The San Francisco call. [volume], August 23, 1898, Page 7, Image 7

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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HISTORY TURNS THE PAGE ON
WHICH HAWAII'S NAME IS WRITTEN
LITTLE REPUBLIC
OF THE PACIFIC
IS OF THE PAST
Island Flag* Comes Down and the
Stars and Stripes Are
Hoisted.
Ceremony Made Simple Out of Consideration
for the Feelings of the Na
tives.
BY ALICE RIX.
. :■/. ' ; : Special Correspondence of The Call.
:.:■:■ ftONQLULU, Aug. 16.— The Flag of
TLvwaii- is fallen. The little troubled
Republic is no more. The Queen Island
. . of ih<» Pacific is become a subject of
the United States of America. History
■has 1 turned the page on which Hawaii's
. .nanie- is written.
■';-..'• F-hnri. the Executive Building — once a
■"Palace where crowned heads were laid
. .t<V their uneasy sleep, from thf Judicial
.Bunding, before which a bronze Kame
: '._ h'tiraeha. King and Conqueror, stands,
. !.~£roni the color sergeant's standard of
"the" Hawaiian Regiment which was
. : banded by a king, from the Kamehame
..ha Schools, endowed by the daughter
oi"a" royal house, from Lunalllo House,
' airing's gift to his needy poor, fr<>m
■.library and museum, school and hall.
'founded by kings, built by kings, en
r. Flched by kings, called after kings,
there floats to-day the banner of the
greatest republic the world has ever
■.kno.wri.
- 1 love the look of it against all skies,
.'against all winds. I love the stars upon
.'.•■■ its heavenly plain, the red that bars
its stainless field. I love its story and
11s significance, its history' and its
: 'promise. I cannot see it floating any
where, raised over any land without .1
•• quie"k.- wurm Joy to know it waves. Hut
■: hi;re, s>n above the standard of this
-.;' friendly people, so gentle, sorrowful,
■ .unwilling, the proud, new sight of it is
tit \o make me weep. It is the emblem
of liberty which has Hawaii in the
...leash. It is the banner of free
dorjy which deprives her of her
H.wn rifehta to be free. The taking
; ; jpf these Islands by a stronger nation
■..was .inevitable. Ours was the nearest
hand. Wh needed them — or at least
.*: : : we -needed that they should go to;
pone beside ourself. And so we took
■ ..•Ihen/i-.- deliberately, imperially, as Great
Mritain would have taken them, and ;
•^called. our net-d—, >r our greed— by the
■" fflne names of military necessity and the
■".salVation of Hawaii; and so, perhaps, it
: -/is one or the other or both according
' /to the laws of man and the policy of'
empires. Only there is the law of God :
■(md.the traditions of a Republic. If
America had gathered this little vexed
• l;;nd .to her broad bosom as a mother
"takes a troubled chin!, had she estab- j
•■..fished here a protectorate and left Ha- !
.. wuii her name, her (lag. her country'
. .her identity, the History of these
. United States would hay,- shown a
■ gleaner page. If this is to be America's
'.policy, -what lessons do republics teach
. to kings?
•■ \Oh. little monarchy crushed on Free
■. dprri's breast: Oh. lltti.- Republic lost
in Freedom's arms! Oh! poor flag,' low
ered-by Freedom's flag! Oh people
.bound to Freedom's wheel' oh might!
■Oh right! oh Justice! oh tyranny'!
<>h liberty: Oh bondage: Oh world' '
. Friday, the twelfth day of August
.;• came- weeping from the skies. The
• '.dawn -was dismal and the noon was i
.worse.. ..Clouds brooded over the moun
".. tains, the rain fell in the valleys. The
. vbceanwas dull, thick, oily as paint. A
; .' pregnant calm lay on the world. A
•Strange, gray pall hung between earth
.'and .sky. The sun burned through it as
rdyless heat. People on the street went I
'. about. Saying it was earthquake
• .weather. People in the houses opened
' ; d'.-Ars; v.nd windows, gasped the sultry
' ■air- and -Looked upon the sky.
