 native Government schools in
the kingdom, with 29 teachers and 552
pupils, us against 99 English Government
schools with 221 teachers and 7118 pupils.
There are, besides, 41 independent schools,
with some 3012 pupils ami 142 teachers. > Of
the 10,712 pupils In all the schools, 5353 were
, natives, 1866 half-castes, 253 Portuguese,
-- _ - - . "- ■■ ._••'"..
SAX FRANCISCO, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 9, 1893-EIGHT PAGES.
:■":; Chinese, the remainder being divided
among the other nations represented in the
country, Americans predominating, with
nearly 400 pupils. As to the teachers, there
are Tit Ilawaiians, 41 half-castes, 77 Ameri
cans. "9 Britons, 4 Germans and 10 of other
nationalities. I drove recently past oue of
the largest of the English-speaking schools",
to which my native driver called attention
with considerable pride. "Make good na
tives there," he said, with the characteristic
ceurteous smile of his race.
One does not realize until ono lives among
these gentle, polite, good-natured ana
cleanly people how very far from savages
they are. The savagery is undoubtedly
there. Rumor says it showed with appall
ing distinctness in the ex-Queen when she
found herself unable to carry out her de
signs upon the country; but It is only upon
such extraordinary occasions and among
the ruling classes that such outbreaks are
possible. The people in general are pretty
effectually subdued and tamed.
Nevertheless to a large number, perhaps
to a majority, of the educated and intelligent
people of the world the Hawaiian Kingdom
is still "the Sandwich Islands" and the na
tive Hawaiian is a heathen man and a stran
ger. It is the fashion in these days of rapid
transit and electrical communication to
speak of this globe as being very small after
all, but it Is a good-sized sphere, and tho
man who would possess a good working idea
of its magnitude and peoples must acquire
it by something more than chanco or desul
tory study. The sentimentalists who have
of late been writing to the newspapers their
views upon Hawaiian politics would do well
to give the facts a careful study before
launching into invective and reproach of
the United States.
It is difficult perhans to understand, from a
Standpoint several thousand miles distant,
how naturally American predominance in
Hawaii lias come about. While the islands
were first discovered and named by an Eng
lish circumnavigator, ami while Great
Britain, as is her custom, has from time to
time Interfered arbitrarily in Hawaiian af
fairs, the predominant educational and
commercial factors in the upbuilding of the
islands have always been American. It Is
a favorite argument of the anti-annexation
ists that the American capital here In
vested, and which represents neatly two
thirds of the entire business interests of
the kingdom, is not capital brought into the
country by Americans, but made by them
in the country through trade and the de
velopment of its natural resources. A largo
part of the fortunes held in the islands
have, it is true, been acquired here,
but by Americans who brought with
them the necessary capital to begin with,
and what was better than capital the
Yankee pluck and enterprise that have
largely made Hawaiian commerce what it
is to-day. But even their efforts would have
been vain bad It not been for the liberal
fostering policy by which the United States
has favored Hawaiian products. In a word,
the country owes about all it Is, commer
cially, to the United States and to individual
Americans. This is a proposition conceded
even by the bitterest opponents to Ameri
can rule.
The United States lias virtually com
pleted a commercial conquest of the king
dom, and by perfectly natural and well
understood economic laws a political union
between the two countries was sooner or
later Inevitable. It might have b*"ten many
years before it was consummated had not
the headlong and obstinate folly of the
ex-Queen precipitated the present revolu
tion. There is on the whole a remarkably
harmonious and friendly relationship
between the Americans and tlio natives.
A number of the former have married native
wives and have established • family as well
as commercial relationships with the life
of the glands and the old order of things.
An interesting feature of the whole situa
tion is the intelligent and active interest
taken by the native women in the present
turn of affairs. They seem equally well
Informed with the men and equally con
cerned tor the best good of the kingdom.
I talked on the day of the Australia's ar
rival with a native lady, who with her
husband was paving calls and who had
been one of the ex - Queen's ladies - in
waiting. I had asked her what she thought
of the latest news from the States. "lam
very thankful about it," she said in her
slow, sweet, half-hesitant way. "It is sad
to see the old life pass away; of course we
all feel that, hut tho country was going to
ruin; some change bad to come, and this is
the only natural one under the circum
stances, I think we all feel that It is for
the best."
