River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-08-12
The Sandwich Island King.

Saws a Honolulu letter. David Kala
kama has now been on the throne of
the Hawaiian Kingdom for twelve
years. Previous TO his elevation to the
throne he was a boatman in the harbor
OF Honolulu and used to pick up some
money at night by playing the banjo
in one Of he waterfront dives. He is
a superbly built native, bat. like most
of the KanakaS, he hiss no regard for
principle. is profoundly selfish and
hOpelesSly given up to gross vices He
had a 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 a constitutional
monarchy, kalakaua was picked up
out Of the gutter aud was run by the
strong American missionary party in
opposition to Queen Emma, who show
ed great Partially Tor the Church of
England. kaiakaua friends were the
better politicians and they were sue
cesSful. For two or three years the
change did him good and he behaved
well, living economically and taking q
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 counSellOrS-a adventures who took
Office under him merely TO further
| their private ends and suggested many
ways in which he could legally divert
the prblic funds into his own pocket.
One of his earliest attempts was to size
the fees which reverted to the crown
for certain duties performed bv officers
of the Interior Department. He was
greatly incensed when the honest head
of this department refused 10 deliver
up these fees and declared that they
were public moneys. The king had
been literally provided for as well as
most of his family. vet he Is always in
straits for cash. He is given $50. coo
every two years for the private purse,
$4,000 a year for palace expenses,
$4,000 for the queen arl a like sum
for Mrs. John Dominis, the Kings sis
ter and the wife Of the Governor of
Oahu and Mad, the governor himself
receiving $500. Another sister of
the King, Mrs. Archie ClcighorB, re
I ceiFes $4,000 and her daughter s.. 900
In addition To these generous allow
ancestor it must be remembered
that the annual expenses of a native
are not more than Sj0 as he lives main
I IL on poi and raw fish the King was
allowed $4,000 hy the legislature for
the palace stables. This sum he used
to bui ld a private stable. which he
stocked with horses and ten hacks
which he hired out to be run in opOsi-
ton to the regular carriage companies
in Honolulu.
Besides all these sources OF revenue
the King receives q yearly rental of
not less than 500, 900 from the crown
lands, which comprise some Of the
best sugar estates on the islands. The
opposition party in the Legislature has
tried for several years to compel the
King TO disclose the exact sum which
he receives from these crown lands,
but without success.
With all this money hqlakaua is per
rennia'ly in deit. When he took the
famous trip around the world he
brought in bill for 50. 800 which was
paid with some grUmbliDg by the Leg
islature. When the coronation was pro-
iected an allowance of $4,000 was
made, with the provision that, if this
sum was exceeded. that should come
out of the Kings privy Darse. The
aviSh corOnat ton ceremonies cost $40
600, end 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 kinGd0 =, ne Leg
islat re voted him $4,000 to satisfy
The most pre- sing of his creditors.
VII becomes of the large sum re-
ceivcd by Kalakaua is a mystery
which no one has Y solved Re has
n more idea of the value money
than had Ludwig f Bavaria. Re has
few expensive tas es. he has one
strong passion which. freely INDUCED,
drains him of I'll his coin This Is
gambling. The Hawaiians are - fond
of all games of chance as the North
American Indian. and the King is said
to be no mean hapd IL "a Great
natl nal game OF POKER