The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-01
PARADISE IN POLYNESIA.
THERE THE THERMOMETER ~ METER
BELOW 5f' NOR dBOTE so.


The Hon. Walter Murray Gibson. member
of the Sandwich Islands Legislature. was latoly
in this city on his way from his Old South Caro-
liniau home whore he has been paying q visit,
to hs now homo In the far-ofT Pacific. whcrc
during seventeen ycnrs past lie has been man
OF murk md influence. His career has boon
one of such remarkable activity und adventure
that its plnincst recital would seem romance.
Educated for tho priesthood in the State NJ his
birth. South Carolina. he fell in love an i mar
ried instead of taking orders. Son aiterwurd.
in pursuance Of some adventurous scheme. he
Sailed In his own yacht 10 the Malayan Archi-
pelaco. His careful exploration oi the resources
OF the great and rich islnnds OF the Indian Ocean
awakened tho jealous suspcions OF tho Dutch
Government. by which ho was arrested upon a
charge Of trying 10 suhvcft its power In that
portion Of the globe. and he WINS compelled to
undergo. nj Batavia. n long aud cruel imprison-
ment from which he was With difficulty rescued.
When honorubly acquitted OF that charge. he
returned 10 this country and achieved deserved
distinction 10y his ability "a Il writer but his
adventurous disposition would not allow him to
continue long in so unoventful a profession.
aud in 1859 he made his way 10 the Sandwich
Islands
Almost entirely without means when he
landed there with his three children. he set 10
work with characteristic energy and adupata-
billy. settled upon the island % Lahania whore
no successfully introduced agriculture and
lator sheep raising, prospercd In all he under
took and II now one of tho wealth lest and most
| highly respected citizens OF that country AS
| editor and proprietor OF the Nuhou or Hawai-
| ian Ners be labOrcd cnergotirallv 10 defeat the
scheme for the sale TO the United States ~ pean
| River harbor. and was successful In TINT endeav-
| ora fact which has had no small inlucnce in
assuring his popularity. since Inter events have
| 1uatttlpltNp wisdom and Iu-tlpp oil tho Judgment
| heihen expressed in that matter
Mr. Gibson. ia spenking concerning the effect
| In the Sandwich Islands OF the reciprocity
| treaty between them and the United States. and
| what ~ the present and prospective condition
OF That portion Of the Polynesian Archipelago.
" The Sandwich Islands have reason 10 feel
! under deep obligation TO the United States for
! the excellent results OF tho reciprocity treaty
\ results which have fully demonstrated that IL
! was well worth the twenty years struggle Tor
| liz attainment IL has realized all that WINS
hoped Tor from It. Tho remission OF three
cents per pound on 50.OOO.0O0 pounds Of sugar
| this yrars crop. Is not an unimporiant Item TO
US md has given great impetus to enterprise.
Capital has sought investment IN sugar max ing
| and our crop has been doubled. as a III rect re-
! suit OF the treaty, The opponents Of the treaty
averred that the islanders would enrich them
| selves by ~ operation, be Indifferent ~ this
country and that IL would actually cause allrnn-
! ton instead Of the unity Of feeling hoped for
| The contrary hns been the fact. The islands
are gladly Identifying themselves with Amori-
! can Interests. At the same time. there In not
I among our best minds any dis r. iSition toward
/ relinqulshlng the independence Of a." islnnds
/ We do not desire annexation with the United
| states or any other power. and W. do not frsl
! TINT amy power dos 20 DO burd nod with
our Government. We hope 20 establish there
! an entrcplt Tor the commerce Of the Pacific.
| and. maintaining II ~ a free port We feel that
We can So satisfy all nations. better than II the
! ipelngo was under some special dominion.
'Krvcrting To- tho matter of our sugar prod uc-
ton. 10 not think that II viii ever be- more
than sufficient 10 supply The Pa liic slope of th is
! country. Tor though our yield To- the aero Is
/ able for this crop. Gu the Mckee and some
other plantations seven tons OF good IT" crys-
| tallized sugar have been produced To- III" acre.