Another native lady who is avowedly
jubilant over the present state of affairs is
that stanch friend of the Americans, the
Queen Dowager Kapiolanl. The Queen
Dowager is a thoroughly progressive and
intelligent woman, though with less English
at her command than a great many of the
native Indies, and she has always liked the
Americans. Sho is ready, whenever oppor
tunity offers, to put In a good word for
them, ana to contradict the ridiculous re
port that the royalists in their desperation
have given wide circulation among tho na
tives—that in the event of American rule
they will all be enslaved. This report has
really been by them very generally credited,
A disaffected native, long a member of the
royal household, tells me that the greater
number of them believe that the people of
the United Slates will come in great num
bers and compel them to plow the land and
cultivate the rice fields, two tilings which
tbo natives absolutely refuse to do.
The Queen Dowager is not the only one of
the ex-Queen's family relations who is in
sympathy with American rule. No less a
character than Prince Cupid himself, whose
elder brother Is even now in the United
States as the Queen's envoy, applied, when
the trouble first broke oui, to enlist in the
volunteer forces of the Provisional Govern
ment, declaring himself willing and glad to
shoulder a musket and guard the pnlnco
gate against all adherents of his royal aunt.
It was feared, however, that this was car
rying things a little too far, and the revolu
tionists advised him to stay out. He is,
however, very frank in bis expressions of
satisfaction with the new order.
I had a pleasant encounter, a day or two
after the Australia arrived with the latest
news regarding the treaty, with a number
of the poorer native women. 1 was in the
fish market, the great Saturday-afternoon
rendezvous of the native population, when
one of these women rushed up to me and
seizing my hand began talking volubly in
Hawaiian, at the same time falling out to
her companions, "Amerikinyl Ameriklny!"
In a moment I was surrounded by a
chattering throng, who patted my shoulders,
shook my hands, softly clapping theirs to
gether and making every demonstration of
pleased good will. By companion told me
that they knew me for the American news
paper woman, and were merely Haying they
were glad lo see me and wished mo well.
When I spoke of the encounter tn a native
lady, a member of the late Queen Emma's
household, she told me that the women
really seemed to have a more Intelligent
and just Idea of the situation than the men.
She, herself, was delighted with the change,
and predicted a now era of prosperity for
Hawaii nei. When the women of a coun
try feel that way bo sure you are not far
from a correct estimate of what the men
think upon the same matter. V ,*'
I drove out of town one day, not long
since, and on a quiet road, back iv the
midst of a field, I espied one of tbe
fast-disappearing native homes— a curi
ously constructed grass hut. The£e are
growing very rare now, nearly every
native having his comfortable cottage.
So leaving the carriage I dropped over
a low stone wall crossed the fields, where
the low-headed, humped-backed Chinese
cattle were grazing, climbed a fence or two
and arrived at the grass hut. No ono was at
home, but knowing no exception would be
taken, I undid the cotton string that fas
tened the door and was about to enter when
an old, old woman camo from a neighboring
cottage and advanced toward me. These
people do not age early, and I think this
woman in list have been nearly 90 years old,
but her step was firm and her eyes were as
bright as any girl's. She gave me the uni
versal native greeting, "Aloha," but after
that it began to look as though lurther com
munication was out of the question, for not
a word of English spoke she; not a syllable
of the flowing, melodious Hawaiian had I
at command save one word, kil (picture), by
which, at tbe same time exhibiting my
faithful kodak, I made clear to her that 1
wanted to gai a snap shot. I think she
sprang a good yard into the air as with wild,
gestures and rapid tongue she began talking
to me In Hawaiian. In the midst of her
confused utterance I made out the word,
"liolokou," the name of the loose-flowing
native feminine dress, and inferred that
even here the ruling feminine passion
was strong. She wanted to change her
aress and prink a little fore sitting
for her photographs. I plead guilty to
meanly taking a shot at her during Iter pro
test, but she never knew it, and after con
siderable pantomime coaxing I finally per
suaded her to sit down, native fashion, by
the door of her hut while I secured a coun
terfeit presentiment of the whole beautiful
scene.
This is no place to expatiate upon the
exquisite turns and coloring of almost
any Hawaiian landscape, and besides they
beggar description. The real interest to tra
in this adventure lay in the closing scone.
As 1 was departing my aged friend held out
one wrinkled, dusky hand for the cordial
handshake that is always given here. As 1
laid mine in her clasp she covered it with her
other one, and looking at mo with her shin,
ing black eyes she said to me, "Ameriky
I nodded and smiled, whereupon she patted
my band softly, grinning until she showed
not only every tooth iv her head, but every
place — far more numerous — where teeth had
been, but were no longer. As I stood there
1 would have given much for the power to
communicate with this aged sister of mine,
but 1 was forced to satisfy myself with put
ting a little extra fervor into the "Aloha"
with which I left her.