•-• Tf>w.ai?Q 10 o'clock the rain came down
'. from .the valleys and fell fitfully in the
-.t'owni-^frot ■ the light, inconsequential.
i] .sprinkles which fall daily on the
;jtjst'and the unjust of Honolulu, without
.. "tljje .'•power to wilt an organdie or take
„ ' the •pouriLg.e from a feather, but a fine.
s-i.ft; .soaking, melancholy rain, which
; nn(iSlred,the roads and hung great drip
.. ping "curtains from the trees. The pro
■ •c'efjsio.n. -of ducks and organdies in the
. Street's: piit up great, black silk umbrel
las. !anti .plodded wetly to the Executive
;. grpuHds-.- There was no shelter except
In the lOose-thatched arbors, through
•; w;hich.|'i£!ie rain poured as through a
; sl.'jye. .. .'. ;"
.!■■'. The platform for the annexation ex
•.eFC.isea'.-.waa finished on the Executive
..grounds.- : It was two days in the build
;." ing: •' The- falling of the hammers
• 'reached. 'I-.lliuokalani in her rooms at
■" 'Washington place. Once she stopped
■•■ a'ml • ifslened and asked bitterly. "Are
.- th'-y : ; putting- up the scaffold In the
; "'- I'alai-^ -grounds?" At least, so I was
.;• told, hut for the truth of it I Touch
-..no! mure that this.
" '■■. • The platform was built out from the
. lower .balcony of the Executive build
;'. ing, On. a level with the first landing of
•. th. -broad main steps — a sizable
•q.uare... • unimpressively decorated with
.- :l!ttle flags and shields at punctual dis
. tabcfs about its face, provided with
; :seaf»rf.or the Invited guests and fami
-. Mes of- officials, with a wide center aisle
down which the official party made Its
•Vi'ay.- ..• • . ...
; ■- T\vo vacant chairs were prominent
iVj the crush upon the floor. They had
"been -placed there for the ox-Queen and
: the Princess Kaiulani, who were sent
„ formal invitations to the ceremony.
it • is- rather to the credit of deposed
' royalty that it received the tactful at
• tention without comment of any sort.
•'. In spite of the rain Honolulu wore its
"..best; which is not stunning by a mile
and a half, and covered it up with
..funereal umbrellas, which gave the
•".platform the appearance of a mush
:room crop. So far as I could see under
the umbrejlas and from my seat at the
* : extreme end of the platform, there was
.'. not • one Hawaiian among the women
...seated on the stand, and only those
•men _ whose official duties required them
■to hefhere. In the grounds were num
■ bers, of the common people — the sort
1 which would flock to executions, if such
• entertainment were made public, and
.: take. their lunches and their babies
with them. They wept through that
part of the ceremony which affected
them most — the gentle Hawaiian tears
which run so freely, so silently, so
frankly when their hearts are moved.
The crowd stretched away under the
shade of palm and bread fruit tree to
where the high wrought-iron gates di
vided It from the other crowd without.
Women mounted on the benches pro
vided for the transports' feast; men
climbed to the dizzy stands photo
graphers had erected on the grounds.
The deep balconies of the Executive
building were packed from the railings
to the walls. From the giddy height of
the Judicial building's tower men and
women both looked down upon the
scene. All white Honolulu came to see
the raising of the American above the
Hawaiian Hag. All Hawaii wept in its
mournful homes or went to lie weep
ing on the graves of its dead while its
national colors were lowered to the
ground.
The troops from the Philadelphia
blocked the drive before the stand — a
solid square of white duck uniforms
set sharply against the green. The
Hawaiian Band was placed to the left of
the platform — not all the Hawaiian
Band — for eighteen of its members re
fused to play Hawaii Ponoi to the pass
ing of their Flag. The rest remained
to pay it this last tribute of their love.
And one knows not which toj>lty and
to honor more.
The simplicity of the ceremony was
admirable. The whining protest of the
Annexation Club had no more influ
ence with Admiral Miller than the idle
wir;<ls that blow. God love him for a
true and tactful gentleman. I would
he might have even cut the prayer
with which the simple ceremony opened
and the ex-Ministerial speech with
which It closed. Neither was impres
sive, although I doubt not both were
sincere.
