The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-06-07
CORRESPONDENTS.
Kapiolani's Flag Presentation.
Ed. THE INDEPENDENT

straw" 80 with the annexation en-
thusiasts. They and their cause are
in such state Of distress and hope
lessness that they will resort to any
mean and contemplate action
which they think will assist and fur
Their their despicable scheme-an-
nexation.
The kind act OF good-hearted
Queen Dowager Kapiolani in pre-
senting a flag to the U. S. S. Charles
ton last Thursday-her reasons for
so doing are plainly stated in the
letter which accompanied the gilt
is now being used by the annexation
press as a lever with which they
hope to move their cause step fur
Their on to success.
That the Queen Dowager had
political motive in presenting the
flag at this time cannot be believed.
She has kept aloof from politics.
II she had entertained any idea that
her kind act would be so miscon-
strued or il the matter had been
properly represented to her in that
light, she would probably have
postponed the presentation Of the
gift until more opportune occa-
| sion offered.
The presenting of the flag at this
inopportune time has the appear
ance Of SCHEME" and good-heart-
ed Kapiolani was the dupe used to
further it. 1t has this look: The
idea of presenting flag to the ship
must have been thought of before
its arrival; it is quite possible that
the idea may have been first sug-
gested to the Queen Dowager who,
entertaining feeling of kindness
towards those who had respected
the memory Of her late husband,
and not having forgotten the fact
that the Charleston was the bearer
of his remains from San Francisco
to Honolulu, willingly acquiesced
and consented to the proposal, but
not from any political motive. The
fact that the Queen Dowager was
DESTROYS of presenting flag to the
Charleston became known, in all
probability, in some way to the an.
nexationists; it was no doubt
thought by them that another ex-
cellent opportunity was Offering
through which they could boom
"annexation;" so the subject. matter
of the presentation of the flag was
evidently not allowed to remain out
of mind.
1t is said, that lawyer-one
whose sentiments are strongly in
favor of annexation, and who has
been to Washington to lend his aid
to the scheme-wrote the address
which was to have accompanied the
gift, but the wording of it tended to
give the impression that the gift
was not only from the Queen
Dowager personally, but was pre-
sented by her on behalf of the Ha.
waiian people; that portion was
stricken out, however, and the adj.
dress re- written, and then presented
as expressing the personal senti
ments of the donor of the gift.
The presentation of the flag a,
this particular time and under the
circumstances which occasioned the
present visit of the Charleston tc
this port, was, to say the least, il
very bad form, for which, the Queer
Dowager can scarcely be held re
sponsible. The luau given at tn,
residence Of John f. Colburn las
Friday evening, in the name of thu
Princes Kawananakoa and Kalani
anaole, to the then visiting Arm,
and Naval Commanders Of the Unit
cd States forces, was, under the OK
listing Giro instances, entirely out o
place and unnecessary. But then
those occasions have evidently serv
ed their political purpose.
Why Colburu, Blaisdell, Kahoo
kano and Kane were invited to &C
company the Princes to the Charles
ton on the occasion OF the presenta
tion of the flag; or why the news