Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-26
A PR0FLIGATE KING.
How Kalakaua, of the Sandwich Islands. is
Bearing Himself.
Honolulu T,.attar

How kalakaua, of the Sandwich Islands. is
Bearing Himself
Honolulu LITTER
David Kalakaua has now been on the
throne of the Hawaiian kingdom for
twelve years. Previous to his elevation
to the throne he was boatman in the
harbor of Honolulu, and used to pick up
some money at night by playing the ban
10 IN one of the waterfront dives. He is
superbly built native, but, like most of
the Kanakas, he has no regard for prin-
clTal, is profoundly selfish and hopeless
~ given up to gross vices. He has
strain of the old Kamehameha blood in
his veins.
However, and when, in 1874. an election
was held under the farce of what is called
constitutional monarch. Kaiakaua was
picked out OF the gutter, and was run by
the strong American missionary party in
opposition to Queen Emma who showed
great partiality for the church of Eng
land.
kalakaua's friends were the better poll
ticians and they were successful. For
two or three years the change did him
good and he behaved himself well, living
economically and taking warm interest
IN the welfare of his people.
With proper advisers Kalakaua might
have remained a model monarch, but he
suffered from the influence of evil counsel
observation-disclosures who took office under
him merely to further their private ends
and who suggested many ways in which he
could legally divert the public funds into
his own pocket. One of his early attempts
was to sieze the fees which reverted to the
crown for certain duties performed by Off
GERS Of the interior department. He was
greatly incensed when the honest head of
this department refused to deliver up
these fees and declared that they were
public moneys. The king has been
literally provided for, as we'll IS
most of his family, yet he is always IL
straits for cash. He is given $4,000 every
two years for the privy purse. $4,000 a
year for palace expenses, $4,000 for the
queen and a like sum for Mrs. John Do
minis the Kings sister and the wife of
governor himself receiving $1,000. An
other sister Of the king, Mrs. Archie CIeg-
horn, receives $4,000 and her daughter
$4,000. In addition to these generous al
lOwances-fOr it must be remembered
that the annual expenses of a native are
not more than $780, as he lives mainly on
poi and raw fish-the king was allowed
$4,000 by the Legislature for the palace
stables. This sum he used to build pri-
vate stable, which he stocked with horses
and ten hacks, which he hired out to run
in opposition to the regular carriage COM
panies in Honolulu. Besides all these
sources of revenue the king receives a
yearly rental of not less than 100000
from the crown lands, which comprise
some of the best sugar estates in the ISL
ands. The opposition party in the legis-
lature has tried for several years to COM
pei the king to disclose the exact sum
sum which he receives from these crown
lands, but without success.
With all his money Kalakaua is peren-
nially in debt When he took the famous
trip around the world he brought in
bill for $22,5OO, which was paid with
some grumbling by the legislature.
When the government projected the cor
nation an allowance of $4,000 was made,
with provisions that if this sum was ex-
ceeded, it should come out of the kings
privy purse. The lavish cornation cere-
monies cost $4,000, and the sum had to
be paid, as the privy purse was empty
and the king himself so deeply in debt
that, for the credit of the kingdom, the
legislature voted him $4,000 to satisfy
the most pressing OF his creditors. what
becomes of the large sums received by
Kalakaua is amystery which no one has
yet solved. He has no more idea of the
value of money than Ludwig of Bavaria.
He has few expensive tastes, but he has
one strong passion which, freely indulg
ed, drains him of all his coin. This is gam
bling. The Hawaiians are as fond of all
games of chance as the Indian. and the
&c oil To no of
great national game of poker.