Evening star., 1897-03-27
PEARL HARBOR.

lowed by an attempt at a coup d'etat ON
the part of the queen, having in view the
overthrow of the existing constitution un
der which she derived her title to the
throne. and the promul CATION of one of her
own making of "a dictatorial character.
These proceedings brought about the
revolution of 1893 and the overthrow of
the queen. The events are recent and
SO we'll known that 1t is unnecessary for
me to rehearse them. Nor would you con-
slider it gallant my part to discuss the
personal traits of the late queen with the
freedom OF my reference to those of her
male predecessors. To complete this regal
| review it is only necessary to note the
spirit which has animated her since the
dethroneMent.- Mr.. Willis, the American
| minister. to whose memory il is due to say
that under most trying circumstances he
discharged his embarrassing duties with
great discretion-Mr. Willis reported to
Secretary Gresham November 1t, 1898 that
| he felt satisfied there would be an armed
attempt to restore the monarchy, and that
| this would mean the overthrow of con-
stftut1onal and limited government and the
absolute dominion of the queen" Mr.. Will
| lis prediction was realized IN the abortive
conspiracy of January, 1S9J, and he report
| ed TO the Secretary OF State that he had
| been shown the program of the conSpira-
| tors. which had been approved by the lead
ing loyasts and doubtless by the queen
| and he states lit is not encouraging to the
| friends Of good government or of Ameri-
| can interests"
| This hasty sketch of the Hawaiian rulers
shows how untitled they were in mental
! and moral character to administer the gov
| ernment, and what a wretched failure they
| made of their opportunities The history of
| the country also shows that for the past
| sixty years the administration of affairs
| has been virtually in the hands of foreign
| erS, mainly the missionaries and their de-
| scendants, and that whenever the advice
| of the latter has been disrega rded 1t has
! brought embarrassment and disgrace upon
| the country.
Industrial Development.
sketch of the industrial and economic
| development of the country will throw
| some light upon the problems which are
| the live issues of today in the islands, At
the time of their discovery they produced
| nothing demanded for exportation For a
| few years afterward a considerable trade
| was created In sandal wood, but the supply
was soon exhausted. and the chief Industry
1or many years was the provisioning of
| Whaling ships, which made the islands
rendezvous. The sudden influx Of popula-
tion into California caused a brief demand
for Hawaiian products, but that soon ceas-
ed, ana up to 1870 little progress had been
made in the development of the country.
| 1t had then been demonstrated that the
soil and climate were well adapted to the
cultivation of sugar, rice, coffee and tropi-
cal fruits, but they could not be produced
in successful competition with other coun-
tries.
After more than ten years of persistent
elorl tue government secured the ratifCa-
ton by the Congress of the United States
of a treaty of commercial reciprocity in
1875 and from that period dates the era
Of prosperity in the Islands. The rapid
d1mlnution OF the native race and their
indsposition to labor on the plantations
led to the Inauguration of the system of
foreign contract laborers, first with Portu-
guese afterward with Chinese and latterly
with Japanese. The market Of the United
States being free and open the production
OF sugar rapidly increased and has become
the great article of export and source of
wealth. The abundant supply of water by
means of artesian wells has given new life
to the industry. and during the past year
the. old plantations have been enlarged in
lished In 1876 the year the reciprocity
treaty was ratified, the total exports of the
Islands amounted In value to $1,SO0.OOO. and
for the last six years the average annual
exports have been 1O,S00,0O0, and for 1896.
, $15 800 600. II
, Under the feudal system sof government
the lands held by the chiefs and people be-
: longed to the crown. but this system was a
1 great source of discord and an apparent
E hindrance to the development pf the coun-
; try, and during the reign Of Kamehameha
e IL. IL after careful consideration 1T was de-
= cided that there should be an allotment
! setting apart for the crown one third, to tn,
chiefs one-third and to the tenants, OF
d people, one-third. In this way the com.
: mon people came into possession in fee
+ simple of the lands upon which they lived
q and which they cultivated. and the chief:
4 had set apart to them very extensive es
g g tates. The object of this measure was te
: develop Independence, indIstryI and thrift
!. but 1t failed IN great messurK of Its pur
= pose as In the process of timg both chief.
q . and people have parted rathXtheir lands
= and they are now largely Fald by white res
u idents and foreigners. MI Commissions
e Rlount reported in 1893 thatzonly IL per cen
y = of the private lands remained in the hands
= of the natives. and that only 13 per cent o
70 the taxes were paid by them
IS ! The study of the social characteristics o
!. the islands Is most interesting In scarcel,
n = any other part Of the world are there fount
!: such varied relations; a conglomeration o
II Polynesiars. Mongolians and Caucasians
Under the peaceful control of American
"a principles and institutions, Il have alread,
e referred to the work OF the missionaries
d The spirit which brought them to the is
1t lands is still manifest. The school system
sr which they organized has ter years been
= special feature of the government. and ha
st been much enlarged and perfected by tn
g present republican administration. l douh
whether in any country there is a NOR
l. thorough and efficient free school system.
1e Under its compulsory laws all the chill