The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-06-22
CORRESPONDENCE.

Mr. EDITOR: The long list OF misrep-
resentations and examinations oil the
work Of the American missionaries in
these islands has received another re-
cent addition, according to the last
weeks report OF the discussion in the
Hawaiian Evangelical Association. The
provisions introduced, according to the
original vote by the American mission
aries in founding the association, that
| in the annual election OF members OF the
| Hawaiian Board, one-jhird should be
iawaiisns, has been denounced as
wrong and a dishonor, an attempt to
maintain a two-thirds majority in the
hands OF others than Hawaiians. But
the most superficial investigation of the
records will show that the true signifi-
canoe is exactly the reverse. The Ha-
waiian Board was founded by the Amer
lean missionaries as the Executive
Committee Of the American Mission. and
they arranged, as a mark OF confidence
and respect, that one-third OF the Board
should be Hawaiians. sharing in the
common duties and responsibilities,
| Last wear, in carrying On the work Of the
! Board, there was an expenditure OF $780,
| 600 Toward this amount, the Hawaiian
churches coniribu ed 500. Abrut Sl7,-
| OOl WAS contributed by few individuals,
| mostly descendants OF the old mission
| ary families. Yet, when it was proposed
! tina Hawaiians, who contributed less
| than one-twentieth part of the expendi-
| ture, should have, a they have had
! from the beginning, one-third OF the OH
cial res possibility, there arose this sense
less cry about robbing Hawaiians OF their
rights.
In this months number OF the MIS-
sionarv Herald, an editorial paragraph
calls attention to some letters, Published
in the daily New York Herald, written
by some correspondent OF that paper at
| that date April 81 resident in Honolulu.
1t has been reproduced in your yester-
DAYS issue. 1t is a tissue of irldescent
| fabricAtions, vilifying the American
missionaries for planning and executing
great robberies axainst the Hawaians."
| They are said to have involved the whole
people in debt to the amount OF a million
| dollars, "the chief items being looking
| glasses, which were soli Tor sums
ranging from $3.50 TO $1,000 each
| One may reasonably doubt the
sanity of an editor, who would allow the
| insertion of such uttcrances OF mahg
nant stupidity. Why not revamp the
| old story of the missionary, alleged to
have piled with liquor the native car
pet.ters whom he employ Ell? The items
OF the bill were published, so many
ylasses at such pre-; while toe fact
was sublimely ignored, that these were
cheap looking glasses, valued in trade at
/ a.
much reason and truth might one de-
nounce the luxurious living and extra
VACANT expenditures Of the mission
aries as did one whaling captain enter
tanned with kind hospitality, who adj
yised his Eastern friends on his return
to the States, not to give any more
money to the missionaries in the Ha-
waiian Islands, who had mahogany
| doors in their houses. He did not think
! il needful to add the additional fact, that
their houses had mahogany shingles;
| for koa, or Hawaiian NAH gany, was
easily obtainable in those days, aud pine
was almost out OF reach
The tact is, and the truth needs to be
reiterated again and again, that no pee
| ole has ever had so much cone for their
| welfare, comfort, and improvement as
| has this Hawaiian people. No native
race, either, has been more ruinously
misled by evil-minded foreigners, who
| have busted themselves in making it
appear that evil is good, and good is
evil; that darkness, which hides, is the
! treasure-house Of pleasure, not the light,
which reveals. The late queen and her
people would have been in very dit
| ferent condition today, il she had been
willing to listen TO the advice of her true
friends, instead of relying upon those
whose interest il was to fool her with
false hopes, and flatter her with "stroHg
decisions to believe lie"
The easy-going good natured Ha-
waiian is averse 10 taking upon himself
the burden of increased responsibilities,
that come With increasing privileges and
opportunities. But who of AS will con-
denim his folly, without condemning
ourselves, also, many of us, for abusing,
wasting, or throwing away our oppor-
tunities of good 1t has taken Amer
lean Christians more than twice
seven decades TO begin to find
ont what individual and official
responsibility is and means, At the
recent meeting Of the Hawaiian Histor'
ical Society, the story was told of kana'
kahelela, a kahu or treasure-keepcr, as
his father Lo, and grandfather kiilau,
had been for kamaholelani, kau /
chief. At the time the Russians ocvup-
led Kauai, this chief became the possess
sor OF much valuable prouer,y, brought
10 the islands by the Russians. This was
stored away in cave, Of which only this
Hawaiian, knew the secret When the
Chief died, ksnakshelela, Oppressed
with anxiety lest the property should
be- stolen, carefully carried out 10 sea the
swords, guns, pistols, hardware OF all
sort, and dropped them overheard from
his canoe into the oce ms unfathomable
depths. Then he returned to the cave,
and burned up the silks. satins, aud
other comhustible articles. He had rid
den himself VI all anxiety about the pro-
perry, and was no longer responsible for
the safe keeping Of all those treasures.
A people should be judged by its high
est, most advanced type, not ny the poor
degraded specimens that have come to
grief in the struggle Tor "the survival OF
the tittest." There mnst have been