The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-22
VIEW OF HAWAII.
PROF. VI. T. BRIGHAM TALKS
DIsINTEREsTEDLY.
The Annexation Feeling Is Growing
Stronger, He Says-Form of Gov
eminent Best Suited to the
Islands Should They Come Into
the Union.


is the feeling of the non-DoIitieal resi-
dents of the islands. The opinions an6
desires of the Hawaiian politicians are
well known and do not require repeti-
ton.
A representative citizen of Honolulu
widely known in scientific circles in this
country, is Professor W. T. Brigham. the
director of the Bishop museum of Polyne-
sian ethnolosy and natural history al
! Honolulu. Professor Brigham has re-
Gently passed some time in Boston afteI
a European tour in the interest of his
! profession. He is enthusiastic in his
praise of the Hawaiian islands and their
| cimate. and in the prospect of the es-
tablsnment there of an extensive bio
| logical station for the study of the trop-
zeal deep sea life. He is in no sense a
politician. and hence his unbiased opinion
OF the political situation in the Islands,
from the standpoint of an intelligent cit
izen, is OF value.
Il think" he said. that the feeling
| that the Islands should be annexed 10
the United States is daily growing
| stronger in the islands and more fixed
and settled. But there is still a differ
| ence of opinion as TO methods. Several
plans of annexation have been proposed.
Some desire the admission of the is
/ leeds as a state of the Union. / think
I tnat so extreme a view is hardly justi-
/ liable; and | should also object strongly
/ 10 the annexation of the islands as a
d..
1 fornia IS thoroughly dominated by rail-
! road interests, and such a control would
not be TO the taste of the Hawaiian peo-
] pie.
Then there are some people who advo-
cate annexation with "A territorial form
OF government l should object also 10
that, because we do not care to be gov
erned by political adventures sent out to
us as the territorial governors are apt
to be.
The best plan. in my opinion is to es-
tablish some form of government similar
to that by which the District of Column
bia is managed. l should advocate a gov
eminent by board of commissioners, in
which there should be more or less local
| influence Perhaps one might be appoint
ed by the president of the United States
and the other two elected by the people
of the islands. | think that such a plan
as THIS would be acceptable to the ma
jority of the Hawaiian PEBBLE.
For myself. / should prefer. on some
accounts. to be annexed to the British
empire. The chief reason for this feel
ing is that Great Britain protects its
colonies and its people wherever they may
be. And this protection is granted. no
matter which party may be in power in
parliament But we all recognize the fact
even the British residents in the islands
recognize it-that annexation to the Brit
ish empire would be our commercial ruin.
All. or the vast majority. of our COM
mercial citations are with the United
States and it is in the trade with this
come British territory would be a ter
rble blow TO US If we might maintain
independence, with a complete reciproc-
ity Arrangement with the United States,
it would be satisfactory to many. But we
could not be sure of continuance of
such a reciprocity agreement. with the
liability of radical change of admins
tration at Washington Only with an
nexation shall we feel absolute CONNER
cial safety
what is the feeling among the native
ri n
the United States?'' was asked.
II think that the majority of them
woukl like it. That is. they would like
the idea of becoming a portion of great
nation. If poll could be taken of the
natives without influence being brought
uDon them from any quarter. / am in
clined to think that majority would
favor annexation. But, to tell the truth.
I think that IL is scarcely worth while
TO consider the natives as an important
factor IN the politics of the islands any
more than the Indians are regarded as
political factor m the states or the
Union. The fact is that the native Ha-
waiians are raDidly dying out. They are
Speaking from the standpoint of ain
ethnologist," continued Prof. Brigham.
II feel sure that ten Years he-.ce there
on the islands. The .ative women are
rapidly intermarrying with the Chinese.
Japanese and Portuguese. The union of
native Hawaiian man and woman is
Liliuokalani, although the fact Is not
generally known in this country. is not
of pure Hawaiian lineage Her father.
and the father of her brother, kalakaua,
the late king. was Il Portuguese negro.
Neither was she of the true royal line at
all Her brother. Kalakaua. after the
the legislature to be the king. chiefly by
a liberal distribution of gin among certain
of the native members. His royalty and
that of his sister and successor. t,ce ex-
L rals mi 1nG 'fNca
Princess Kaiulani. her niece. who was the
heiress-apparent under the kingdom. is
of st.ll greater mixed blood. the mingled
Hawaiian and Portuguese negro blood of
her mother being still further diluted by
the admixture of the English blood of
her father. So that those who still shout
cannot claim for their desired sovereign
a true royal line or pure Hawaiian
descent"
rs the Japanese element in the islands
gaining in strength"
Il think that the strength OF the jap
anese influence IL the islands has been
exaggerated in this country. 1t Is true
that we have a great many Japanese
among us. but they are not rapidly in
creasing in numbers, and ] do not think
we need fear their political Influence. 1t
is true that we have a treaty with Japan
which contains the most favored nation
clause But the Japanese who come
to US are. for the most part from the
IOWeSt tiscSCS III then GUILTY.. anu NtAE
few of them can read and write. even in
their own language. We have a clause
in our constitution which bars from the
suffrage those who cannot read and write
in English or Hawaiian. This serves 10
exclude the japanese. for they cannot
claim. under their treaty, any privileges
which We deny to our own people We do
not therefore. fear japanese agSreSsions
so much as has been represented.
1.-THE fear of revolt against the govern
ment has subsided?''
Yes. The ease with which the last re-
volt was nut down showed the rovalist
faction that attempt at revolution was
futile. And, then. the chief consoiratOrs
and mischief makers have been banished.
THE leaders % that revolt were treat
ed with wonderful leniency. when one
considers the enorUity of their offence.
They ell deserved far more severe pun
ishmeDt than they received. When ore
considers that a part of the plot was 10
scatter lighted bombs from the gallery of
the Central Union church while the con-
gregation. including the president ard
the most of his cabinet. were at worshiD
on Sunday evening. the Nervousness OF
their crime is apparent The bombs for
this purpose were actually prepared .Jhen
the blot was fortunately discovered.
I'VE are watching the trend of events
III this country. said Prof Brigham in
and we believe that the next
few weeks will be full of possibilities TO
Hawaii
START OF A GRAVEYARD.