The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-05-27
THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
Something of Their Government, People
and Customs.

Something of Their Government, People
and Customs.
In recent years Hawaii has become
a subject of special and increasing in
terest to both Europeans and Ameri-
cans. 1t has been felt to be important,
by Englishmen, Germans and Ameri-
cans, to obtain a controlling influence
over, If not actual possession of, the
government of the island realm.
The recent death of Kalakaua, the
king who had reigned over the islands
for nearly seventeen years, and the ac-
cession to the throne of his sister, Lili-
uokalani, has notably increased inter-
est felt in the kingdom by foreign ma
tlons, and has made yet more promi
nent the problem of it's future destiny.
The natives of Hawaii, gentle,
cheerful, indolent, pleasure-loving race,
have steadily dwindled in numbers for
long period; so that the present popu-
lation, from having been two hundred
thousand rather more than century
ago, has sunk to probably somewhat
less tHdn IOrJy Thousand.
The foreign population of the islands,
on the other hand, has as steadily in
creased as the natives have diminished.
1t is stated that of the foreigners, there
are resident in Hawaii twenty thousand
Chinese, nine thousand japanese, three
thousand Americans, and thirteen or
fourteen thousand Europeans, including
Portuguese, English, German, French
and Spanish.
The important fact about Hawaii is
that the foreigners not only control it's
business interests, but take an impor-
tant part in the governing of the is
lands. Englishmen, Americans and
Italians have held high offices under
the king; and about four years ago the
foreigners achieved a successful revolu
ton, by which the king was shorn of
large share of the royal power which
he and his predecessors had exercised.
The new sovereign, Queen Liliuolsa-
lani, is described by one very familiar
with Hawaiian affairs as "a bright,
clever, brilliant woman, possessing the
finest judgment and tact, who will make
an admirable ruler"
But she is credited with leaning rath-
er toward the English than toward the
Americans; and it seems certain that,
with several great powers likely to con-
tend for the controlling influence over
Hawaii, her reignis not destined to be a
very quiet one.
The Importance of Hawaii is both a
military and commercial one. The
situation of the islands in the midst OF
the Pacific, makes them valuable as a
naval as well as a commercial station,
and therefore they are coveted by mari
time powers like England and Germany.
Their resources, moreover, have nota
bly, increased in recent years. Former.
ly the chief business of Hawaii consist
ed in the whaling industry. But with
the decline of whaling, the natural fer
tility and favorable climate of the
islands have prompted the cultivation
of sugar, coffee and rice; and a consid
erable trade has grown up between
Hawaii and the nearest Asiatic and
| AIucTlCdu COitStS.
The United States has already !;
reciprocity treaty with Hawaii, by thu
terms of which certain articles, pro
duced from the soil or manufactures O.
each, are exchanged between them fre'
Of duty.
But, in view of the encroachlnents O
European powers. especially of Englant
and Germany, upon the various group
of islands scattered over the Pacific
and their annexation of many of thes
groups to their own dominions, Amer
lean statesmen will doubtless gra vel,
consider whether the ties betweel
Hawaii and this country shall not b
more closely drawn, and whether thei
possession, by any European power
shall not, at least, be prevented
Youths Companion.
Curious Facts About the Pump.
The water pump of to-day is but a
; improvement on Grecian inventio
which first came into use during tn
, reign of Ptolemies Philadelphos an
Energetes, aS3 to 221 B. c. The name
, which is very similar in all language
: is derived from the Greek word pempt
to send or throw. The most ancient d,
: scription we have of water pump is b
, Hero, of Alexandra. There is no al
thentic account of the general use of til
pump in Germany previous to the 81:
teenth century; at about that time til
o,lloec ohoin ond h,1clxat works for ra i
ing water from mines began to be T.
placed by pumps. In the seventeent
century rotating pumps, like the Pa
t penham engine with two pistons an
the Prince Rupert with one, were fir
8 used. Pumps with plunger piston
j were invented by Moreland, an Englisl
. man. in 1874; the double-acting pun
; nv De la Hire, the French academicial
! Chicago News.
! Got the Best.
; A man, after eating very poor di
ner in third-class restaurant, leane
back and asked of the negro watt
!. how much money was due.
, "Sebenty-f' cents, sab"
= "What, for the wing of a chicken al
4 a piece of corn bread?"
i eyes. sah.'
i sIt's outrageous! / never heard
!. anything like it before!'
"Boss, lemme tell you. Yer look
I like a man dat wanted de bes' an gin
a ter yer"
sVrbo hacf00