The official party walked in the or
der of its separate ranks and stood ex
tremely stiff. I understand, upon the or
der of its p. ing. It is idled about that
a Consul General resigned from the
friendship of the United States Minis
ter because a Militia Colonel was given
; precedence in the march. The exact
: order of this I don't personally remem-
I ber, beyond the fact that Minster Se
wall and President Dole w lk^d to
gether and Admiral Miller with his
staff. It was raining briskly as they
' moved uncovered to the stand and
courtesy demanded that umbrellas
should be closed. The Reverend G. L.
; Pearson of the Methodist Church
I prayed this prayer, with pious face up
j lifted to the dripping skies:
O Lord, our Heavenly Father, the high
and mighty ruler of the universe, who
■ hast made of one blood all nations to
dwell upon all the face of the earth, and
hath determined the times before ap
pointed and the bounds of their habita
tion, we heartily entreat thee to gra
ciously hear our prayer.
In thy providence thou hast brought
us to this significant time, the consum
mation of a great and important event.
Let thy benediction be upon us and all
; the interests that center in this impor
! tant hour. May thy blessings abide with
Hawaii nel. Remember in mercy her in
stitutions and all who have contributed
i to her present prosperity and glory. We
most earnestly pray thee to remember
her native sons and daughters. Be thou
their friend and savior, and by thy prov
idential care may all things wiirk to
gether for good to them. May all the
j people appreciate the greatness of their
1 inheritance this day received, and may all
1 that works for Justice and mercy and
peace he conserved and intensified by
; this change of national life.
By thy favor. O Lord, bless America.
the nation of thy providence, which now
becomes our country. B!> j ss her in this
addition to her broad domain and to the
i number of her free and noble people.
May her banner wave forever here and
under its glorious folds in all our broad
i land may there abide fine peopl< — a peo
ple who love Justice and mercy and
: peace. May the union of these two re
publics redound to thy honor In the well
!>eln« of our people and the advance
: ment of our national power and glory
0 Lord, remember our bolov.Hi Presl
! dent, his Cabinet and our national Con
gress, and may they have wisdom and
j-'r:ic,. commensurate with their present
I needs. Rless our armies and navies, and
give them success and prant us peace— a
peace that shall secure justice to an op
pressed people.
O thou eternal God. come thou and
reign over all nations of the earth and
may thy will be done on earth as It is
heaven through Jesus Christ our Sav
ior. Amen:
Then the United States Minister
Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordi
nary, his Excellency, Harold M Sewall
spoke to Pr^sid^nt Dole:
Mr. President: I present you a certi
fied copy of a Joint^ resolution of the (™
f-'i'-*' 1 :>? f ' l-nlted States, approved l.v
the President on July 7. 1&& enUtled
"Joint resolution to provide for annexine
tho Hawaiian Islands to the UniteS
States." This lolnt resoluUon accepte
ratines and confirms on tho nart of thA
United States the cession formally con
sented to and approved by the republic of
Hawaii.
And President Dole replied:
Mr. Minister: A treaty of nolltlni
union having lieon made, and the cession
formally consented to by the- republic of
Hawaii having been accepted by thp
T'nlted States of America. I now in to
Interest of the Hawaiian body politic and
with full confidence in the honor, justice
and friendship of the Amorlrun peonle
yield up to you as tho representative of"
the Government of tho T'nlted States the
sovereignty and public property of the
Hawaiian Islands.
And the United State* Minister spoke
again:
Mr. President: In the name of the
United States I accept the transfer of the
sovereignty and property of the Hawaiian
Government. The admiral commanding
the United States naval forces in these
waters will proceed to perform the duty
entrusted to him.
Admiral Miller responded with a sim
ple, wordless gesture full of dignity,
and, one would say, "-ompassion.
It was the moment for which every
one waited. A shiver ran over the
crowd, standing now upon the platform
—a voiceless murmur passed beneath
the trees. Thousands of eyes were lift
ed to where Hawaii's colors flung chelr
last tnessage to the breeze. The rain
THE SAX FRANCISCO CALL, TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1898.
SCENE OF Th|E FINAL CEREMONIES WHICH MADE HAWAII PART OF THE POSSESSIONS OF THE UNITED STATES.
