The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-01-19
Continued from 1st page.)


eigu voters. The natives had no
part in their election, because the
property qualifications necessary for
the franchise are purposely made so
high as to exclude the native-bo
And this same Government that
Senator Morgan calls the "best GOV
eminent in the world" is positively
afraid to permit q free, open vote
upon annexation,-afraid, because
there is no question as to what the
result would be. 1t is not bad
government; far from it. 1t is a
very good one in many respects
But it is not one particle more re-.
public than Germany. 1t should be
known by its rightful name--an oil
garchy.
1t seems to me that all the hue
and cry, in Hawaii at least, for an.
nexation has resulted from selfish
desire, on the part Of property own
ers to have America control these
islands. They think great boom
would come, which would directly
benefit them. Their arguments re-.
mind nae OF the campaign last year
in the United States. The silver
mine owners said: Elect Bryan and
you will all be prosperous. They
considered not at all the interests
OF the mass OF the people. But,
with few exceptions, they were look.
ing out for their own best good. So
here, those who have axes to grind
are trying to cover up their schemes
by putting them in the guise of
patriotic acts.
One of the claims made by the
government people is that the Ha-
waiian has no feeling of nationality.
He never has had, they say. In a
little book entitled Sketches OF
Life in the Hawaiian Islands," A. F.
Judd, the chief justice of Hawaii,
uses these words: Gan independent
government has given persons of all
nationalities residing at the islands
ample protection, and every lover OF
the Hawaiian race must rejoice in
the preservation of its autonomy.
1t would be hard indeed to find a
country where the sentiment of ma
tionality is stronger than among
the Hawaiians." And yet the man
who wrote these words is a leader 10
the movement to take away and de-
stroy every vestige Of nationality in
this very people. Could any evil
dence be stronger than this? This
book, however, was written before
the idea Of annexing the islands to
the United States had taken such a
firm hold of the minds of the for
eign population. Then one could
afford to tell the truth.
Travellers universally admit that
Hawaii is one of the most beautiful
places in the world. But to say that
it is one perpetual June does not
half do the climate justice. The
heat is never oppressive, nor is it
enervating, as is the case in many of
our southern states. The north
west trade winds supply a cool, re
freshing breeze. In word, it is an
ideal spot for one in search OF rest
and health. And since we know, by
the authority that l have quoted,
that the Hawaiians do love their
country, who can blame them7 1t
is as natural, as right, for them as
for us to look back with pride and
admiration upon our traditions and
cur history. But the love which a
natve-born Hawaiian feels for these
little islands is saddened by the
thought that the end is close at
hand of their existence IS an indie
pendent state.
| believe one OF the most mournful
sights | ever saw in my life was the
scene at the wharf last week upon
the arrival of Princess Kaiulani from
abroad. A large crowd of natives
had gathered there to welcome her
home after an absence of eight years
or more. They made no demonstra.