The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-05-06

0rNtt sNF"@~@ 49, = s~1A VI ~ u AAS% -A1A-
some twenty years ago, and he consequently feels
an interest in them. Some months since he found O
paragraph going the rounds of the newspapers to the
efec, that the Islands were going to the bad general
ly. This item the editor sent to the Rev. Mr.. Coan,
which elected the following truthful and characters
tic reply, AID Which appeared in the Commonwealth.
Of FEB, "a
I--5 HuO, HAwAu, JAN. u, 1876.
T. p Boxer, Esq, Ny Dear Frjsndg OlIen Times:
have examined the scrap you sent me . from an
exchange" and 1 viii give you q few thoughts on
its assertions as near to the facts as I can come with
out taking more time than 1 can afford for careful
research and examination Of comparative statistics.
l We have " dull times " now and then at these
islands, as they do in other lands.
2 We have little tsmash ups" or failures >"
sometimes, as you DO, but not to shake the world.
Even earthquakes DO not rend our planet; they only
jar the tops Of our massive mountains.
3. It is sometimes hot here, but not so 'JeartuHy
hot as it often is in Calcutta and sometimes in
New York.
A. Money is always 9 scarce " here, for we have
no milionaires; bu, is really not SO 4. scarce = but
that almost any Que willing to work can " scare up"
a quarter of a dollar. if not q five dollar piece. A
large portion Of our foreign residents handle money
enough to be comfortable, with economy, and many
are FeauTious, while some, 1 IN sorry to say, are
pr9figate. We do not think that Life in Honolulu
is unendurable,' for there are some $4,000 people
there. and | have heard Of none who want to die.
Like other towns, great and small, there are cases of
pain and sorrow, want and woe, of sin and infamy,
but there are also hearts of pity and sympathy, and
hands always ready to relieye-thus the remedy is
close TO the pain, and the compensation close to the
sorrow.
8. 1t is a numerical error to say that " the ma
tives have decreased in numbers from 500,0 900 to
about $4,000" Captain Cook estimated them at
400. 900, but his figures have always appeared too
large, as lie judged of the density of the population
from the great numbers that thronged the shores to
see the mavels of r' floating islands (his ships), to
witness the smoke and fire breathing gods (~smokers)
to hear the thunders of unknown deities and to
worship their long absent legendary god, LOno
(Cook.)
These wonders brought together the people from
all the districts (6) of this island, leaving the shores
of Hilo, Puma, Kau, Hamakua and Kohala almost
deserted From censuses taken after the dawn of
Christianity and civilization on these islands it is
made probable that the population in the time of
Cook was 200, 900 to 100000. The present popula-
ton of natives is about $4,000.
6. We do not think that :. The natives have grown
poorer and poorer within the last twenty years.
We rather believe without going into assets, that
their property would be valued at thrice and perhaps
four times as much now as then. They dress better,
consume more luxuries, receive higher wages, handle
more silver and gold and build and inhabit thousands
of more expensive houses and neat cottages. OF
course some are poor, often p~rofigate, or lacking all
economy; but that is true of a large class of other
races on the land and sea.
I. 1t is true "The race of chiefs who made their
mark has died OUT but it is not true that a " blight
is upon everything The old chiefs ;'made their
mark without motiUe or CiH. mo man could
claim the avails Of his work or of his skill. Bones.
muscles and mind alike belonged to the chiefs. Per-
sonal possessions were then unknown to the multi
tude. They were serfs. No man could then claim
or hold the hut he built, the pig and fowl he fed, the
child he trained, the wife he loved, the grouudS he
dug, the tree he planted, the canoe he paddled$ the
net and fishing tackle he made. his little toe or fin
ger or his thumb nail or a tooth in his jaw if his
lordly and irresponsible chief demanded them. Now
the natives have motives to work and many do work.
The constitution of 1910, with the laws since enacted,
made all men who will freeholders, securing them
the avails of their skill and industry against all
aggressions on the part of royalty or ~chiefship.
8. "Not 100 cocoanut trees have been planted
by the natives in the last 40 years. More than
that number have been planted in my old parish of
Puma. 1t is true however that natives, and foreign
erS as well, are very careless on the subject OF grow
ing the palm, the bread fruit and other fruit trees.
this there are two reasons, First, These trees
are of slow growth, and most of our people are striv-
ing for the present generation. They want quick
returns in horses, lands, boats, houses, clothing,
,ash. and without waiting for cocanuts to grow.
Second, These trees cannot grow if planted under
present conditions. Most of the wild lands where
thrive is unfenced and cattle, as horses,
horned cattle, sheep and goats destroy all young
hoots of these trees.
9. 1t is, also, true that {" white men" own or lease
arge tracts of land, but 1 think they do not Gown
of the land By far the larger portion of
he islands is, 1 think owned by the King, the govern
nent and the chiefs. Foreigners purchase largely
md they also lease largely, and they use large tracts
or Plantations and also grazing. But all this, if
properly used is for the good of the natives and for
he whole country. The natives are not necessarily
yronged, but much benefited by the examples of
kill. industry and thrift before them; by their own
hances for labor with reasonable rewards, by the
of money and by the increase of the re-
ources of the nation. FL,
10. IS The natives receive miserable wages. :" I
receive from six to twenty, twenty-five or more
Ollars per month, according to their skill, physical
bility, fidelity, and they receive 1t in cash if they
emand it. 1t is true that many of the natives run I
1to debt if allowed to, and this is an evil in which !
and employees are about equal in fault, and
all planters would agree to make none, or very ]
advances on the "shipment of men, they
-ould escape many and sore evils.
Twenty to twenty-five years ago natives were often
for four or FIVE dollars q month, and paid in
oods at exorbitant prices, e. g. cheap cotton fabrics, I
3 prints, brown and white oottens, invoiced perhaps
t four to eight cents per yard in the United States,
ere sold to natives at 334 cents and other goods at
lual or greater per centage. But those days have ,
ing passed and native have learned the true value 1
goods and of cash better than they once knew it. i
II. The natives are never imprisoned - for debts
for refusing to take goods instead Of cash for their
bor. When native or white laborers ." strike - or r
IN away, or break contracts by refusing TO labor, =
loss Of time is doubled, and they are put in
rison until they will return to their duty.
Like laborers in all parts of the world some will {
II into the hands of hard and inscriptions masters, -
nd suffer, and many OF them ere indolent. disobedi-
1t and vicious themselves, and should blame no one
ut themselves for what they suffer. In all the .
it is difficult, yet impossible, so to adjust cap x
al and labor or masters and servants, that there
Iall not be much of friction, much of complaint pc