The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-12-30
A FEW FACTS.
In Regard to Our New Territory, by
an ex-Resident of the Sand
witch Islands.


of Americans. The late war has
ought us an empire, but war or no
Nr, we should certainly have at
least acquired the Sandwich Islands.
That tact has been foregone conclu.
sion since the revolution Of January.
1897 when Queen Liliuokolsni was
forced to sccede 20 u temporary abdi-
cation. Tue island of Guam, one OF
the Ladrones, and the entire Philip
pine group have since been added to
our Pacific possessions by the war
with Spain, but it Is the intent Of this
article to call special attention TO the
Hawaiian or Sand witch Islands, which
are nearest to our shores, and which,
by reason of that proximity and the
fact that American influence has pre-
dominated during the past fifty years,
will be the first of our island posses
sions to be accorded the benefits of
statehood.
Already the questions are generally
asked: Where and what are these
islands? What is their history, their
climate, their products, their pros
pects? What are the opportunities
offered Americans who will go there
and live?
The Sand wich Islands were dis
covered by the famous Captain Cork
an English sailor of note, who lost his
life there in an attempt to kidnap one
of the island kings more than CEN
fury ago. According to the most
authentic accounts he was eaten by
his slsyers. At that time Hawa'i had
a populaii m of AT least 200, 900. The
Hawaiiaus were "a gentle, hand some,
semi-aDrhi"iOus race, lmild nea hens,
VINO loved flowers and love. songs Ia
national characteristic which still
prevails), and who have been slowly
dying aud decaying ever since the adj
vent of the HaOIe white man. They
are a brown-skinned race, not to be
confounded with the negro, hospitable
to q fault, atfectionate, devoid of bust
nese ability, lazy yet love-inspiring
They are perhaps best described by
the pen of Robert Louis Stevenson,
who called them "adult children
There are now between $4,000 and
10000 natives and mixed bloods on
the islands.
The Hawaiian group Is composed
of twelve islands, Of which the Gig ht
largest are Hawaii (the volcano is-
land, Maui, Oahu Ton which IL the
city of Honolulu), Kauai, Moloksi (the
leper island, Lanai, Nubau and Ko.
hoolawee. The capital is the city Of
Honolulu Oahu island, with "a popu.
Iation of %, 600. The only other city
worth of the name is Hilo, on the is.
land of Hawaii, which numb ers about
5000. The total area of the islands Is
100000 acres; or, to compare, the
group is about as large as New Jer
sey. The distance from San Fran
cisco to Honolulu is, in round mum
bers, POO miles The journey by
steamer occupies O. days. The fare Ii
$75 one way; $l.25 for the round trip
by steamer; and $40 one way by sail
ing vessel. CThis latter method taket
from 10 to 30 days.)
The present population Is about
100000; 40, 900 of whom are Asiatics
$4,000 HawaiiaDs, 1000 Portuguese o
the lowest order, and about 800
Americans, Eng lishmen and Ger
mans.
The islands are of volcanic origin
Few, If any, minerals exist. Their,
are no gold or silver mines. There il
one active volcano, "Kilanes," on TIT
Island of Hawaii, but there are al
most a hundred extinct craters, any
one of which, in the opinion of scien
tihc men may belle. forth lava at an!
time.
The climate of Hawaii (Ha.v y-ee
with the accent on the md syllable
Is ideal, and has gained for the groul
tho designation of 1.-The Paradise o
the Peril 1t Is so equable au,
wanting in extrer that the nativ
language hasEnO W for weather
except KONG (storms) and that i
used but seldom The country j
mountainous and the climate Il
warmer or cooler according to alti
tnde. On the 'ghest mountains q
the Island of Hawaii, there is perpet
ual snow. The average Temperature
of Honolulu is Is degrees Fahrenheit
There are no extremes of wet, dry
ness, heat or cold.
The ever present topical verdur
presents scenes OF luXur liant beaut
on every hand Ferns grow to
height of twenty feet. The sinuou
cocoanut palm, the massive mango
tree, the senBOrOus rOSe-apple who's