So far as 1 am able to judge, the natives
seem, of all people in the islands, most In
different to the turn affairs may take. As
one of the poorer class remarked to me,
vlX"*^?!. *w' s*«i '^S£
X'ativa in thm Famous oilier Cloak of
of Jxttillthttllirltn the Gi'ttlt.
with a genuinely French shrug of the shoul
der, "All white man's trouble. We no in
it." Many of the half-whiles, on the con
trary, appear to entertain a strong resent
ment against the Provisional Government, a
sentiment doubtless due to the fact that it
was an Important part of the policy, both of
Kalakaua and of his sister, to conciliate and
cater to the hall-whites, a class embodying,
as a rule, all the vices of the while man
with few of the virtues of either lace. The
rallylng-cry of the anti-foreign party —
"Hawaii tor the Ilawaiians"— means, if
acts are Indication of ideas and motives,
"Hawaii for the half-castes."
If some of the Eastern newspaper writers
who have been so free in telling the people
of the United States what they do not know
about Hawaii bad merely thought to avail
themselves of the returns from iho latest
census, they would have avoided making at
least a few of the many blunders Into which
they have fallen. In 1890 the total popula
tion of the islands was 89,990, of which 34,
--426 were natives. GlB6 half-castes, 1928
Americans, 1344 Britons, 1034 Germans,
8602 Portuguese, 12,360 Japanese, 15,301
Chinese. 227 Norwegians, 70 French, Poly
nesians 688, other foreigners 419, and
Hawaiian-born of foreign parentage 7497.
The Chinese and Japanese are all, or nearly
all, imported contract laborers, a system
prevailing here to an enormous extent, and
are not enfranchised.
The Chinese immigration Is largely
on the decrease, while that from Japan
is Increasing In July last there were
only about 14,705 Chinese in the coun
try and 17,685 Japanese. There are 2091
registered Portuguese voters, the same
number that was in the country when their
further registration was cut off under the
constitution of 1887. The Portuguese, too. are,
for the most part, contract rets, from
the Azores. This same question of
contract labor is bound to boconie a serious
one in the islands in the event of annexa
tion. Just now the planters have all the
labor lliey need imported for them by the
Government, and under existing terms they
are paying about $15 per month to each
laborer. If a laborer becomes dissatisfied
and runs off, tbo police authorities hunt
bim up and return him to duly; If one is
refractory or refuses to work, the strong
arm of the law reaches out to lay bold upon
him and reason with him "for his own
good." He generally finds it will conduce
to his well being to go back to his knitting.
Those I have seen are a sorry-looking lot,
and such planters and millmen as I have
talked with admit freely that as laborers
they are not worth much. There are con
tracts for labor entered into by the
Hawaiian Government extending for about
five years from the present time, which will
have to be held to, and for which treaty
provisions will undoubtedly be made; but,
of course, under United States law, no more
may be entered into, and certainly if con
tracts are not mado free labor can never
be procured at existing contract prices.
So-called free labor is just now
cheaper than the contract labor," be
cause since tho McKiuley bill became
a law, the planters, who are now only
miking what in California would bo
deemed legitimate profits where, before,
under the reciprocity treaty, they were
realizing 50, CO and even 75 per cent profits
from sugar, have forced all save contracted
wages down. Enormous fortunes have
bet made hero in the last few years; beau
tiful houses have sprung up on every hand ;
the people are hospitable, generous, cul
tured, leisurely. Nature has surrounded
them with physical conditions of such ex
quisite beauty and favor as must be seen
to be appreciated, and life In the "paradise
of the Pacific" is a dream of loveliness. At
present, however, and for a year or more
past, owing to the unstable nature of the
Government, capitil has fought chy of Ha
waiian commercial projects, and but for a
few American enterprises the commercial
stagnation. in the kingdom would, have
been complete. With a revolution every
eighteen months business men are slow to
risk their ventures upon these troubled
seas. With annexation, however, or in
fact with any good Government that
affords any promise of a perma
nent tenure, an era of commercial
prosperity is bound to dawn upon the
islands. Hera are the potentialities of a
rich, fertile and productive country, only
needing a little capital and enterprise and
the assurance of political security to make
this fair spot bring forth fruit in abundance
for the delight of the nations of the earth.
One may drive for miles here through the
hills, where not a vestige of cultivation
appears, and where the whole country, on
either side of the road, is a tangled mass of
guava bushes, sending their delicate fra
grance abroad for miles and dropping their
luscious fruits lo decay untouched uDon tho
earth, enough going to waste every season
to supply delicious jelly for half the United
States.
