Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-06-26

GaetanC, Spanish navigator, first saw
these islands in 1912, but it can not be
said that anything was known Of them by
Europeans until they were visited by
Captain Cook in l778. This discoverer
gave the group the name of the Sand
wich, islands, after Lord Sandwich,
then Chief Lord of the Admiralty.
but the inhabitants have always called
them Hawaiian islands, from Hawaii, the
name of the largest island. There are
ten islands IN the group, only four OF
which are large enough to be of any real
Importance. Hawaii has an area of 4
90 square miles, and is twice as large
as all others together. When first dis
covered each of the islands had king.
Though the origin of the Hawaiian
race is still a matter of dispute-the
weight Of evidence, however chasing
them with the Malay tribes-there is no
doubt that they are a nation of consider
able antiquity. The genealOgy of the
kings on the island Of Hawaii, which has
been kept from time immemOriaI by ma
tive chroniclers, has a istOf over seventy
kings. In 1871, on the death Of the
reiguing king, Kalanio Ku. his nephew,
Kamehameha Of much spirit and ability,
became head CHIEF of tn western part Of
the island. In selfdefense he waged
war, first with the other chiefs of his is
land, and then with the kings Of other i--
lands, and at last brought the whole
group under his control, and announced
himself king of all the islands in 1909.
In the following year he wrote to George
III, expressing his desire to aclnowl-
edge the king of England as his sOver-
eign and to place the islands under Brit
ish protection, a plan to which King
George readily consented. Kamehame-
ha L. abolished the taboo system and hu-
man sacrifices, organized an army and
navy, and under him the inhabitants
made great advances in civilization.
Most Of his ideas of enlightenment were
earned from the explorer Vancouver,
who while surveying, the west coast of
British America, spent several winters at
Hawaii. In 1919, Kamehameha L died,
and was succeeded by his eldest son,
LihahhO, who, on assuming the royal
power, adopted his fathers name as a
title, and became known as Kamehameha
II. visited England with his queen, and
both died there in July, 1924 He was
was succeeded by his brother, who, how
ever, did not assume theroyal power IN
/ til 1888, the kingdom being in the mean
time under the regency OF Queen Kaa-
humanu, the GOWager OF Kamehameha I
| Under Kamehameha III, in 1910, the
people were granted a written cOnsGtu-
ton, recognizing the three grand divis-
ions Of king, legislature and Judges, and
IN his reign the Christian religion be
came the established national religion OF
the islands. Great Britain, France and
the United States acknowledged the in
dependence Of his government and treat
les were made with these and other pow
ers. On his death In 1854, he was sue
ceeded by his nephew and adopted son
as Kamehameha ". After a brief but
very useful reign, for he was a man of
talent and public spirit, this ruler died
In 1868, and the royal power passed to
his brother, Kamehameha V. This king
changed the constitution, making IT
more absolute, and the change, after con
siderable opposition, was adopted by the
people. at his death In 1872, the line
Of Kamehameha I. became extinct. vii
liam LunaliiO, one of an old family OF
powerful chiefs, was elected by the leg
isIature to succeed him. Upon LunaliIO'a
death In February, 1874. David Kala-
kaua, the present ruler, was elected IN the
same manner. The executive power in
the Hawaiian kingdom belongs to the
king and a privy council, the latter made
up Of four governors Of the principal is
/ lands, and four responsible ministers
! The legislative power resides In the king
and the parliament, the latter being com
posed Of fourteen mobiles and twenty
eight representative. These two classes
discuss and vote together. The judic-
/ iary power is IN a supreme court, with q
chief Justice and two other judges, and
inferior courts. Suffrage has been uni
versaI until the constitution Of Kameha-
meha I, which imposed both an educa-
tiOnal and property qualification.