The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-08
HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.
AS Viewed by Edward Dekum- ANY
Attempt to Restore the Queen
Will Result in Bloodshed.


Mr.. Edward Dekum, who had been
soiourning in Hawaii for two months,
returned home last Saturday. He
went to the island kingdom primarily
for his health and secondly for the pur
pose of looking into the coffee interest
with view of establishing coffee
plantation. This is comparatively
new industry on the Islands, and owing
to the existing unsettled condition OF
affairs in the kingdom, the eXorbltant
price of lumber and other materials
and the length of time which must
elapse before any returns can be had
on the investment, Mr.. Dekum was
convinced that it would prove unprotit'
able, and has abandoned the idea for
the present. =.
Mr.. Dekum returned from Hawaii
on the same steamer with eX-Mlnlster
Stevens. who is now at San Francisco
with his wife and daughter, taking a
long needed rest Burdened with wor-
riment growing out of the recent revo-
luton and the death of his tavorlte
daughter. he is now Mr.. Dekum says,
physically incapacitated from work, and
needs a long vacation. He clearly
shows the trouble on his mind, and his
facial expression has changed in re
markable degree since Mr.. Dekum
first met him two years ago.
"Mr Stevens is very popular with
the Hawaiians," said Mr. Dekum yes
terday. "On May 24th, just before his
departure to the United States, he was
rendered a great ovation and reception
at Honolulu. People stood in line for
hours i'll order to get an opportunity to
speak to him, and natives and torelgers
alike rushed forward to grasp his hand
Flowers were presented to him IN i'm
mense quantities as a token OF esteem
in which he is held by the natives. The
reception was said TO be the grandest
ever given in Honolulu
minister Blount is not very popular
except with the RoyalstS, and with
them because he is opposed to annex
alton. Great surprise was expressed
when the news of Blount's appointment
was received, for he had been quoted
as saving that he would not take the
office for Sex, 1000 a year The Amerl-
cans are displeased with Bount, and
any other man whom the President
could have appointed would have been
more acceptable than he is. He
courted unpopularity by ordering the
American flag, raised by Minister
Stevens, hauled down, and he will
never be forgiven for this act Be
sides this, he has given the Americans
who took part in the revolution no as
surance of protection of their lives and
property should the Queen be restored
to the throne and determine upon
revenge. He has said that the Amerl-
cans on the Islands will be protected,
but he has positively refused to state
what will be done with those who took
part in the revolution.
The affairs of the kingdom are more
settled at present than at any time since
the revolution. My personal opinion,
based upon conversations with mer-
chants of Honolulu, is that there will be
no interference by the British or Jap
anese governments. The residents Of
the kingdom do not care for annexation
with Great Britain, for they have heard
so much about business depression pre-,
yailng in the colonies that they think
the result would be unfavorable to
them They would not care to have
Great Britain establish a protectorate
either, although they have received no
encouragement from the United States
in the matter of annexation. What
Japan intends to do is not known.
Paul Neumann, attorney general In the
Queens cabinet, and her right hand
bower, has gone to that country on a
secret mission and his object can easily
be guessed. What will result from his
mission can only be Conjectured. If
the Japanese government attempts to
take the country there will be blood
shed, for the revolutionists will fight to
the end for independence if the United
States refuses to interfere. Whether
the $4,000 Japanese on the Islands will
rise in arms remains to be seen. The
japanese have fine, well manned cruls-.
ers in Hawaiian waters. The $1,000
Chinese on the Islands do not care
whether the Islands are taken by the
United States, Great Britain, Portugal
or Japan. All they ask is the privilege
of growing rice and earning a living
My personal opinion is that the United
States will never get the Islands This
belief is based upon the fact that, &C
cording to the census, there are $4,000
natives, Chinese and Japanese, while
there are only 10000 Americans, Ger
mans and Engishmen Yet three
fourths of the capita invested is Am
erican and the government is really
American, although the natives are in
the majority. They are careless, i'm
provident set, with no business ability
or brains, and can be easily influenced.
AT an American annexation meeting
they will shout for annexation, and the
next day at a Royalist gathering they
will cheer for the Queen. Should an
nexation carry, they would be happy |
until influenced by the Royallsts, and
hen they would be willing to partici-
pate in an attempt to overthrow the