Ten thousand bunches of bananas are
shipped every month to San Francisco,
but this is not an item compared with what
might be done. With Pearl Harbor opened
bananas from tlio new plantations now
being put under cultivation along the coast
could be cut on the morning a
steamer sailed, put on board and
landed in San Fraucisco in a
condition to admit of shipment further
East. He who would know this fruit in Its
delicious perfection, however, must como to
Hawaii and taste them fresh from the trees
and golden ripe. The banana, in the day
of the tabu, was a sacred fruit, and tabu
to women; it is still within the memory of
the oldest Inhabitant how a little native girl
bad one eye taken out as penalty for eating
a banana— had she been grown she would
have lost her life; but now this royal fruit
Is free as salt water; at least a United
States nickel will purchase a dozen or two
fat, luscious beauties, and for a quarter you
can get a whole bunch. Pineapples, too,
grow here in abundance and of the finest
quality. The industry is yet in its infancy,
but there can be no doubt but that it is des
tined to become a leading one in the islands.
Hawaiian rice brings the very highest prices
in the San Francisco market. A* a lover of
coffee I am prepared to speak with enthu
siasm of the beverage prepared from the
Kona berry, It is second only to the finest
mocha, but, left for years to the desultory
cultivation given it by the natives the an
nual crop is insufficient to supply even the
home demand. There are now about 1000
acres in old coffee through north and south
Kona, where there might be many more.
Several plantations have al-o been put
under cultivation on the otlier islands, and,
properly pushed, this should become a
great industry in the kingdom.
A trial of tea culture is also being made
just now at Makaweli, another nt Kukui
haele on Hawaii and a third at Kona with
results so favorable that a number of other
plantations are contemplated. Cocoanuts
abound in the islands and a large number
of oichards are being set out. One Ameri
can gentleman has this month been super
intending the setting out of 2.">00 trees on
his place along the coast near Pearl Har
bor. The cocoanuts grow on the seashore
where nothing else will, and although the
trees are ten or twelve years in coming to
bearing they yield thereafter, for genera
tions large and profitable crops. Thoy are
a very useful tree; not only the nuts, but
the. busks, the fibrous coverings of tbe clus
ters and even the leaves have each a dis
tinct commercial value.
The .castor oil plant grows wild in many
parts of the Islands and inn beans go to
waste, although Hawaii itself annually uses
some SISOO worth of oil for medlnical pur
poses alone.
There are a largo number of valuable
plants growing in the country that could be
put to commercial use, as ramie, sisal, aloe
and olona, of which the natives used to make
their fishing lines and the lace foundations
of their wonderful feather cloaks.
Before the whole country went wild on
the subject of sugar considerable go id bay
and grain was grown in the islands, but
there is none now save tie sparse, watery
Bermuda grass which the Chinamen culti
vate and harvest by means of a line and
rake, hoeing it up roots and all, raking it
over and shaking out the dirt, nnd then
Si m
Sugar Cane Going to Villi.
baling it in curious little band presses. Only
the native ponies and cattle will eat this
stuff; horses brought from the Slates will
not touch it, nor do they do well on the
green pasturage, so all the hay used in the
stables here is brought from California,
and sells for $28 a ton. There seems little
use in expecting that the natives will ever
attempt to develop the agricultural re
sources of the country. So long as taro
grows plentifully, and there are yet good
fish in the sea, they will make their poi and
catch tlie fish, which they eat raw, and
With two- bits in bis pocket to buy gin
nothing will induce the average native to
work. They arc good workers, under a
superintendent, but it is hard to keep them
at it. They do not even now cultivate
their own tnro patches any more.
Most of these have passed to Chi
nese ownership, and the hard - working,
mad - grubbing Celestial raises the
Kanaka's chief article of food on what was
once the Kanaka's soli, and sells to him
what once lie was content to grow himself.
Talk lib nit robbing the natives of their
country; they sold every square foot of it,
long ago, and the most of them have swal
lowed tho price ere this. There is a proposi
tion now talked of, among the island states
men, which has to do with dividing the
crown mid Government lands among the
native Ilawaiians. This seems like a meas
ure of justice, and yet it is highly probable
that, were such a plan put into execution,
half of them would, unless prevented by
specific legislation, in six months' time sell
their little holdings to Chinaman and spend
the proceeds in having a good time.
Ido not think It can be said, with any
degree of truthfulness, that the natives
really want annexation. Tho majority of
them would doubtless favor an American
protectorate, but it is not in reason to sup
pose that they like to see their native king
dom swallowed up in a greater power.
There are plenty, even among those of
American parentage, children of tho early
missionaries, who feel much the same way,
and are at a loss to say what they do want.
