Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-06
SANDWICH ISLANDS POLITICS.
a Talk With Ex- Minister OF Foreign
Affairs Austin Of Hawaii.

4
A Talk With Ex- Minister OF FOREIGN
Affairs Austin Of Hawaii.
| HI DoHsNr BELIEVE THE sroRIfs ABOUT TRouBI Z
IN THE IsLASDs-AMERIcAS INTEREsrs-xo
| POSSIBILITY OF ANNExArroN-PRoPosIpc CABLE
| TO San FRANCISCO,
Hon. Jonathan Austin, ex-minister Of foreign
| affairs Of the Sandwich Islands. sat in his room
In the Eboitt House last evening and for half
an hour or 50 talked about affairs in that part
OF the world to . STAR reporter. He il a tall,
MISUNDERSTANDING old gentleman with q
long white beard and a somewhat scanty dress
ing OF hair on the top Of his head He is q ma
tive American, but for many years has made
Honolulu his home, and for some time was q
member OF the kings cabinet He said that he
knew little or nothing about the state Of things
on the group just at present, for he has been
away from Honolulu since last June and he
has had no mail for some time. He expects to
get letters in New York today that came in on
tho Alameda . week ago.
DOESN'T BELIEVE THERE n TROUBLE on fHK
ISLANDS.
II do not place the slightest credence 10 the
stories about there being trouble in the
islands" he said. 'In the first place do not
think that Admiral Brown gave utterance to
| any such tale as that which was sent here from
the Pacific coast, for am personally acquainted
with him and know that he would not say any
such things without good foundation. There
| Is no trouble in the islands at all Just now.
Inc Only thing OF any importance that might
De construed by an alarmist into the basis of q
war scare is that while was there q certain
party OF natives presented q petition to the
KING asking him to appoint a board for the re-
vision OF the constitution, which he, according
| to usage. referred to the legislature. which is
now in session. But it was all peaceful, and
there was nothing stirring to lead any one to
fear revolution.
AMERICAN INTERESTS on A SECURE BASIS.
"Afairs on the islands are very quiet. The
new cabinet, which came into power by virtue
OF the success Of the Wilcox party at the polls,
| is all that any one could wish The men are
conservative and there is no reason to appre-
bend that they will get the nation into any sort
OF trouble. American interests are, you know,
by far the most dominant there and they were
never on a more secure basis. There is the
least possible danger that they may be weak
ened by the laying Of cable connecting Homo
lulu with Victoria, as thus all of our communi-
cations would have to pass through English
hands The way to avert this danger is to
build cable to San Francisco and that is the
scheme that is working now. There is a strong
favor OF such a work, and l think that it will
be accomplished. Hawaii has made an offer to
this country to advance half million of bonds
for such a project, and this met with the favor
of Secretary Blaine when it was presented to
him by Minister Carter. The Secretary wants
to issue bonds for the laying of the cable and
to offer some reliable telegraph company a GER
tain part Of these. guaranteed for the construc-
ton and the operation Of it. II he were in the
city now l should like to see him to talk TO him
about this matter
WILCOX A DANGEROUS ELEMENT.
"How does Wilcox stand with the people
now?"
"He is a member Of the legislature and he is
always dangerous element, but / am quite
sure that just as soon as he begins his schem-
ing again with a view to overturning the affairs
OF the Islands he will be summary dealt with
by the people. And then. too, there are al
ways men-of-war in the harbor, and the SIM
pie landing of force of men from one of them
would be sufficient to put "a stop to any such
movement
THE NEXT ELECTION.
"There will be another election year from
next February, and there may be some politi-
cal changes then. There is one change, how
ever, that will never be made with the consent
of the majority of the islanders, and that is the
recall OF Minister Carter. He has been here q
long time, and he wants to retire, but there is
| nobody to take his place. There are plenty of
good men on the islands who would be quite
capable of fulfilling the duties here acceptably,
but none of them are willing TO give up their
large private business interests. No one wants
Mr.. Carter to retire. He is a splendid man,
and has served US faithfully. II there should
be change there would probably be kanaka
selected. and that would play havoc with things
But do not think there is much danger of that
happening"
NO EARTHLY CHANCE OF ANNEXATION.
At this point the reporter showed Mr.. Austin
a clipping from Honolulu paper Of the date
OF August 10, containing dispatch from this
city Of a date nearly three weeks earlier to the
effect that it was understood that he (Mr. Aus
TIM was in this city for the purpose of seeing
Mr.. Blaine in the hope that the latter might
become interested in Minister Carriers scheme
for the annexation of the Sandwich Islands by
the United States. He laughed he read it
and handed it back.
Il have not seen Mr.. Blaine" he remarked
"and do not expect to see him, as l leave the
city tomorrow morning for New York and shall
then SO to San Francisco to take the steamer
for home. want you to say this very posi-
lively: There is no earthly chance Of the Sand
wich Islands being annexed by this country.
Hawaii does not want it, nor does the United
States. There was time, about thirty or forty
years ago. when the United States could have
had the Hawaiian Islands without having any
difficulty about the matter, but now. and
know what am talking about neither side has
any desire to this end. You see, the islands are
not big enough to form a state and in case they
were annexed they would have to be admitted
as territory. Then there would be governor
sent out from Washington, probably some
broken-down politician, which would be the
very worst thing that could happen to our
people. There il no annexation party there;
| there is no popular need or demand for
such a sentiment. l personally know of, per-
haps half a dozen natives who are advocates
of the scheme, and may be five hundred white
men OF the same persuasion, but these are ali.
These men are agitating this matter simply be-
cause they want to see things upset, In the
hope that they may get some Of the spoils, but
they have no Influence in the community. And
as for Minister Carter. he is opposed to the
idea, tooth and nail, as / am. No sir; if / saw
Mr.. Blaine it would be on the subject Of the
trans-Pacifc cable.
Mr.. AUsTIN's BUSINESS HERE.
81 now occupy the position Of commissioner
Of patents, and it was solely on business con-
nected with that Office that am in this coun.
try. used to be solicitor of patents before
/ went to the islands and l wanted to look at
certain things here in the Patent Office The
commissioner, MIR. Mitchell. treated me very
courteously when was here a few weeks ago
and showed me everything / wanted to see.
'Only a few days before left Honolulu, to
| return to the original subject Of this reported
revolution, had a conference with the min
lister of foreign affairs. my successor, and ad-
| miral Rowan on the very subject Of what
that all that was necessary would be to land a
That oil -,