The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-05-25


Circumstances render it necessary TO
me to say a few words relative to wha
has recently transpired In Hawaiian at
fairs, and In respect to the interest!
which the United States has in the Ha
waiian problem. In September, 1889,
first saw the Hawaiian Islands-thost
beautiful emeralds III the North Pacific
sea- had not been long in Honolulu
when / perceived how thoroughly al
American city it is, how strong is Ameri
can sympathy and how predominatinc
are American interests IN all the islands
OF the Hawaiian group. More than one
year of careful study of the existing com
plex facts 1 found necessary to a correct
understanding of the moral, commercial
and political state of the islands. Though
had had much previous experience and
observation among the nations of three
continents, / found condition of things
In Honolulu unlike that L had ever
known at any other national capital
found an intelligent body OF citizens. of
European and American origin, sharing
the goodwill of many native Hawaiians,
supporting a semi-barbaric monarchy
resting on no solid ornormal foundation,
dead in everything but its vices, coarsely
Injurious In its tastes and wishes, con-
stantly sending out impure exhalations,
and spreading social and political de-
moralization throughout the islands.
This semi-heathen and grossly spurious
government mechanism, called the Ha-
waiian monarchy, was being chiefly sup
ported by the taxes and federation of
those who could have no sincere loyalty
to it, and who knew that it returned to
the islands nothing for the money it an
nually squandered on worse than useless
expenditures. That such barbaric and
.ka,- fafA fla Of
eminent and law was so long endured, is
a striking proof of the self-control and
forbearance of the responsible citizens of
Hawaii. Suffice it to say, that such an
abomination in the name of government,
or for any other pretence or purpose,
would not be allowed to exist sixty days
in any of our American cities. Only
very exceptional circumstances caused
the responsible citizens and principal
taxpayers of the islands so long to main
tain this dead and worse than useless
monarchy. One years careful observa-
ton of the existing state OF things
brought me to the firm belief that it
couId not long continue. The death of
Kalakaua and the accession of his sister
to the little throne revealed many facts
and circumstances which showed how
utterly vicious and demoralizlng the
monarchy had become. Bad as had been
and advisers of this semi-barbaric king,
those whom his sister Liliuokalani i'm
mediately drew around her were still
worse. The death of her brother, fol-
lowed by that of her lawful husband,
did not prevent her from appointing to
the chief executive office of the islands
the Tahitian half-white, who had sus-
tanned scandalous relations to her, and
whom she now installed In her palace,
though he had lawfully married wife,
and her chamberlain, paid out OF the
Government treasury, was always at his
post to discharge palace duties. Even
this astounding exhibition of shame and
the low character of her white retainers
and confidants the Hawaiian public en-
dured without overt acts of protest and
indignation.
The biennial Legislature assembled
in MAY, 1892. That body very soon as
serted its constitutional prerogatlve IN
voting out a ministry that had consented
to the maladminlstratlon OF the queen
and her immoral favorite at the palace,
who exercised dictatorial powers and n
oted in official police corruption. In
stead of appointing ministers possessing
the confidence of the Legislative majority
and of the business men OF the Islands,
she continued to select those of her own
type OF character, those whom she knew
would retain her illicit palace favorlte IN
power. Three successive MINISTRIES OF
this description were voted out by the
Legislature. with the warm approval OF
all the best men of the islands. AT last
the Queen appeared to yield to the pres
sure of public opinion and consented to
the appointrnent of four responsible men,
three of them persons of wealth, and all
of them men OF good financial standing,
who took the official places with reluct-
ance. all four of them sharing the pubic
confidence. Known as the W1lcox-JoneS
ministry. it was believed that they would
safely carry the country through the fol-
lowing eighteen months, to the election
and assemblage of the next Legislature.
Emily sharing this belief, the United
States Minister and naval commander
left Honolulu January 4, IN the United
States cruiser Boston, for Hllo and the
Volcano, the distance of nearly three
hundred miles. 1t was the first time for
many months had felt it safe for the
Tinted States Minister and naval com
mander to be away from the Hawaiian
capital. We were absent ten days.
When we arrived in the harbor of Homo
Iulu on our return from Hllo IN the lore
noon of January 14th, there came to US
the Startling news that the queen and
the ring of white Adventures who sur
rounded her, had, by intrigue ana DIT
berry, carried the lottery anu opium DiuS
through the Legislature; had forced out
the Wilcox and Jones ministry, had APP
pointed in their places four of her palace
retainers, two of whom the Legislature
and the responsible public had recently
and repeatedly rejected, headed by the
man who had carried the lottery and
opium bills through the Legislature. In
spite of numerous petitions and protests
from all the islands, both of whites and
native Hawaiians, and the earnest re-
monstrsnce of the Chamber of Commerce
and the principal financial men of the
country. the Queen Immediately signed
the ubiquitous bills. Both she and the
ring of adventures who surrounded her
expected thus to get the money to carry
on the Government, by making Homo
lulu fortress of gamblers and seml-pI-
rates amid the ocean, from which they
could by every mail steamer to the Unit
ed States send out the poisoned Bullets
of chance, by which to rob the American
people of their millions OF money-a
method of gaining silver and gold as
wicked and audacious as that of the free
hooters who once established themselves
In the West Indian seas and made pratt
cal forays on American commerce. BUT