The natives, though, want, in a word,
better times, a condition of tilings that will
bring more money into the country. Capi
tal, ever timid, has been driven from the
islands almost altogether, by the uncertain
tenure of the Government, and tho natives,
perhaps more than any other class, have
felt the pinch. They want better times and
they do notcaie who brings them. There
is probably not one In the Kingdom who is
prepared to waste any sentimental regret
over the downfall of the house of Kalakaun.
To their way of thinking monarchy van
ished when tbe tabu was raised. This sys
tem, common to all the Polynesian races,
reached its height in the Hawaiian Islands.
It covered the entire life of the people with
a ceremonial beside which that of the He
brews under the most Pharasaic age of ttie
law was mere child's play. li was tabu for
men and women to eat together, or even to
have their food cooked in the same room.
In every household the house of Idols and
the men's eating-house were tabu to women.
Pork, bananas, cocoanuts, turtles and cer
tain sorts of fish were tabu to women.
When a Kanaka went fishing and cast in
his net there were certain fish that
were tabu to all but the chief; certain
that he must reserve for the high, priest
some that ho could reserve for himself, and
others still that he must put back into the
water. There were temporary tabus as
well, where no fire might be lighted, or tapa
beaten, or pol pounded; where no sound
could be uttered on pain of death; where
even the dogs were muzzled and the fowls
shut up, that they might make no noise. It
was tabu to enter the presence of a chief
without prostrating oneself, or to touch his
person. Certain of the chiefs were so tabu
that it was death to look upon them, and
the whole social structure on the islands
was so interwoven with these superstitions
and customs that when they were done
away with the entire fabric collapsed. The
King was no longer a sacred personage, the
ancient gods were cast down, one man was
as good as another and no one of them en
titled to more respect than another.
Thus reasoned the Ilawaiians, who, after
the overthrow of the tabu and before Chris
tianity was so universally adopted by them,
were practically a people without a religion.
The leveling ideas that then took root in the
kingdom have steadily grown until through
out the islands the natives are thorough
going democrats, who balleve themselves to
be quite tbe equal* of the chiefs and kings,
for without the tabu all men are alike. The
poor native now might look at the King to
his heart's content, were tliere one, while
the King, on his part, could do no more titan
look upon his humblest subject, so long as
that subject was within the law. The whole
subject was a difficult one for the half-savage
mind to grasp, and, as might be expected, he
grasped it wrong end foremost.
There are a few with whom I have talked
among the natives who appear to feel some
timidity as to what the result for them may
be of annexation. "S'pose we be slaves?"
1 was asked by one, and several of the resl
■;-•■ .-■■-.■■■■.■■■..'...■■:.■■■■ ■ . ■■.■■: ■* . ■ :■ '-■■■ -"■,■■ : --. .'■ . •■ - ■..'■■ ■; ..* .t ■.■■....■. .-..-.■ .■;.
RELICS OF DEPARTIXG ROYALTY CARTED AWAY FROM TUE PALACE-
dents here tell me that similar fears have
been expressed to them by the older natives,
whose naturally submissive disposition and
ignorance of English have rendered them
an easy prey to such demagogues and sensa
tionalists as have been interested in pictur
ing to tliem the horrors awaiting them
under American rule. It will take many years
of wise and just government by the United
States to reassure these timid ones wbo
stand trembling on the brink of this great
change.
No matter what one's point of view may
be, one cannot but regard these tears and
prejudices of the natives with genuine re
spect. Tbey are, for all their Intelligence, a
childish, extravagant, half-baked people,
full ol caprice, aud as they have fully dem
onstrated, utterly incapable of self-govern
ment. Native Cabinets and Ministers under
Kalakaua plunged the Government deeply
in debt, native councilors have wrought
I.tliuokalaui's downfall, and native policy,
when carried out, has inevitably resulted in
misfortune to the kingdom. Left to them
selves the native rulers would soon succeed
in shipwrecking the commerce and pros
perity of the islands and reducing the coun
try to the state of semi-barbarism which
seems to have been the ex-Queen's idea of
progress, but this, of course, is a proposi
tion with which the natives do not wholly
agree. They are not able fully to see that
annexation will mean for the country in
creased security and prosperity and a more
advanced position among the nations of the
world, and their fears are as genuine, their
grief as deep nnd sincere, their forebodings
as rial and as formidable (to them),
and their entire attitude as deserving of
tender sympathy as would be that of
American citizens under similar trial on a
greater scale. So far us they, as a people,
are concerned, tliere is no humorous side
to tlie situation; it is one of purest tragedy,
and one that contains, moreover, the ele
ments both of a great and mutual blessing
to both nations concerned, or of a great and
undying horror for one and cf lasting shame
to the other. -.7
If by taking the Hawaiian Islands into
the Union, our home Government may shape
for them a policy that will bring prosperity
and happiness to the Hawaiian people, and
honor to the Government, well and good;
but if the carpet-bagger is allowed to claim
the kingdom for his own ; if the officers and
governors of the country are allotted on the
spoils system, and the territory is allowed
to fall victim to the professional politician,
then better, far better, that the islands
should be left to work out their own salva
tion unhelped and unhindered by our Gov
ernment, which has already as heavy a bur
den of political corruption and misrule ana
shame as she can well carry and hold up
her head among the nations of the earth.
