The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-04-05


fears. I am indeed inclined to think
that making this people self govern
ing in their churches and relieving
them from the paternal government
and mild despotism of the Kameba-
mehas, which followed the death of
Kamehameha V, has had much TO do
with the ruin of the Hawaiian Gov
eminent. The missionaries and their
families, who have been thoroughly
acquainted with the Hawaiian people,
have always maintained that the Ha-
Waiian people are not yet htted TOR a
thorough democracy. This is true
today. If the natives will join with
the Intelligent and christianiZed for
eign element, the islands can have an
enlightened and civilized government.
But the absurdity of saying that the
missionaries SONS are responsible Tor
the present state Of affairs IS
shown by the fact that out OF the sew
eral thousand people of white blood
who control the government or this
country, at present less than three
hundred are the actual sons or grand"
children of missionaries and of these,
"a majority are girls and infants
y When the missionaries arrived
there were probably 150,OO people
here, who are now reduced to about
"a 900 of aboriginal birth or descent.
Had it not been for the missionaries
probably the nation would have been
wiped out long ago in fire and Blood
They are doing what they can, today,
TO save and enlighten the remnant
Leprosy and other destructive dis
eases came with the contact of civili-
cation with heather nation. History
shows that several times missionaries
were in danger of their lives because
they had helped in the enactment of
laws against the licentious intercourse
of thousands OF debased sailors with
the native Hawaiian. Yet Mr.. Shear
man directly charges that the mis-
sionaries are responsible for these
awful facts
have shown that the facts with
regard to land are exactly opposite to
what he asserts. [ doubt his asser-
ton that "the missionaries sons and
associates boast that they own four
fifths of the property OF the Islands"
L have not heard this boast. They
and others who are acquainted with
the facts. do state that four fifths and
probably more of the property value
in the Islands have been created and
are now owned by Americans. Very
few of these, however, are connected
with the missionaries. To give exact
figures one missionary and six mis-
sionaries' sons may be called wealthy
from their property interests IN these
Islands. Their ownership in land is
connected entirely with plantation
coed 10 600 acres of valuable agricul-
tural land. Besides these there Is one
missionary and seven missionaries
sons who are perhaps in fairly COM
Portable circumstances from business,
but who do not own land or other
property especially. Aside from them
the great body of the surviving mis-
sionaries and the children or other des-
endants of missionaries are either very
poor, in some instances enduring act
uai poverty, or they earn bare liveli-
hood from small salaries or lndepend-
emit business or professions. But ii it
is wealth to have character and ster-
ling worth then believe most OF the
missionaries children are quite
wealthy, for almost without exception
their records are honorable.
Structures with regard to the labor
question are equally erroneous. Most
of the labor laws We're made, and Chi
nese and other foreigners were intro
duced into the country when the voice
and control of the missionaries was
nothing, or next tonothing. When
sugar plantations were first established
paid from six to eight dollars month,
but after the increasing number of
plantations and the absolute INSULT
cheney of labor induced the impOrta-
ton of foreign labor, wages rose from
these figures to as high as eighteen to
twenty dollars month with many
things such as lodgings, medical at
tendance, schooling, parcel of ground
for cultivation, etc, thrown in.
The structures with regard to Father
Damien and 'the one missionary's''
statement with regard thereto, while
susceptible of considerable eXplana-
ton may we'll be passed by with the
remark that this statement was made
in answer to a private letter from the
United States, was never intended for
publication, and simply reflected cur
rent remark here, and in so far as it
relates to the refusal of COngrega-
tiODal Christians TO go to the leper
and live and work among
that class of unforunates, the structure
is not true.
With regard to Mr.. Shearman's
about some barbaric laws,
[ merely have to say that, as am a
lawyer, ought to be acquainted with
such statutes, but regret to say that L
10 not know of any that bear out his |
remarks.
must ask your indulgence for this
already too long letter. My object |
mas been to have your great church |
and congregation made acquainted |
With the facts and that you may not, |
through misstatements, misjudge the |
abor and character of the very |
noble band of men and women who |
came and gave their life and energies |
10 the elevation of this people, and |
whose work and lives are a vind'ca-
ion of the self-sacrificing wisdom and
which sent them here.
With regard to the present govern
nent-the Republic of Hawaii-its
ounders and supporters, their charac-
er, their doings, and what they have
have nothing to say.
am content to leave all this to the
inal verdict of history. But the facts
hat have alleged with regard to the
are sustained by records.
Mr. Shearman's structures are not
packed by record, and if he is the man
md Christian I take him to be, he |
UilI Look n n ia oUihonao ii 10 q Ia |