The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-07
HE KNOWS HAWAII WELL.
PRESIDENT CHASE ON OUR
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
Glimpses Of Existing Conditions Here
as They Appeared to Connecticut
Traveller.

Hawai- last spring ana nad eSCellent
opportunities to study the govern.
mental questions, the habits of the
people and the various phases of the
native life there. Mr.. Chase was
very much pleased with his visit,
and thinks the climate there is the
finest in the world. When asked by
Conrdnt representative for his
views upon the present situation he
spoke as follows
To those who have followed the
course of the government of the Ha-
waiian Islands for the last two or
three years, the present change in
the government is not a surprise.
The affairs of the government for the
last two years have been drifting in
the direction of revolution and were
the natural outcome of the policy
pursued by the Queen.
During a stay of four or five weeks
in the islands in the spring of 1892,
it was my privilege to meet many of
the leading men of the islands, some
of whom were the Queens legal ad
visers, and who gave her such coun-
sci that had she followed it, the pres
ent fiasco would not have occurred.
They counseled her wisely and en-
deavored to harmonic the differ
ences and antagonisms which existed
between the islanders and those
whom they called foreigners, i. e.,
the business and professional men
who have their capital invested in
various enterprises throughout the
islands and represent the best and
most conservative element to be
found there. In the autumn, the
Queen, finding she could not carry
out her own plans, changed her
cabinet once or twice in the hope of
securing assistance in gaining the
absolute control of the government.
In attempting this she failed most
disastrously, as has been chronicled
within the last few days.
The government of the islands,
since the death of Kamehameha ",
has had many vicissitudes. The
reign of the former Kamehameha
kings was noted for conservatism
and wisdom and the islands were
prosperous under their administra-
tons. Upon the death of Kameha-
meha ", the last of the line, which
occurred in 1878, the choice of king
devolved upon the Legislature, which
met on the 9Th of January and chose
Prince William c. Lunalilo as king.
He was descended from Kamehame-
ha !. and was popular both with
the natives and foreigners, man of
amable traits of character and we'll
known liberal views. King Lunali-
10 reigned only short time, dying
on the Sd of February, 1874. The
late king having failed to nominate a
successor, the Legislature was sum-
moned to meet and elect a new king.
This was done on the 10Th of Feb
ruary, 1874, when David Kalakaua
was chosen. King Kalakaua was a
descendant of a leading chief of the
islands and was married December
10, 1868, to Kapiolani. King Kala-
kaua died on the Goth of January,
1891, at the Palace Hotel in San
Francisco and was succeeded by his
sister Liliuokalani. During her reign
the natives have made strong appeals
toherto force from the government the
white element, which represents the
wealthy and conservative population
of the islands. This has proved hel
downfall.
While staying in the islands the
talk of revolution and change in the
government was constantly heard
and one April morning, as we wen,
up town, we found the Queens palace
barricaded with bags, and upor
inquiry we were told that the Queer
and her advisers had learned that thu
palace was to be attacked during the
previous night and therefore they
had taken measures to protect them
selves. This, at the time, was con
sidered simply ruse on the part o
the Queen to excite the luminosity o
her people against the controlling in
fluence in her cabinet and the con
sentative white element. The eK
element soon passed away ant
matters resumed their normal con
dition, but an uneasy and disturbing
element was at work, which wa
fostered by the Queen in the hope O
arousing still further the animosit.
and antagonism between the native
and the white population, but tn
lack of intelligent and wise counse
from her friends among the native
has finally caused her to be depose
as Queen.
We found at the islands, anon
the business men. strong disposi
ton to favor annexation to the Unite
States. The trade of the islands
almost entirely with our government
and this has been encouraged an
fostered by capitalists both in tn
United States and the islands. Til
sugar interest there is one of grea
magnitude. and before the passag
of the Mckinley bill, large profit
were made BY those engaged in tn
production of sugar About fort
millions of dollars are invested in til