Whatever the United States may decide
to do, this much is certain that monarchy
is as dead in the islands as though it had
been a thousand years buried. Even the
natives see this. Native rule has had its
day here, and the commercial element, the
element which represents all the power,
money and property in the country, will
never submit to it again. The Provisional
Government is strong enough, rich enough
and sufficiently equipped to maintain itself,
assume permanent shape and administer
the affairs of the country, unless there
should be interference from Great Britain
or some other power. The men who par
ticipated In the present overthrow are de
termined that this shall be the last revolu
tion in tbe kingdom, and it probably will
be. The natives, even should they desire to
resist, are too uncertain themselves as to
what they want to unite in any concerted
action. They have no money, no arms, no
leaders, and really no cause save their
ancient traditions, which have so far lapsed,
since the overthrow of the tabu, as to make
no very powerful appeal to their national
pride. Their gods, their kings, their ancient
ceremonial, their land«, their national life
have all vanished. They themselves are
dying out at the rate of nearly 1000 a
year, and but a handful are left of
the huud reds of thousands that once
swarmed In the islands. Go anywhere
in the interior, and you will see the queer
stone fences still inclosing the little home
steads once held by the natives,
now abandoned, their whilom occu
piers dead and gone, but the pathetic
little patches by their small size
and location, often away up on the barren
mountain tops, still bearing mute testimony
to the ancient density of the population.
Remains of tho old fishponds still exist,
the artificial cultivation of fish being ren
dered necessary by the great numbers ot
people depending upon the finny tribes for
their food supply. Like the little Kuleanas,
the fishponds are now useless and abandon
ed, last filling up ami disappearing.
in a very few years there will be no native
race iv the Hawaiian I lauds, save those
| born of foreign parentage. Some foreign
power must inevitably assume control of
the country, and tbere 13 no such power
whose interests are so directly and largely
at stake as are those of the United States.
To enlarge upon this point would be to in
dulge in mere truisms; the conclusion Is
irresistible. We must annex the islands or
see thera pass into the control of a foreign
power and become a constant menace on
our frontier. -.77
DISMANTLING THE PALACE.
•'Clearing Out" the Costly Treasures
of Deposed Royalty.
By accident I was afforded a passing
glimpse of the ex-Queen a few days ago, as
j she sat In her private parlor, accompany
ing herself on the grand piano while she
sang, in a sweet aud pleasing voice, an
Hawaiian national air. She was attired In
a white, loess robe, and literally draped in
the peculiar wreaths of yellow flowers with
j which it is an Hawaiian custom to decorate
those whom they desire to honor. The lei
is the insignia of triumph, and the Queen's
adherents daily bring their offerings of these
wreaths In token of their fidelity and faith
in tho ultimate triumph of her cause.
Liliuokalani was a striking and picturesque
figure, sitting there, and no one seeing her
could dream that she was other than a
happy and successful woman.
The palace Is closed to all visitors, but
owing to the fact that the marines from the
Boston are occupying the legislative chant
j ber the Provisional Government finds itself
very greatly pressed for room, and has or
dered the palace cleaned and put in readi
! ness for Government use. By special per
mit The Call's correspondent was allowed
to pass through the building at a very in
teresting time. When the Provisional Gov
ernment decided to convert the palace to its
own use it was found that a good deal of
personal property belonging to the outgoing
regime was still in the building. These
articles were being taken away, to be ulti
i mately divided between the Queen Dowager
Kapiolani, Princess Kaiualaui and the ex
j Queen. Loaded upon one-horse trucks,
I like the household goods of any evicted
Tar Flat family, the relics of departing
royalty presented a touching spectacle.
