The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-11-08
EDITORIAL COLUMN
FACTS ABOUT HAWAII.

L - "
FACTS ABOUT HAWAII.
washington correspondence of the New
York Evening Post.]
Hints of their observations by mem
bers OF the American commission TO
Hawaii and the attaches who accOmp-
anied 1T do not go to make up highly
alluring picture. IT their formal report
reflects fairly the impressions gained by
the commissioners, it is likely to prove
very disappointing to those Americans
who have looked III the direction of our
newly annexed territory in the Pacific
ocean as opening field for American
labor and American enterprise. The
visitors say that the only advantage
this country has gained by the annexa-
ton is a military one, and even that is
open to some question. In case of
foreign war, it is claimed that the pos
session of Hawaii would be a strategic
point Of value, but one member OF the
party admits that it is going to take
much larger number of soldiers for gar
rison purposes than has been supposed.
Serious warnings have been issued by
the lodges of Free MasOns and Knights
Of Pythias in Honolulu to their Ameri-
seeking employment or professional OPP
portunities unless they bring with them
plenty Of money. Americans began
t1Ocking to the islands as soon as an
nexatiOn was assured and about 1000 of
them reached there before the furry
ceased. They are said to have Jared
very badly and their plight would no
doubt have been worse but for the gem
erOsity of the natives-a trait. by the
Way, which everywhere vastly Impress
ed the American commissioners. The
field of labor. skilled and unskilled, Is
filled almost entirely by Chinese and
Japanese. Chinese are said to do work
of all kinds. from the very commonest
day labor to watch mending. The prin-
cipal local industries, as is we'll known.
are sugar and rice culture.
Municipal government is unknown in
Hawaii. Honolulu is the seat of all
government, the depot of supplies and
the depository of public moneys, and it
is to this capital city of 10000 in
habitants that all the other towns must
look for the necessary funds to carry on
improvements. This makes them ieal-
GUS. The hostility was very marked at
Hilo, town of 1900 inhabitants, the
second largest on the island. which the
commission visited. There is one street
railway in Honolulu. 1t is owned by
an English syndicate and operated by
native employees. and the cars are drawn
by mules. There are electric lights and
other cOnveniences, but these are con-
trolled by a monopoly.
The cost of living is much higher than
is generally supposed. Attorney Gen
era: Smith, Of Hawaii, testified before
the commission that it would average
~ per cent. higher than in California,
where he had once spent two years.
This is said to be due to the fact that
scarcely any Of the ordinary articles of
American diet grow in Hawaii. Chick
ems sell for $15 dozen and eggs for go
cents q dozen. The chickens are i'm
ported. There are three difficulties in
The way OF growing poultry Oh the
islands. After Matching the chickens
are in danger of having their eyes eaten
out by the mosquitoes, which are un-
usually large. If they survive the
mosquito pest they are liable TO fall
\ victims to the mOngOOse. Ii they sue
cessfnlly run the gauntlet OF both
mosquito and and mOngOose, they are
almost sure to be swept away by chol-
era.
One would suppose that fish would be
a popular article of diet, and it would,
except for the fact that all the fishing
rights are monopolized in a strange
way. There are said to be eighty
varieties of fish along the Hawaiian
coasts, and the commission is convinced
that this estimate is not exaggerated.
The fish wear marvellous names and
startingly beautiful colors. The cheap
est and the one which forms the prln-
cipal article of diet in this line is the
mullet, which sells for 25 cents pound.
The devil fish is also used for food, and
when prepared looks not unlike smoked
sturgeon.
The cause for the high price of fish,
already alluded to. was investigated
thoroughly by the commissioners, who
make some recommendation in their
report regarding it. They unearthed a
new kind of mOnOpOlist-a konihlki-
pronounced "conny-hicky." When the
land was first parcelled out by the
crown, the grant of all lands along the
shore carried with it the exclusive right
to fish in the waters for mile out to
sea. About mile from the shore are
the coral reefs, and the natural fishing
ground is between these and the shore.
There is deep sea fishing beyond the
reefs, but to secure it one must hire a
sloop and go out to sea, which is not
only incOnvenient and expensive, but
attended with great risk on account of
the frequent and unexpected squalls.
The kOnihikis, who were not slow to
realize the advantages they possessed.
formed a trust and today command