Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-16
WHEN KINGS RULED.
Intrigues and Evils That Led to the
Hawaiian Revolution.
HEAVY BURDENS OF THE PEOPLE.
The lurid Reign Of the Late King
kalakaua,
A TOOL OF DESIGNING MEN.
HEAVY BURDENS OF THE PEOPLE.
A TOOL OF DESIGNING MEN.

Commissioner Blount when obtaining in
formation concerning affairs in Hawaii was
furnished by the provisional government
with statement of the condition of the
people and government under King Kala-
kaua, and the evils which the people suffer-
ed. Following is an abstract of this state
ment which gives an interesting view Of
recent Hawaiian history:
1t is true that the germs Of many of the
evils Of kalakaua's reign may be traced to
the reign of Tamehamaha V. The reaction
airy policy of that monarch was well known.
Under him the recrudescence of heathen-
ism began, as evinced by the pagan orgies
at the funeral of his sister, Victoria Kama
malu, in June, 1886. and by his encourage
ment of the lascivious hulahula dances.
and of the perncious class of kahunas or
sorcerers. Closely connected with this re-
action was growing jealousy and hatred
of foreigners.
Intrigues During LunalilO's Reign.
During Lunalilo's reign, 1874, this feel
ing was famed into a flame by several
causes, the execution of the law for the
segregation of lepers, the agitation over the
proposed session of Pearl Harbor to the
United States, and the famous mutiny at
the barracks Kalakaua made the most of
this disaffection, smarting as he was under
his defeat in the election of January s,
1873. His manifesto previous to that cleo
ton appealed to this race prejudice. He
promised if elected to repeal the poll tax,
to put native Hawaiians into government
offices, and to amend the constitution of
1864. Beware" he said, ''of the constitu-
ton of 1852, and the false teachings of the
foreigners who are now seeking to obtain
the direction of the government If Lunalilo
aScends the throne"
Walter Murray Gibson, formerly Mormon
apostle and shepherd of Lanai, then pro-
fessional politician and editor of the sour
rilous paper Nuhou, disappointed that he
had been ignored in the formation of Luz
nalilos cabinet, attached himself to kala-
kaua's party.
The Election of Kalaknua.
Upon Lunalilo's untimely death. February
8, 1874, as no successor to the throne had
been appointed, the legislature was sum-
moned to meet on the 18th. The choice
lay between Kalakaua and the queen dowa-
ger. Emma. The cabinet and American
party favored the former. and the English
the latter. At-the same time Kalakaua's
true character was not understood. The
natives knew that his family had always
been an idolatrous one; his reputed
grandfather Kamanawa, had been hanged
in 1910 for poisoning his wife. Under Tame
solutism and the removal of the prohibit
tory liquor law. defalcation occurred
while he was postmaster, which was cover
ed up, his friends making the loss good to
the government Queen Emma's adherence
carried Oahu. but kalakaua secured the
rest of the islands. 1t was charged, and
generally believed, that bribery was used
to secure Kalakaua's election. Be that as
1t may, the legislature was convened, and
elected kalakaua king by 80 votes to 6.
A mob of Queen Emma's partsans had
surrounded the court house during the cleo
ton, sacking the building and assaultng
the representatives with clubs Mr. Pierce,
the American minister, had anticipated the
riot, and had agreed with Commodore
Belknap of the Tuscarora and Commodore
Skerrett of the Portsmouth upon signal
for landing the troops under their COM
mand. Under formal request from Mr.. G.
r. Bishop, minister of foreign affairs, a body
OF 100 marines landed from the two men-of-
war, and in few minutes were Joined by
one of seventy men from II. b. MS cor
vette Tenedos. They quickly dispersed the
mob and arrested number of them with
out bloodshed. The British troops occupied
Queen Emma's grounds; the other govern
ment buildings were guarded by American
troops until the 10th. The next day at noon
Kalakaua was sworn in as king under the
protection of United States troops. For sew
eral years he depended upon the support of
the foreign community, and did not venture
to proclaim a new constitution, nor to dis
regard public opinion in his appointments.
The reciprocity treaty with the United
States was concluded January 80. 1875 and
the act necessary to carry it into effect was
passed by the Hawaiian legislature July Is,
1876, after the most stubborn opposition,
chiefly from the English members of the
house and the partisans of Queen Emma,
who denounced it as a step toward annexa-
ton.
The Advent of Spreckels.
The first effect of the reciprocity treaty
was to cause a boom in sugar. In 1878 Mr..
all cd 70 no
of the surplus water of the streams on the
northeast side of Maui. as far as Homo
manu-. Up to this time the changes in the
cabinet had been caused by disagreements
between it's members and had no political
significance. Mr.. Spreckels' request was re-
fused on the ground that it would give him
a perpetual monopoly of the water
In the mean time Mr.. Gibson. after
months of preparation, had brought in be-
fore the legislature motion of want of
confidence, which was defeated by a vote of
26 to 10 on June "a On the night of July
! Messrs. Claus Spreckels and G. w. Nc
Farlane had a long conference with kala-
kaua at the Hawaiian Hotel, on the SUBJ
ject of the water privilege, and adjourned
to the palace about midnight. The result
was that letters were drawn up and signed
by the king addressed to each member Of
the cabinet, requesting his resignation,
without giving a reason. These letters were
delivered by a messenger between / and
o CLOCK In the morning. SUCH an arbitrary
and despotic act was without precedent in
Hawaiian history. The next day new
cabinet was appointed consisting of 8. Is.
Wilder minister of the interior; e. Pres
ton, attorney general; Simon kaai, minister
of finance, and John kapena, minister of
foreign affairs. The last two positions were
sinecures, but kaai a speaker and poll
tician, had great influence with his coun-
trymen. The new cabinet granted Mr..
Spreckels the desired water privilege for
thirty years at $500 per annum. The opium
license and free liquor bills were killed. The
actual premier, Mr. Wilder, was the ablest
administrator Hawaii ever had; but his de-
termination to administer his own depart
ment in accordance with business methods
did not suit the king. Meanwhile Gibson
spared no pains to pose the champion of
the Kanakas He even tried to capture the
missionaries, professed religion, and spoke
in favor of temperance.
CelsO Caesar Moreno.
Celso Caesar Moreno, an alleged lobby
list, arrived in Honolulu November a. 1879
to establish a line of steamers between
Honolulu and China; during his stay in
Honolulu of ten months he gained I'M
bouo1ed Influence over no kipU nv,