Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-11
POOR, MISGUIDED BLOUNT.
He Can't Get Out Of His Old Ideas on
Hawaiian Islands.



si,ner Blount, in an interview this morning
is 7. ported to have said 1.-The members
of the provisional government must recog.
nize the desperate character of their case.
They know perfectly well that it was in
tended as a bridge to carry them over into
the United States. Annexation did no!
come. They know perfectly well that their
government could not possibly last if sub
mitted to the popular decision. They have
taken the leap and realize perfectly well
that they have got to land somewhere, and
the question is, Where do they propose to
land 2"
Prof. Alexander, formerly surveyor-gen-
eral of Hawaii, says: Col. Blount certainly
has been misled, Except for the disturbed
condition of affairs, which is the Necessary
result of the policy of the United States,
the administration of the islands has never
bt en- in 80 prosperous condition. The
provisional government today represents
nearly all of the improved property, the in
telligence and character of the country, and
has no fears Of any internal force if let
alone. If it g not the wish of the people
of the United States that Hawaii be an
neaed to this country, the country will
maintain itself as republic.
Another natter on which Mr.. Blount is re-
port, d to have expressed an opinion, namely
az to the partition of the lands under Ka-
mehameha III, which he described
as IAN act alike discreditable to the King,
CHI Ifs and whites who participated therein y
was traversed by Mr.. Alexander, who said
the facts are that previous to the partition
in IS48, the common natives were tenants
at well of III chiefs, having no rights
which these chiefs were bound to respect.
They were, il fact abject servants. Peri
odically they were robbed, often of nearly
everything they possessed, by these chiefs,
and at no time could they feel secure in
poss ession of whatever they might raise on
their lands.
The partition was a grand act, honorable
alike to kiog, chiefs, missionaries and other
whites who have laborPd long to bring it
about Previous to 1913 the native had no
incentive to raise a surplus of crops, for he
was almost sure to be despoiled of them,
but after that time he was enco lraged IN
habits of Thrift and economy and thence
forward made good progress toward indie
pendence, and as an additional incentive
nearly one-fifth Of all the government lands
were sold to them during the next 10 years
at q nominal price.
r plying to the criticism that the whites
in II ,waii, and especially Americans, today
own very large share of the agricultural
lands, Of Hawaii, Mr.. Alexander said, in
explanation that the families Of the chiefs
repeatedly became extinct, many dying in
debt, and in settling up their estates there
lands were very often sold to the highest
bidder, so they came into possession of the
whites. In 1878 King Lunslilo died and
left his estate of several hundred thousand
acres, to found home for INDECENT native
Hawaiians. These lands were sold largely
to whites and the funds invested. These
are some of the reasons and the principal
one, why the whites owned so much land in
the islands.