The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-02-05

A Clergyman's Observations Of Changes
During the Past twenty-five Years
Condition of the Native Glasses.

Condition Of the Native Glasses.
Some thirty years ago says the San Francis
CO Bulletin Rev. E. G. Beckwith, now pastor
of the Third Congregational Church of this
city, was q teacher at the Sandwich Islands.
TwentF-fi3e years ago he left The islands, and
has not since returned until last June, when
be was invited to deliver the annual address at
Oahu College, Honolulu Since his return to
this city he has delivered at the Third Con-
gregational Church, several Sunday evening
addresses upon the subject Of the changes
which he observed had taken place in the
islands during the twenty-five years of his
absence Sunday night he gave the final lecture
of the course.
The Golden Age Of the islands was from the
year 1910 to 1855, when they were under the
rule of Kamehame Ill This king, under the
influence of the Christian missionaries, enacted
wise legislation, the object of which was the
benefit of the native race. He gave the people
q constitution. And perhaps the wi est act OF
his reign was the division of all the lands into
small patches, which the natives we're allowed
ia purchase in fee simple Upon paying merely
the cost of survey. The effect of this was
to give the natives homesteads, and devei
op among them the benefcent idea OF homt
life, which before they had almost entirely
lacked.
Since the death of that King, and during the
last twenty five years, the changes in the islands
have been most marked, and, 80 far as the
native race is concerned, painfully disastrous:
And the chief cause has been the increase Of
of the great sugar enterprise There Is no dl-
versity of industry now. Everything is sugar.
hardly anywhere on the islands Every one
has rushed into sugar planting with an idea OF
becoming rich. Yet hardly any fortunes have
been made, and if the Reciprocity Treaty shoulc
not be renewed and present prices OF eugal
should continue, nearly all ths planters Of the
islands would be bankrupt
The effects upon the natives OF the
growth of the great plantations and the
vast influx of capital, have been manifold.
The great demand for labor has made 1t more
profitable for them to work for others than fol
themselves upon their homesteads. AS re-
suit they are losing their home ties. Twenty
thousand male Chinese without families, have
been flooded in upon the population, to worE
on the plantations. These have not only their
evil effect upon the morals Of the people, but
are gradually ousting them from their LITTLE
land holdings
The increased distribution of wages among
the natives has fastened their ruin. They
have more money than ever before. Being
mere children, unfit to manage business, I'M
able to save money and easily led into tempta-
ton, their little wealth Injuries them more than
1t benefits. Honolulu is moral perfect maels-
from to them. There the men go to earn the
highest wages, and the young ladies to be lin
troduced into society There they find the
best opportunity to spend money, and the
most Turing temptations to vice. TO these they
yield. Few ever escape from Honolulu, and
most OF these who do. go away to die.
general attempt is now being made to
teach the natives English. This is absolutely
necessary in order to unity the nation in the
midst of the increasing foreign population.
And yet even this hastens their ruin For it
enables them to come into closer relations with
that portion Of the foreign element which are
responsible largely for the increase of vice
among them They get to know the unscrup-
ulous and vicious foreigners too we'll.
The deterioration i'll the morals of the peo-
pie has been rapid and appalling; Thetenden.
tiousness If the influx of foreigners has not
increased this, it has at least introduced among
the people attendant diseases which are eating
away the life of the race. Drunkenness has
made alarming increase.
Twenty-Five years ago there was a law ALSO
lutely prohibiting the sale of liquors to the ma
tives Now there is q license law Twenty
five years ago Mr.. Beckwith rarely saw ma
tive under the influence of liquor Now the
streets of Honolulu reel with drunken natives.
He saw on this visit of two weeks more drunk
ards than he saw before in eight years
The present evils are due in lal &c measure ID
the utter selfshness of the government The
interests of the natives are entirely lost sight
of. The king, who owes his sovereignty, moi
to his lineage, but to political trick, cares only
for his own agrandizements. A short time age
resolution Of lack of confidence in the minis
try was lost by one vote; the ministers all vot-
ing for themselves. Shortly after the resolu-
ton was actually carried in spite of the min.
listers, and yet in the face of that defeat they
have not grace or sense enough to resign The
natives hate King Kalakuka. But Queen EN-.
ma who is Of genuine royal blood, they love
Not long ago, to propitiats the people, the kine
conceded large reductions in the expenses Of
certain branches of the government And aftel
the people had made great demonstration Of
gratitude to him for the act, he then asked or
appropriation for the royal stables which OK.
ceeded the total amount of reduction. The M.
ton is dying in the hands Of bad and selfish
men.
In 1868 the American Boards Of Foreign Mis-
sions formally Withdrew from active work il
the islands, intending % fast rs practicable L
place native preachers over the churches Eek
perience has shown that this course was mis-
take The natives were not then fit to carr,
on the work themselves, and the loss Of the re-
straining and guiding hand of the Christian
missionary has proved not the least factor il
Fastening the certain doom q the patye Hstion