From a Photograph Taken at the Moment the Stars and Stripes Were Being Run Up to Float From the Staff on the Executive Building.
ceased and the sun came out and shone
upon her. The wind fluttered to her
side.
"one! Two: Three!" The deep guns
boomed out the last salute. "Four!
Five! Six" — with great wails between,
in which the heart beat slowly, and
rose fluttering t<> the throat. "Kigh
teen! — Nineteen! —Twenty! — Twenty
one!"
Ah! Poor Hawaii.
From the quivering throats of the di
minished band came the melancholy
strains of Hawaii Ponoi — swan song of
the sinking flag. The colors trembled,
drooped, slipped along the rope. A soft
wind stirred the languid folds, lifted
the fainting colors, held them still, car
ried them upward to trail caressingly
against the Palace walls — then let them
slip and fall.
The crumpled scarlet heap lies on the
grass beside the Palace steps. Hawaii
Ponoi is finished. The plaintive bugle
sounds taps over the grave of Hawaii's
flag.
The Stars and Stripes mounted to thp
bugle call — to the cheers of the crowd,
to the sudden gay sunlight, to a brisk
and stirring breeze, to the triumphant
music- of "The Star-Spangled Banner"
by the Philadelphia band. The starry
splendor spread wide against the sky.
The guns boomed out the salute — the
same salute for quick and dead.
America's dominion was declared over
the Hawaiian Isles.
There was something lacking from
the cheering. s<?mething wanting from
the joy. Perhaps before the soul's eyes
of those who have worked so long and
earnestly to this end the ghost of Ha
waii nel walked that instant over
America's new possessions.
NOT YET DEAD.
The Committee of the Primaries Still
in the Field.
The Harncyltes are not talking much of
late, but there is a lot of thinking going
on among the defeated faction. The Mc-
Nab-Alford committee is taking the flat
tering unction unto itself in the belief
that the nrimary committee will confess
lts<lf destroyed and withdraw from the
local fight. To this the Harneyites say
nothing, but smile, and behind that mani
festation of contempt is an indication
that the local Democracy will be cleaved
in twain. Major Harney will not commit
himself in one way or the other. He says
that nothing has yet been determined as
to the future actions of the party which
he claims is the only bona fide repre
sentative o». the true Democracy in this
city.
WHEN THE FLOG OF HAWAII FELL, TO RISE NO MORE.
(Ftom a Photograph.) „
HAWAII'S FLAG
LOWERED-OLD
GLORY HOISTED
Impressive Scene Marking the
Transfer of Sovereign
Rights.
The Island National Guard Takes the Oath of
Allegiance to the Government of the
United States.
HONOLULU, Aug. 12.— Precisely at
eight minutes to 12 o'clock to-day the
Hawaiian flag descended from the flag
staffs on all the Government buildings
and exactly at five minutes to the same
hour the stars and stripes floated on
the tropical breeze from every official
flagstaff.
The ceremony was a most impressive
one. To hear the strains of "Hawaii
Ponoi" for the last time as a national
emblem, to hear the bugle blow taps
as the Hawaiian ensign sank from its
position, and to notice the emotion of
many who had been born under it and
had lived their lives under it, was sol
emn. But then came the bright call
for raising Old Glory, and the strains
of the "Star-Spangled Banner" broke
forth as that banner was unfurled to
the breeze. Then the cheers broke
forth, and eyes that had been dim for
a few moments became bright and
lightened up when the stars and stripes
blew out.
The ceremonies began with the de
parture of the First Regiment of the
j National Guard of Hawaii from the
drill shed at ten minutes to 11 this
morning. The parade was headed by
j a detachment of twenty-six police, un
j der command of Captain Kanae and
I Lieutenant Warren. Then came the Ha
waiian band and the drum corps.
It was Just 11:15 when the troops
■ reached the main gates of the Execu
tive building. Several hundred of the
Citizens' Guard preceded them up the
j main avenue and took a station on the
I left of the stand. The police deployed
lon either side of the avenue. The Ha
! waiian band took up a position on the
j right of the platform and the Phila
j delphia band on the left. The first
! battalion of the Hawaiian regiment oc
j cupled the immediate left of the stand
! and the second battalion was on the
| right. The naval forces were stretched
across the avenue in double files, the
marines being in front.
