The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-31
SOCIETY IN HAWAII.
Admiral Brown Talks of the
Pacific Islands.
KING kALAkAuA's HOSPITALITY
Queen Kapiolani Greatly Beloved BY Her
subjects-ways Of the rslandsrs-
The Present Trouble.

Islands Is matter Of great interest to all
Americans, not only on account of the
traubled state of politics there. but because
OF Americas close commercial relations
with the islands And of all parts of this
country bound by strong ties to Hawaii.
no section is SO intimately connected as the
Pacific Coast, consequently anything
touching the social and political status of
this Pacific ocean kingdom is worthy Of
more than passing notice.
few days ago the Posr-ISTELLIsEScER
published widely quoted interview with
Admiral Brown concerning the impending
revolution on the Islands. Yesterday re-
porter learned some facts which supple
ment and illustrate the admiral's former
remarks. In conversation on the topic,
Admiral Brown said that his experience
with Hawaii began some thirty-eight years
ago when he first entered the navy. Then
he visited the place in the old st. Lawrence.
AT intervals ever since he has gone there,
and the study OF the country and its peo-
pie has always been q subject in which he
has taken more than casual interest.
THE native Hawaiian" said Admiral
Brown, lis naturally the happiest and est
natured man on earth. From the king
down to his humblest subject you will find
no people whose acquaintance will give you
more positive pleasure. There is. / am
sorry to say. good deal OF misinforma-
ton current about these islands and their
inhabitants. Take King kaIakana, for
instance. You have seen reports in En-
glish, French and American papers that he
is dissipated man and an ignorant, saw
age prince. Such stuff is the sheerest nom
sense. have known him before he was q
king: and the Charleston has Just spent
two months and half st Honolulu, a
period during which have seen the king
and all classes of his subjects very con-
stantly. I know the man. and / can from
personal knowledge contradict the absurd
statements afoat concerning him. In the
first place he is not an incorporate man.
He never forgets that he is king, and in
all his pleasures he remembers the dignity
of his high station. So you can vet down
this talk about drunkenness and all that as
coming from men who don't know what
they are saying.
Another point-Kalakaua is highly ed
ucated man. He is graduate of the royal
school. the leading school of his day on the
islands. and he has training of which the
educated European and American would
be proud. He takes a very deep interest
duties of his office will permit the
scientific investigations of the present day;
and he is liberal patron of the arts You
can say what you like. but there are few
European princes of whom more things of
that sort can be teld. although they of
course have all the libraries and laborator-
les of Europe at their command.
HE is not only educated in the sense Of
being versed in the teaching of the schools,
but he is more than that, because he is in
telligent. A man of natural abilities, be
watches closely and draws keen deductions
from what he sees. Any where in the
world he could go among the foremost
men and take rank for his education and
intelligence.
You would be surprised" continued
Admiral Brown, could you visit his
court His palace presents an appear
ance even more creditable than your own
White House. which we consider a very
presentable building. On all official occa-
sions, those of public ceremonial as well as
in social events, in which the royal FAM
lily takes part, there is as careful attention
to the matters of etiquette as
you will find in any court in
Europe. King Kalakaua is. as you will see
him then. every inch king. dignified. poll
ished and gracious; while of Queen kapio-
lani the same high praise can be uttered.
When the king has finished with his off,
cial duties, in which, as have said. his
dignity is perfect, then he mingles
in social intercourse with his subjects
and with the better class of strangers who
come to the kingdom. Though always
agreeable. and perfectly well bred. yet you
will never find him forgetting the fact that
he is king. Your majesty is always the
title by which he is addressed.
king Kalakaua is moreover q perfect
native in his temperament, frank OPEN
hearted and generous to degree. Indeed.
many say that what trouble he has had at
one time and another has come upon him
from an excess OF what is rightly known as
good qualities. He is not only generous,
but he has that confidence in human ma
ture, in the honesty of others. which you
observe in every man OF kind heart. and so
he has now and then been led to trust men
who were. in fact. ready TO betray him;
men whose interests were not with the
Hawaiian Islands nor with himself In
short, adventures have come along who
have imposed upon 3 man whose true
heart has made him forget TO suspect eth
ers.
king Kaiakaua, SIS every one on the IS
lands knows, was given his kingdom be-
cause he represented the American inter-
ests. When his predecessor. King Kane
hameha ", died. he did not name a
successor, as he could have done. and since
he left no children the question of the sue
cession was given to the leg
islature to determine. The two as.
pirants to The throne were Queen
Emma. his widow, and David kalakaua.
She had been to Europe. had visited En-
gland and had been made much of at the
British court. AS protege of Queen Vic
toria she naturally had imbibed English
notions in regard 10 political. social and re-
Iigious matters, indeed you might have
called her the embodiment of the English
man on the islands. David kalakaua,
on the other hand, was q representative of
the American element, and it was largely
through the influence of this part of his
kingdom that he came to the throne. In
spite, however, of this fact, he holds to the
old monarchial ideas. IS you might sup
pose in the case of an aristocrat by birth
aud training. ana he with many of the peo-
rle in the Islands has really forgotten
that America is the best friend Hawaii
possesses, and the country TO which It can
most safely look in every time of need and
trouble.
have mentioned Queen Kapiolani. She
Is a woman whom 10 know, is. as We say,
q liberal education. I was fortunate
enough to see her number OF times dur
ing our recent stay at Honolulu. She Is
gracious ana womaniy, and always charm
ing. You can scarcely imagine person
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