The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-12-06
THE PACIFIC
Commercial AOOrrtlser,
SATURDAY,. DECEMBER e.
The Relations of Foreigners to
Natives.

evening. Nov. 10Th. IL was voted 1T
the meeting OF that evening that 1t be published
in both the English and Hawaiian languages-
II has been remarked frequently of late that
there is q widespread feeling Of suspicion and
on the part Of the native race towards
foreigners. 1t Is not manifested in q direct and
manner, but nevertheless crops out, so to
speak. here and there. OF course il causes more or
less of q corresponding feeling on the part Of a
portion Of the foreign community. Another part
of that community land it is the same on the
part Of the more thoughtful HawaIians,) regard
this state of things with regret and concern.
1t becomes us as wise men to investigate this
matter. Not from 4 cowardly fear, but as wise
and thoughtful persons obeying the command 10
seek peace and pursue it as those who are re
sponsible for the common good. The history Of
these islands has been remarkable for the peace
that has always prevailed between men of differ
ent races. Is there any real or Just reason why
this should not continue? If there is any such
real reason let it be removed. If there is not,
then let it be clearly known and shown that
there is no reason for disatiection. Thus shall
those who are in the right be sure of that
right and be prepared as true men and women
to stand by the right, and so shall the side that is
wrong have no plea of Ignorance or misapprehen-
sion to defend their actions.
This is no new thing. Fifty years ago the
Ddl1NCS HcTC NUT u bSllCNC lLhiL All upright dIlu
just man was digging a cellar under his house,
(the house now occupied by Mrs. A. s.. Cooke
as n storehouse for implements of war to be
used IN subyerting the kingdom of that day.
From that time to this, every now and then, one
class of people have endeavored to excite the
fears of others in similar methods. The knowing
that this has happened before may show us that
the situation may not be as serious as some APP
prehend.
Two causes seem to work In causing n feeling
Of dislike to foreigners. One, is the feeling that
somehow or other the foreigner is responsible for
the diminution of the race. The second cause is
the feeling that foreigners resident here, and
Hawaiian-born white men are joining their efforts
to those of foreign governments to enable those
foreign governments, and America in particular,
to obtain either q part or n whole of the Hawaiian
territory for themselves.
Before taking up either of these subjects it will
be well to touch upon n question of rights. Have
white men, or foreigners of any kind, a right to
settle here, or do they live here only by suffer-
ance? by the consent implied if not expressed of
the Hawaiian people. Moreover, who are the
Hawaiian people? Have the white descendants
of foreigners, born on the islands any more right,
as a matter of equity, to their homes and posi-
tion here than those who have settled here from
abroad and become citizens?
When the American missionaries came here in
1920, they asked leave of the King and chiefs to
CIulih ~ ~ IbibS tAbo SLNJ cIiOhAA W bhO
reasons. First, they were aware that their sue
cess as missionaries would involve great changes
in the whole system of society and government.
A second reason was that the land by the theory
of that time belonged to the King, and as 4
matter Of course the consent of the King was the
only peaceful method of acquiring a place of
residence.
The same state of things does not exist now.
Among civilized nations it is held to be a right be-
longing to all men to settle in what part of the
world they choose. When Hawaii made for her
self laws, and published and enforced them, and
foreign governments assented that their citizens
residing here should be amenable to those laws,
then Hawaii entered the union of nations. The
President of the United States in 1929 sent to the
chiefs of these islands a declaration to that effect,
viz. that American citizens should be so amenable,
and from that time Hawaii truly should rank her
independence as n nation.
Just as in society, there are certain obligations
Il man must take upon himself to be considered q
member OF society, so among nations and among
nations the acknowledgment of the right to come
into the country and settle peaceably is one of
these obligations. Therefore we who Of foreign
descent are born here do not claim any especial
rs n matter of right over those who
coming from abroad have made themselves n home
on these islands.
1t is understood of course that those coming in
shall obey the laws of the country. In addition
to the laws Of a country, there are its traditions
and customs. When n stranger i~nterferes with
these by physical force or material means, there
exists reason for using the same means for expell-
ing him, but where he uses moral means, argu-
ment, speech, moral influence, is it not right that
freedom of speech should be granted. Else how
should the world grow better? 1t is only igno-
rant and bigoted communities that deny this.
There is no law, and no natural right of any
other person, that prevents me from selling my lot
to an Arab, or to a Chinaman, if you deem that
more likely. My next neighbor may do the same,
and if 5 900 rich Cinnamon choose to come in and
buy two thirds of the town of Honolulu, there can
be no reason urged for preventing them, save the
to sell at any price on the part of present
owners. Do you say that this exposes n small
community to the risk of being bought out gen.
to the risk of having 5000 Mormons come
here with bags of gold to possess the land?
You run some risk, but it is better to have the
of owning land in fee simple with this
risk, than to go back to barbarism and a feudal
system. If we are to form one of the great union
Of nations we must, rs was said before, bear our
share of the risks.
We will now notice the first cause of disaffec-
ton. Surprising for the sake Of argument that it
is so, viz that the coming of the white man
the race to diminish. Is opposition to the
white man to help the matter any? Do wise men
do for revenge what will do no good? If the
is diminishing is it not the wise course to en-
ieavor to do something to provide proper means of
support for families? Does the white man take
any means of support? Do Hawaiians in
crease faster in districts where there are but few
white people? Take the valley of Waipio, on
Hawaii, rich in all that the Hawaiian needs for
hawaiian life, and where there were but one or
two white men to 900 Hawaiians. Have they
not diminished there just as elsewhere? We know
hey have.
But what does the white man do to dispos ess
you of land? He comes with money, and you
may sell or not, as you please. You have been
by the white man that you of the common
own land. All, but the answer is, you got
placed in the common peoples hands so that
the haoie with his gold could entice the kanaka
naoh to sell. Stop and think a minute. Is it
not the complaint of large owners who have
chiefs lands, that the wretched kuleanas
ire in their way? Do they not curse the kule-
ina system? The fact is that never were a people
better treated in the matter of land than the
Hawaiian. The kuleana system was a marvel in
he history of ownership of land. Especial pains