On the right of the main steps were
the halyards from which the big Ha
waiian flag floated in the breeze. The
detail in charge of these halyards and
the hauling down of the Hawaiian flag
were Corporal H. F. Kilbey and Pri
vates O. Wlnkler and A. Spillner of
| Company E. The detail of men in
charge of the raising of the American
' flag was in command of J. Ward,
j cockswain of the admiral's barge.
The flag itself was in charge of G. H.
Platt, gunner's mate of the Philadel
phia, and R. Winters, boatswain's mate
of the Mohican. These are the men
who actually raised the stars and
stripes over Hawaii.
President Dole and his Cabinet came
from the Executive building to the
platform. The Justices of the Supreme
Court followed, and then Admiral J. N.
Miller and United States Minister Har
old M. Sewall came down the steps, fol
lowed by captains C. H. Wadleigh of
the Philadelphia and S. M. Book of the
Mohican and their staff officers, and
Colonel Barber of the First New York
regiment.
The ceremonies were opened with
prayer by the Rev. G. L. Pearson, pas
tor of the First Methodist Church of
this city. United States Minister Se
wall then arose, and addressed Presi
dent Dole, notifying him of the passage
by Congress of the annexation resolu
tion. President Dole answered, sur
rendering the sovereignty and public
property of the Hawaiian Islands.
The Hawaiian band played "Hawaii
i Ponoi," the national anthem. Colonel
Fisher gave the order to the National
| Guard battery, stationed on the Execu
; tive grounds, in command of Lieuten
ant Ludwig, to fire the national salute
j of twenty-one guns, wnich was also
\ repeated by the guns of the Philadel
phia. As the echo of the last gun rever
' berated in the hills a bugle sounded
i and the national ensign of Hawaii
: oame slowly down until it reached the
ground, never to go up again.
There was a short pause, then the
i admiral nodded slightly to Lieutenant
Winterhalter. who gave the order.
"Colors! Roll Off." The flagship band
struck up the well-known strains of the
"Star-spangled Banner." and as the
stars and stripes slowly ascended there
was breathless suspense. But as it
! reached the top cheers broke forth from
the crowds below, and salutes of
twenty-one guns were again fired by
j the Hawaiian battery and the Philadel
phia.
A few minutes after the hoisting of
the official flag others were raised from
the two side towers and from the mili
tary headquarters. Minister Sewall
then read the following proclamation:
To the Government and People of the
Hawaiian Islands:
By the terms of the joint resolution by
whicb the cession of the Hawaiian Isl
ands and their dependencies to the United
States of America is concluded, it is pro
vided that until Congress shall provide
for the governme:.t of Hawaii, "all the
civil, judicial and military powers exer
cised by the officers of the existing gov
ernment" are to be vested in such person
or persons, and to bp exercised in such
manner as the President of the United
States shall direct. In the exercise of the
power thus conferred upon him by the
joint resolution, the President hereby di
rects that the civil, judicial and military
powers in question shall be exercised by
the officers of the republic of Hawaii, as
it existed just prior to the transfer of
sovereignty, subject to his power to re
move such officers and to fill vacancies.
All such officers will be required at once
to take an oath of allegiance to the
United States, and all the military forces
will be required to take a similar oath,
and all bonded officers will be required to
renew their bonds to the Government of
the United States.
The powers of the Minister of Foreign
Affairs will, upon the transfer of the
sovereignty and proprty of Hawaii to the
United States necessarily cease, so far as
they relate to the conduct of diplomatic
intercourse between Hawaii and foreign
powers.
The municipal legislation of Hawaii, ex
cept such as was enacted for the fulfill
ment of the treaties between that country
and foreign nations, and except such as
is Inconsistent with the joint resolution
or contrary to the constitution of the
United States, or to any existing treaty
of the United States, is to remain in
force till the Congress of the United
States shall otherwise determine. The
existing customs relations of Hawaii with
the United States and with other coun
tries are to remain unchanged till Con
gross shall have extended the customs
laws and regulations of the United States
to the islands.
Under these various provisions the gov
ernment of the islands will proceed with
out interruptions.
HAROLD M. SEWALL.
I Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni
potentiary of the United States of
America.