| whi'n, AZ cents per pound twhnt ] Is worth To
| the planter now. would amount 10 t9s1-R clear
pr9ht OF $3.50 per acre over cost OF cultivation
| ana manufacture. But hat II an exceptionally
! high yield. and probably three tons or at most
three and halftons. would BE- about the aver
7Ii,e IS another stnpl, which We nrc produc-
/ Ing ia larg" ana Increasing quantity. Like the
sugar croo. the rice crop has loubled within
the past iwo years thr0ut IN the Influence ~ the
! rr'iuru'iN trrHfN Bat there u"r.l u" up tppra-
h.n-ion tilnt our s,r If ami ri,. wiil over 1in,,
into competition with the production of those
tutpl'- on the Atlantic saahoard, While |
speak n this decided way Of the advantages W.,
me- ~ f"l'itaiing the sandwich Islands upon
the enjoyment Of n on.-sided bnrgun. The
! commerce oi the Uuiied States has derived an
,IulNW"nl UlNanu'g"' anu ~ 9ut H'htn N.
rrrase- and our resources are developed that
hruelt viii constantly increase We naturally
look ~ the United states as our nearest and
lest source ~ ali supply"
Mhnt H. the present status Of your native
| popuIttun IN point ot edurntiOn Hnd tntslli-
gvnce and what Il being effected 10 che Ning
| their docreuss IN numbers, which has been NJ
marked IN late years
90 would take 100 lahoring Kanakas and lei
them Ice brought in competition with 100 OF tn
farm lahorrrs from my State IN the I'm on, and
would i""l assured that IN point Ot general in
formation, such ~ is derlvable from n'wspo.
per reading. my 100 kana1as would surpas,
your American farm lahorers. think II WOuC
bc hard to llud a bond of a kanakR family wht
Is not subscriber 10 and diigcnt reader OF
some nrWs payer. and many OF them take sew
"rnl. not only Of those issued in their own Ian
Euage. az which there arc four hut OF journal,
| printed IN the English language. and even o
! the best clHss II your American Illustrated pa
pgr- You will not find one knnnka chnin ou
| on huntrcd IN which newspaper ia no
taken and you know what a popular rducat l
the newspaper Is. The summaries OF IN" now,
and politics " the world presented by the Ha
waiiAn papnrs 70 thcir readers. ]. M nh 81,
hcnsivc and accurate. Tho kannkas rend then
carefully. and you would be surprised to loarf
now how we in, MEX our 6Ttple a are np9I
your people. Only about seven persons
out q a Thousand in thc Sandwich Islands. mr.,
unable To- read and write. We have an educA
tionM quaiih alton for voters II man pro
s.nts himself ~ the polls and thers IL any douh
enable him 10 form an Intelligent Judgment h
II required 10 read the Constitution, and il b.
docs not DO So ilueuly. he Is told that he mus
the wight Of suffrage. We have no properi,
qualification. only that educational one, On
/ N''H'NlN utN tNif'llfNl, hhu are lltHrNilN sup
ported. The last Legislature made n large ap
/ preparation to maintain Encl sh schools All,
! although tho lnws ara printed both IN IN,
Hawaiian and English languages the latter II
the standard. | think the Hawaiian Language
will eventually die out. II il a pity that
should u Is 50 mcllinuous and charming
! tongue. Evr4Y syllable ends with vowel mn,
There Is no language like il Tor singing. Tn,
Huwuiiaus. by the WAY are n very musical PEG
pie" King kulakuua is not only fine pinnsi
/ hut composer as welt. and his sister
the Princess Lydia. Is quite famous al
composer. Some Of her works haV
been published in this cOuutry. So mucl
| for the education and intelligence a
our people. A. tuthrir social culture. Honolulu
II prrris"ly like the best part OF Boston or Phil
adrlphiu.
With rcleropco To- the other matter ahou
which YOU ask. ! ann happy to eay that thern arr
the most gratifying indications that the drcn
Of the native race has been definitely che. koi
That ls demonstrated hy STATISTICS lnfuu'id
wl- tho great cause of the Il 'cinr in thor mum
lrr-. Many native women thought nothing "a
putting tlolr ol-ptlng out ~ the way. In tact
% WIS 80 common HNl.r that II wis not con
cthrd or punished. NOW, uN that hus beet
changed hN education and Chris ana influences
hui lluWttHu mothers are egluuiu- to tool.
horror OF the hHr'urnu- habits Of the pu~t TIA
| morM and benevolent Influences brought {
/ hrHr upon Thorn consist mot merely ia preach
/ luE Co lhrm. iut iu training thum for domr-tl
I | u.r. and NOW there ar. mnu} cnrrlul. gor