The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-01-11
sBLoUNT BREAKS OUT AGAIN

To Be Squelched by Prof. Alexander
Both interviewed Yesterday.
Washington, January 10.-Ex Commits
sioner Blount IN an interview this morn
ing is reported to have said ".The MEM
bers of the provisional government must
recognize the desperate chara cter of their
case. They know perfectly well it was
intended as a bridge to carry them over
into the United States, but annexation
did not come. They know perfectly we'll
that their governmentscould not possibly
last it submitted to popular decision.
perfectly well that they have got to land
somewhere The question is where do
they propose to land?"
Prof Alexander, formerly surveyor
general 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 was never in SO prosperous a
condition. The provisional government
today represents nearly all of the i'm
proved property, intelligence and
character of the country, and have no
fears of any internal forces if let alone.
If it is not the wish of the people of the
United States that Hawaii be annexed
to this country, the country will main
tain itself as republic"
Another matter on which Mr.. Blount's
report expressed opinions. namely, as to
"a ortit of the landC nm or
Kamehameha ILL.,, whichshe described as
"an act alike discreditable to the King,
chiefs and whites who participated
therein" was controverted by Mr..
Alexander, who said the facts are that
previous to the PARTITION in 184s, the
common natives were tenants at will of
TT chiefs, having no right which these
chiefs were bound to respect. They..were,
in fact, abject servants Periodically
they were robbed, often of nearly every
thing they possessed, by these chiefs. AT
no time could they feel secure in the
possession of whatever they might raise
ON their lands. The partition was a
grand act, honorable alike to the King,
chiefs, missionaries and other whites
who had labored long to bring it about.
Previous to 154S, the native had no in
centive to raise surplus of crops, for he
was almost sure to be despoiled of them.
After that time, he was encouraged in
habits of thrift and economy, and
thenceforward made good progress to-
ward independence. AS an additional
incentive, nearly one-fifth of all the gov
ernment lands were sold to them during
the next ten years at a nominal price.
Replying to the criticism that the
| whites in Hawaii, and especially Ameri-
! cans today, own very large share of the
agricultural lands of Hawaii, Mr.
| Alexander said in explanation, that the
| families of III chiefs had rapidly become
extinct, many dying. in debt. In settling
| up their estates, their lands were very
| often sold to the highest bidder, and SO
came into the possession of the whites. In
| 1873, King Lunalilo 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 ones why the whites owned so
! much land in the islands.