Honolulu. H. L, Aug. 12. IS9B.
Following the reading of the procla
! mation Minister Sewall made the fol
lowing address:
Fellow Countrymen: I congratulate you
I on the consummation this day records —
i a consummation, not a change — the in
evitable consummation of the national pol
icies and the natural relations between
the two countries now formally and in
dissolubly united.
Inevitable as has been this union, we
may rejoice that It will take its place in
I history with the awakening of the Ameri
i can people to a sense of their responsi-
I iitlity among nations, in that splendid pro
cession of events begun at Manila, and
which has now embraced these islands in
its broad sweep.
You are no strangers to your country-
I men across the sea, bound to them as you
are by the achievements of their sons and
brothers here, and by all the activities
I that make up a country's life. You are
no strangers, certainly not in the mo
mentous present. For as it comes to
every nation in the dread ordeal of war
i to test the loyalty of all its sons and
the devotion of all its friends,
so they have tested you, tried you
and found you true — when you refused
to listen to the suggestions of the selfish
and the timid, and at your peril offered
up all that these islands had to offer, as
a sacrifice on the altar of devotion to a
country you had not yet the right to call
your own.
And your countrymen can never forget
that this loyalty and devotion and the
opening of hearts and homes to our sol
dier boys that followed this was not the
I loyalty, the devotion and the hospitality of
j Americans, though this were sweet in
deed, but of men who sought to be Ameri
cans and had been denied, of men who
| founded a state for the purpose of admis
sion to the American Union and had been
denied, of men who presented this strange
spectacle to the world that they stood
ready, as you gentlemen about me to-day,
to give up office and power and personal
emoluments and glory, for the simple dig
nity of American citizenship. Even as
you have given up a flag you love and
surrendered the sovereignty of these
beautiful islands, that Hawaii may take
her place, however humble that place may
be, In the protecting circle of sovereign
American States.
- This is the consummation you witness
to-day, which you and your children's
children have a right t<> celebrate, and let
there be no mistake as to its meaning.
I It means the triumph of no party or fac
tion among you, the opportunity for no
personal glorification or personal resent
■ ment, the confirmation in power of no ;ui
' thority over you that shall not commend
I itself to the sense of fairness and of jus-
I tice of the representatives of the Ameri-
I can people, but rather the burial of pant
i prejudices, the obliteration of narrow di
1 visions and the ultimate political advance
ment of the humblest citizen over whom
this flag shall float.
But It is not for you to rest content in
the enjoyment of free institutions. It is
for you to help maintain them, to main
tain them In the spirit they will be ex
tended to you. In the spirit you have
sought them, in the spirit of fraterni'y
and equality, in the spirit of the constitu
tion itself, now the supreme law of your
land, to establish justice, to insure your
tranquillity, to provide for the common
defense, to promote your welfare, and to
secure the blessings of liberty to your
selves and your posterity.
This is the work before you, my coun
trymen, and I bid you advance to it.
Hand In hand may you go, you of the
home' race with those whose fathers" land
this was, and whose generous virtues
have won for them the regard of all man
kind. Hand in hand may you go with
them as they carry with them their un
faltering love of country into the broad
plane of American citizenship.
Advance to the uplifting and upbuilding
of this land to prove it worthy to share
the destiny of the great republic. .
Empire may wait indeed, but no hand
save His who holds in the hollow of his
hand the fate of nations, can stay that
destiny.
God bless you. my countrymen.
God bless the United States of America.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies
the National Guard was marched to the
parade grounds, where Minister Cooper
administered the oath of allegiance to
Colonel Fisher. The colonel then ad
ministered it to his officers and Jie <ap
tai's to the men. The regiment then
escorted the naval battalion to their
boats and returned to the drill shed.to
sipn the rolls.
Never in the history of the -islands,
not even in the palmy days of the. mon
archy, has there been such a crush at
the executive building as was witnessed
at the reception and ball !ast night,
Riven in honor of the flag raising.
Estates in Probate.
The inventory and appraisement of the
estate of Maria T. Divine was filed yester-
day. The estate consists of real estate
located in San Jose and Is valued at $31,
575. The apprpisement of the property of
Adolph Munat shows It to be worth $400.
7