Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-12-13
Plea Foe AnntxAnos.



American nation stsnd by its eenfufy's
record In fayor Of republican government
and Of free Christian civilization, or will il
repudiste is pas; by using It's power TO muir
der It's own offspring and to stamp out the
reforming work Of pure and noble men and
omen who have made the Havs iian islands
THAT they are, Thus following the once in
famous example 81 the Austrian Hapsourgs
10 sitting the noble ASPIRATIONS of Italy and
Hungary. The facts and reasons given in
the foilosing article bear on the inquiry ;
Shall this nation continue its policy toward.
Hawai- on the lines indicated by Marcy.
Seward, Grant and Blaine, or shall it fol-
low different and uncertain path ,endanger-
ing, IL not disgracefully sacrificing, Ameri-
can prestige and American interests in the
North Pacihef
When Cook first saw Hawaii, in 1873. he
estimated the population at four hundred
thousand This undoubtedly was an ex-
sggeration. The real numbers probably
did not exceed two hundred and fifty thou
and, and on the arrival Of the American
missionaries, in 1920, there were not more
than one hundred and fifty thousand. THIS
rapid reduction Of the NATIVE population
PRIOR to the advent Of the missionaries con-
elusively answers the charge that Christian
instruction and Christian life were lnfnen-
tial in decimating the native Hawsian-.
Their. are reasons for the belief that this
decrease Of the race had already been opera
tive before Cooks discovery, and that this
earl ier tendency to extinction has been
augmented by the vices of men claiming TO
be civilized, while more hostile to Christian
efforts than the original barbarians. The
reduction has gone on conseeutively from
the two hundred and fifty Thousand Ia the
time of Cook to the thirty -four Thousand at
the present date.
Nothing more conclusively than these
figures proves that the future of the islands
must be controlled by other than the native
race. These beautiful anil sunny isles,
with their rich resources and splendid
future possibilities, must and will
he improved and governed by an
Intelligent and powerful race. While
the surviving natives should be
most kindly de-'' vifh, allowed every
possible oppor,unI., 10 improve their condi-
ton AMI help themselves it would be thros-
log to the nds all past experience and his
torieai instruction 10 think longer of gov
erning the islands by the native race which
comprises about one-third of the population.
The native monarchy was continued twenty
,e.rs after the seeds Of death were in its
members. The kamehameha race of kings,
Who reigned ninety years. became extinct
in 1874 During the most of that period
the natives constituted very large major
ity of the populat on, and most of the kings
o that dy nasty had more or less ability and
tried to rule for the welfare of their people.
The monarchy then rested on log cal
foundation. There were numerous chiefs
subordinate to the king.snd the mass of he
population when the missionaries arrive !
among them were in abjpct servile subj. C.
ton to the King and chiefs. who held the
land. fishing rights, and timber the chief
property of the islands. Thus there was n
kind of feudal system on which the mon
archy rested, somewhat analogous To the
foundation on which European monarchies
were long maintained.
The missionaries who began their l,bDr.
there in ls20 were no ordinary men. They
were clergymen, teachers and physicians.
The native monarch had enough natural
sense to perceive the value of their int lii
gent assistance. These missionaries were
obliged to deal with men and things az ttey
found them. They obtained healthy in
huence over the king and chiefs. BY un-
wearied efforts, in the progress of time and
events, a tolerable native monarchy was
established and full code of lAws-mo'tly
of American type-was enacted ami put in
force. and the American school system in
auaurated. No other kind of government
was then practicable. This state of thiags
went on until 1874, when the kamebamehs
race of kings became extinct by death In
the meanw lille the chiefs and their families
had nearly all passed to their graves. Thus
the logical foundation of the monarchy
the Hawaiian feudal system---no longer ex-
listed. Who should fill the vacant throne
This the Legislature decided by the cleo
ton of David Kslskaua, the American il
fuence being exerted in his support in pre-
ference to another candidate with British
sympsthies and affiliations. A large mum.
Der of native Hawsiisns. stirred up by If
responsible white men, resisted this cleo
ton. drove the Legislature from its hall of
a.semblsge. and created formidable riot.
Soldiers and sailors were landed from the
United States vessels then in the hsrbor of
Honolulu. and the riot was supprt ssed.-
thus. in effect. this elected king was secured
on the throne by American influence.
1t did not take long to prove kalskauas
utter unit fitness AS A ruler. Weak, gqod-na-
tured and dissolute, he soou drew around
him men and women Of like character, and
the influence of himself and favorites was
very deleterious TO private and public NOR
ais throughout the islands. specially among
the nstises. Reckless in expenditures,
greedy OF gain to crafty his vieIJus tastes
snd TO feed his unworthy favorites. he WAS
fitting tool of those who knew how tu
make use of the semi-barbsrous King TO
tn. ir p cuniary advantage. and who openly
boosted of their dictatorisl powers at the
Hawaiian palace. Instead of drawing
around him the best men. as his Kane
hsmeha predecessors had often done, he
fell into the hands Of irresponsible adven-
turers. This continued TO such an increased
degree a. to bring its elimination in 1887,
when all the respectable and responsible
men OF the islands were obliged to take de-
cisive action. Kalsksua had then heen 70,
several years chiefly under the control Of
one Gibson, an American by birth. who
went to Hawaii a. Mormon missionary.
ssined political poser by stirring no the
nsttve Hxwsiians sgaiDst the WHITE citizens.
raising the cry of Hawaii for the Hawaii
ans" He became thu Xmas chief minister,
and soon completely DOMINATED him and the
rest of the cabinet.
The incidental event which finally pre-
cipitxted the revolution of 1881 VAS the
Kings taking bride Of seventy thousand
dollars in gold for license to sell opium in
the islands. Ills gold was carried in bags
to the palace, and expended by the king for
his personal uses. The King then sold the
license to smother party for a larger sum
and did not return the seventy thousand
dollars TO the first purchaser. Though the
islands we're then IL 'es dinghy prosperous,
the taxes and expenses were so largely in
cfeaeed by worse than useless expenditures
and official corruption, that the taxpayers
hal no alternative but TO take decisive
measures. They organized and armed,
and with united v,ice demanded the dis
mi.sal of Glib on. the establishment
Of = new constitution taking from the King
much of the ps~sr hich he had 90 abused,
and the creation of ministry responsible
70 = majority Of the Legislature. Finding
hinsslf poweflsss to Withstand this just de-
mand of the principal citizens Of the island,
the King yielded. removed Gibson from his
ofii, &c. and consented to the appointment of
\ reform ministry. three of them being from
he best men of the islsnds. swo of them
born in Hawaii Of sturdy American stocb
md thoroughly American J, ideas and sym
pathies.
At the time of this uprising in 1887 many
Eished 70 abolish the monarchy II oncs. |
But the more conservative said LET the |
moaarchy b. tried once nore under new