There were jeweled swords from India and
Japan, gold-bound jars and boxes from
France and Spain, a collection of curious
and costly pipes, books, rare curios and
bric-a-brac of every nature lying in careless
heaps in every corner and even upon the
steps of the palace pavement. The sacred
tabu stick of the royal house, with Its
golden ball bearing the royal arms,
stood like a captive monarch amid
a pile of rubbish in the basement,
and piled up iv a room near it
were the bags of sand that had been used
as a barricade by 'he defenders of the pal
ace in the last revolution but one. Outside,
in one truck, a marble Venus gazed sadly
down upon a great urn of polished wood,
mounted In gold that had been presented to
King Kalakaua by one of the crowned heads
of Europe. On a cushion in a corner, upon
its side, lay the duplicate of the crown with
a curiously carved staff across it where it
had been thrown by some careless hand. A
workiogman's jumper hung upon the back of
the throne chair of the Kamehamehas. This
chair is now in one of the reception-rooms,
it having been superseded in the throneroom
Contract Laborers.
by a more modern and comfortable seat. In
truth the old throne chair is anything but
comfortable to a man of modern stature.
"There were giants in those days," and the
Kaniehnmeiias were among them. Tbey
were all men of commanding and unusual
stature and majestic proportions— a race set
apart to rule and honored by the people as
their sttK^ssors have never been.
Thrown over a railing, in the basement,
was the famous feather cloak of Katne
hanieha I, the same that hangs from the royal
shoulders in the old picture of this monarch.
This feather clonk, a robe of state, was
valued during Kalakau i's reign at $100,000.
The groundwork is a fine netting of olona
or native hemp, to which the small delicate
feathers of bright yell color are attached,
so as to overlap each othei, forming a per
fectly smooth surface. The birds which
produced these feathers werehnneysuckers,
living on tho nectar of the flowers of the
(hi.i, banana and the larger lobelias. They
were caught by means of branches smeared
with sticky papain gum and well baited
with their favorite flowers. As these birds
were very rare, nnd each had but one little
tuft of the yellow feathers under each wing
the iiiamn or feather cloaks were costly and
rare, and long in the process of manufac
ture. This particular cloak of Knmehameha
I is said to have occupied nine generation
of kings in its construction. I picked the
poor discarded insignia of royalty up and
threw it over the shoulders of a splendid
looking native who was nailing up some
boxes, and by means of signs asked him to
stand up while I got a "snap-shot" at him.
Someone picked up the handle of a feather
banner that lay on the floor and thrusting it
into his hand showed him where to pose,
and the result was vory striking. I after
ward took another shot at him as a fine
specimen of bis race.
The throneroom and library were very
little disarranged, the furnishings being
mainly Government property, but the cham
bers of the departed Queen and her immedi
ate family presented a sad appearance of
dismantlement. I sat in thosoat of royalty,
upon the throne, and found it a very com
fortable chair. The late Vlce-Charaber
lain, a half-white native and a loyal ad
herent of the ex-Queen, accompanied me in
my rounds. What he may have felt at see
ing his national lares and penates thus cast
down by ruthless hands was not apparent
in a single looK or gesture. Gentle, Intelli
gent, courteous, kind, he opened every
door, answered every question, explained
every decoration, and was very thoughtful
in calling my attention to the various beau
tiful views from the palace windows, and
in opening for me a number of cases con
taining jewels, swords and pipes belonging
to the late King, but be volunteered no re
marks, and remained sedulously in the
TRICE FIVE CENTS.
background when not addressed. A more
perfect combination of courteous ciceronage
and self-respecting aloofness I have never
beheld.
HONOLULU CELEBRATES.
The First Observance There of aa
American Holiday.
There was a buzz of excitement In the air
of Honolulu at an early hour on the morn
ing of February 22. It was hoped, almost
against hope, that the Incoming Australia
might brinE the welcome news that the con
summation devoutly to be wished had actu
ally occurred.
"The Australia is off Waimanalo," was
the message flashed over hundreds of tele
phones, while yet most of the people were
at breakfast. Half an hour later, "The
Australia is off Koko Head." ran the word,
and long ere tho earner had rounded Dia
mond Head and was steaming up past Wai
kiki the wharf and streets leading thereto
were black with people. By the time the
good ship was berthed a carriage could not
get within two squares of the wharf, and
the whole populace was in a quiver uf ex
citement.
"What's the news?"
"Are we annexed?"
"Is this American soil?"
"Is the treaty arranged?"
Question alter question shot up from the
crowd, assailing the passengers, who, from
the upper deck of the Australia, gnzeddow.i
upon the excited throng.
From the wharf, when the mails had been
landed, the crowd surged to the postoffice
and the office of the Hawaiian News Com
pany, and then began a great rush to pro
cure papers and letters. It seemed as if the
entire population must have turned out to
hear the news. Officers and members of the
Provisional Government came down by twos
and threes, aud were pressed 011 every side
by eager questioners, anxious for "some
thing official" on burning question of the
hour.
