The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-08-28
NO DETERIORATION.

the ability of the white man to
work in this country, it was shown
that out of-door work had no evil
effects upon either the Anglo Saxon
or the Latin races, and that men
who had to do arduous labor under
our tropic sun were long-lived, and
could work as hard and as satisfac-
torily as they could further north.
1t has happened that, in the news
columns of this week, there has
been much said about athletic
sports, and this, in another way,
shows that the climate is not de-
bilitating.
Few cities Of the size of Honolulu
can show such a set of good, all
round athletes as are found here.
In base ball we have some excel
lent players for boating, there is
excellent material in all three clubs.
1t may require more scientific train
ing than it has had in the past, but
the stuff is there out of which splen
did oarsmen are made. Again, our
foot ball teams are the equals in
weight and pluck of average teams
anywhere. They could not contend
with the picked teams of crack col
leges, but they could give a good
account of themselves against teams
taken from towns of like size with
this, and our cyclists also make no
mean showing.
AS cricketers, the town teams
hold their own very well against all
visitors, though the game is not so
popular as others but there are
many cricketing enthusiasts. Our
shots, both at target and sporting,
have real reputation. AS tennis
players, we have not only the male
sex, but the gentler one comes IN
and enters for honors. There are
few places where the young ladies
play with greater brilliance than
they do here
This little recapitulation shows
that the same games, the same feats
of strength and skill can be carried
on here with ease which the Anglo
Saxon carries on and prides himself
upon in the temperate zone. Thus
far for the climate, but there is yet
another aspect which this can be
looked at. 1t can be shown by this
that race improves or, at all events,
loses nothing in vigor here.
Moot sc = ~
sports mentioned above are children
OF the soil. The offspring of the
Anglo-SaXon settlers here do not
de.eriorate and become Emphatic
as they do in India. There is no
necessity to send them to a northern
climate to acquire some vigor-they
drink in health and strength in
their native air. And yet another
thing should be noticed many of
our best athletes are young men
of mixed blood. In many countries
the mixed bloods are far from ath-
letic but here they are strong,
powerful, and can show great en-
durance, power and pluck. There
is no deterioration Of race on the
Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiians
themselves also show up we'll as
athletes. AS boatmen, they can
and have held their own against
the crack crews of men-of~wa of
all countries. Among the base ball
players are to be found full -blooded
Hawaiians.
This may seem a somewhat small
matter to comment upon, but it
must be remembered that a COM
munity that gives itself up to manly
sport with such enthusiasm as this
community does-which encourages
its young men to undertake them
is no worn-out or effete race. The
fact that the whites of the second
generation are healthy and athletic
speaks volumes for the excellence
of the climate, and does away with
the twaddle about its enervating
influences. Some of our best ath-
letes are young men who have been
born and bred on the islands, and
have never put their feet upon any
other soil than that of the Hawaiian
Islands.
No, there is no diminution of
energy either by residence in or
Dir h IN these islands. The Anglo
Hawaiians can show that the race
is as vigorous as ever it was in the
New England States or in that little
island whose offspring have peopled
half a world.