The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1894-02-23
Professor Alexander Gives Sketch
of Past and Present.
KATE FIELD SECURES THE STORY
The Leading Authority On Hawaiian
Affairs Gives q Succinct and Kindly
Account of the Native Race, and
of Their Growth In Civilization.

ing, such as never was seen IN TINS
country outside of Gilbert and Sulli-
vans delightful topsy-turvy operas,
the history of what old biographies
call the Sandwich Islands, grows more
and more interesting. Whenever 1
meet one who is a native and to the
manner born, / subject him to pro-
cess by which his knowledge is re-
duced to a sort of Liebig's extract for
public consumption. My last find"
is Professor w. d. Alexander, whose
father was born in Kentucky and
whose mother was born in Pennsylva-
MIA, The AleXanders sailed around
Cape Horn years ago 10 Honolulu to
engage in missionary work, and thus
their son, the professor, became ma
tive of the beautiful land about which
everybody is now talking. Educated
primarily on the Islands, Professor AL
exander was graduated at Yale Uni
versity in 1855, served as tutor at Be
lott College, and then as professor at
Vincennes College before returning
home, where he became Professor of
Ancient Languages at the College OF
Oahu. This institution owes its foun-
dation TO Mr.. Hunnewell, of Boston,
who donated $4,000 for the purpose.
The endowment has now reached the
goodly sum of $780, the eminent
banker of Honolulu, Charles r. Bish-
op, having been the greatest benefac-
tor. The college numbers so students,
while the preparatory school has l5O
students.
For seven years Professor Alexander
was principal of Oahu College. Being
9 nj haX VI a . a
the Hawaiian Government to draw up
a plan for a scientific survey OF the
Islands. "Only do this and Well
make you Surveyor General" !" said the
Minister of the Interior in 1871. Ac-
ceding to this request Professor Alex
ander presented so satisfactory plan
that he has been Surveyor General
ever since.
UNDOUBTEDLY AN AUTHORITY.
Professor of languages, mathema-
tician, surveyor and historian, Prof.
Alexander is in Washington to tell
the truth about the country he loves
and longs to see at peace with all the
world. What he says is worth read
ing.
Naturally / began with Captain
Cook. "What was the condition of
the islanders when discovered by the
Englishm
"The people were not savages, but
barbarians of a rather noble type. Oc-
cupying the most isolated position in
the world, and separated for ages from
ali intercourse with the rest of the
human race, without metals or cereals,
or domestic animals, except dogs and
swine, they were probably deteriorat-
ing in every respect. Wars were be-
coming more frequent and bloody and
the common people more degraded
and oppressed, while both the church
and state were growing more despotic
and cruel.n
'tHow large was the populations"
"It was probably at least a quarter
of a million. There is reason for be-
lieving that it was stationary if not
decreasing at the time of the discov
ery, and that the vitality of the race
was already impaired"
SHOW were the natives ruled?"
"Until the reign of Kamehameha
/. there were generally at least four
separate Kingdoms in the group;
sometimes the single island Of Ha-
waii was divided between several in
dependent chiefs. The people were
divided into three classes, viz; chiefs
priests and the common people, or
serfs. The position of a chief was not
merely political, but OF a sacred and
religious character. He was descended
from the gods, was guarded by awful
taboos while living and deified after
death. The common people were ten
ants at will, and had no rights which
a chief was bound to respect. 1t is
estimated that common laboTers did
not receive on an average more than a
third of the avails of their industry,
the other two-t thirds being divided be-
.Ween the chiefs of different grades
and the King. The middle class of
freemep which existed in New Zea-
land and Tahiti was nearly absent in
Hawaii"
A DENIAL OF CANNIBALIsM.
''Was cannibalism practiced? ?"
"No. On the contrary, 1t was re-
garded with horror and detestation."
"What caused the decrease OF popu-
lation after the discovery of the ISL
ands ?"
"There were many causes, of which
I will mention a few. The vices and
diseases introduced by foreigners, par
ticularly during the first half century
after the discovery, have been the
principal cause of depopulation. Van
couver in 1892, Broughton in 1896 and
Turnbull in 1901 were impressed with
the misery of the people, and their
rapid decrease in numbers. In 1906
pestilence, supposed to have been the
cholera, carried off half of the inhab-
itants of the island of Oahu. Botany
Bay convicts introduced the art of
distilling before 1900, and drunken
ness had become very prevalent be-
fore the arrival of the missionaries.
In the absence of the restraints Of law
or public opinion, the seaports were
turned into pandemoniums during
the shipping season. The sandalwood
trade greatly increased the oppression
of the common people, who were
forced to spend months at time in
the mountains to procure this, wood
to nav their chiefs debts.
1.-Two other causes have had bane-
full influence, especially during the
last twenty years. One of these is the
influence Of the kahunas or medicine
mon. who combine sorcery with the