On the further side of the street, carrying
an Important-looking bag, came the ex-
Queen's ex-Chamberlain, a dapper little
Scotchman, accompanied by the Vice-Cham
berlain, a slim, handsome young half-caste,
who elbowed his way through the crowd to
the box-delivery, procured from the ex-
Queen's box sundry documents, which Mr.
Robertson hastened to clap into the bag, and
the two hastened away, followed by many a
curious gaze from the waiting crowd.
Little, brown-legged Kanaka boys darted
in and out ol the mass of people struggling
toward the postoffice windows, and shouted
at each oilier in the delicious, purring,
flowing Hawaiian tongue, and as I watched
them I could not but wonder which one of
them as "the Senator from Oahu" would
some day catch the Speaker's eye at Wash
ington, and rise to present the claims of
Pearl Harbor upon the national treasury.
They are born orators, these Kanakas, and
the future statesman will doubtless make
an eloquent plea in that good cause. Dark
faced women, in their flowing holokous,
rode by on horseback, and stopped to put a
question or two to the native policeman,
who surveyed the scene from the corner;
jubilant Americans, quietly elated Germans
and excited Portuguese residents stopped
beside the carriage in which I sat, wailing
to exchange pleased comments on the favor
able nature of the news received.
"It's as good as settled, I think," said
one, as be bade me good-morning. "I guess
we're all good Americans, and I'm going
K3 i^gigMSg^g^^
=sWlnßli m ■' ' "h-f- — *- A^^«-i. '
I Sat in the Stat of Roi/altg ami Found It
a Very Comfortable Chair.
home to celebrate our first national holiday."
There was many an anxious face among
the natives. ''What United States done to
us?" my native driver asked me as he saw
me rending the latest Call. "I guess
they've annexed you by this time," I re
plied. "How do you like that idea?" There
was the usual shrug of the shoulders and
ducking of the head, as if to avoid the ques
tion. "No cau* tell," he said, and immedi
ately seemed to lose all lnlerest in the sub
ject.
Well, the people seem to have settled
down to a belief that the country is a part
of the United States, and the first American
holiday ever celebrated in the islands was
observed with marked distinction. All tho
stores were closed in the afternoon, and the
city took on a general gala air. The water
front was thronged in the afternoon with
spectators of the boatraccs and swimming
contests engaged in by the men from "the
different warships in the harbor.
Admiral Skerrett and Commander Lud
low, with tbe officers of the flagship, were
at home to x heir friends on board the Mohi
can, and the five men-of-war presented a
beautiful appearance under their liberal
display of bunting. There was a large
turnout of citizens from II nolulu, all
eager to pay their respects to the admiral,
and every nationality on the island was
represented, although, of course, Americans
were in the ascendency. There was danc
ing on deck, (or those who wished to in
dulge in that amusement; there were foot
races, sack races and a potato-race, the
honors of which were pretty equally divided
among tlio different national!! repre
sented by the ships. In the swimming
race, which closed the programme of the
day, Kouit-he, of the Con-go, proved him
self the best of the twelve men who entered,
and wou the race, followed, about live
yards in the rear, by a Mohican man. The
four boatraces of the day were all won by
entries from 11. B. M.'s ship Garnet, whoso
men proved again and again their prowess
at the oar.
In the evening, the Chinese residents,
having received permission Irom the mar
shal of the islands, celebrated the eventful
day by a liberal display ol fireworks, which
apparently went a long way toward con
vincing the natives that annexation would
be a good thins for the country.
WORKING SMOOTHLY.
The Provisional Government Pursues
a Conservative Course.
The news from Washington, brought by
the Australia, while by no means final, was
received with general rejoicing by two
thirds of the people of Honolulu. The man
who the day before bad been ready to de
clare that "Not one in twenty-five wants
annexation" was not out on the street that
day— at all events be was not heard from.
All is very quiet in Ihe islands and mat
ters are woiking very smoothly. The Pro
visional Government lias repealed the lot
tery and opium bills and has generally
manifested a disposition to pursue a wise
aud conservative course in the difficult po
sition in which it is placed.
Beyond a doubt one great secret of the
success that has attended this movement
has been the character of the men who are
its leaders.
Sanford P. Dole, the Provisional Presi
dent, is a man whoso integrity of character
and soundness of judgment has never beeu
assailed by any one. Ho was burn in
the islands, held a high position under
the late Government, and enjoys the fullest
degree of confidence and esteem, both with
the native and foreign population. Of the
