The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1893-02-28
4 TIMELY COMMENT On HAWAIIAN
AFFAIRS.

One of the greatest pieces of
good fortune for Hawaii in the
latest chapter of her history has
been the fact that she has had
good friends abroad who have
been able to speak for her at this
crisis. The presence of the Hon.
C. R. Bishop in San Francisco and
later in Washington, of W. G.
Irwin and B. f. Dillingham; in
New York, and Of others who
might be mentioned, has been of
the greatest use to this nation.
High among those who have served
Hawaii with pen or voice during
the last weeks stands General S.
C. Armstrong. He is known and
respected all over the United
States, and his words carry weight
with men of character everywhere.
We had occasion in a late issue to
cite some words of his from the
Christian Union. This morning
we reproduce for the benefit of our
readers the full text of a letter
which he wrote for the New York
Evening Post. 1t contains an ad-
mirable commentary on the mean
ing of the situation, and will be
read with great interest:
write to bespeak through your col
umns the interest and confidence of
your readers in the effort being made
by a delegation from the Hawaiian
Islands, now in Washington, to bring
about, if possible, closer relations be-
tween those islands and the United
States. Their objective point is, be-
ieve, the annexation of those islands
as a territory, at the same time secur-
ing to its creditors the moderate debt
of that country and vested rights to
the chiefs and all concerned.
The delegation, orcommission, from
Hawaii is composed of gentlemen
whom L have long known personally. |
They are men of the highest standing |
and are thoroughly trustworthy, hav-
ing the entire confidence of all except |
the demagogues and schemers whom |
they have been compelled to antagon- |
ize and defeat in order TO make posi- |
BILE a new and better state of things. |
Your readers have already learned of |
the reinforcement of the Hawaiian /
Queen because of her efforts arbitrar |
lily to change the Constitution, and to
get thereby unlimited power. The |
late Queen is INSCRIPTIONS to the last |
degree, of 70 moral standing whatever
and not entitled to the least confidence |
or respect. She is not without intelli-
gence, aud has much more ability and
sense than had her brother, the late
King Kalakaua. Good things were
expected when, of late years, she came
to the throne. The sentiment of the /
good people there was to stand by her
and give her a chance. / met her only
last year at Honolulu, was impressed
with her intelligence and, with many
others, had hopes that she would do
well. Her restoration to power now
would mean destruction of the pro-
gressive element in Hawaiian life and
the collapse of all hope for that peo-
pie. As to the Hawaiian dynasty, so
far il is the only heather dynasty in
the history of the world which has
survived the transition from barbar-
ism to decent grade of civilization.
This remarkable record has been made
possible only by the control of its
affairs by white people, mostly Amer
leans. The situation there now is des-
Derate. II the United States declines
to adopt Hawaii she will turn to Eng
land, whose colonial government has
often been marked by much wisdom
and success. / can but believe that
he English would be likely to send a
better ruler than we would send from
he United States if the local governor
De appointed under the ''spoilsr sys-
EN-. However, / think all have con-
idepce that the Administration
would appoint a good governor for
hat new territory should Hawaii be
Innexed.
1t has been admitted on all sides
hat the conquest by American mis-
ionaries of the Hawaiian Islands for |
degree Of Christian civilization gives ]
be United States both claim and an :
litigation in the matter-a claim to
e considered first in the final DISPOSE
ion of that country, and an obligation !
) save to decency and civilization that {
tterly broken-down monarchy. The 4
1cial condition Of Hawaii is peculiar.
here are about q, 900 japanese, L, 900
hinese and 10000 Portuguese. The
!. an natives are dying off at the rate I