Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-02

ed the suburban roads. Great numbers
made use of tables and desks In the legis-
lative halls and in the Y. NJ. c. A. rooms,
where they wrote letters; stationery and
postage made free.
There was no disorder: not man was
seen intoxicated. The police had nothing
to do. We are used to crowds of man-of
wars men on liberty and expect drunken
brawls. This was totally different ele-
ment. They were from the better classes,
as well as the solid, honest common people
of the coast. They were self-respecting
gentlemen. Among them were scores of
college students and athletes, with here
and there young college professors. There
were hundreds of men earning good sal
aries in business houses. skilled artisans
and engineers. The material Of these men
is choice.
The nexet day was arrayed on tables in
the executive grounds, under the shade
trees, what was rich banquet to the
young soldiers. ill-fed as they had been at
sea on two meals a day, mainly bareback
beans and salt meats. The difficulties of
the commissarys department had been
great. Probably they would be better fed
after the adjustments effected while in
port Tables and seats were provided for
f2,4OO men at once, with knife, fork, plate,
cup and spoon for each one. Some 5000
square meals were served, as all ate their
fill and came again. Five hundred gallons
OF hot coffee We're consumed. prime and
fragrant Hawaiian. There was a ton of
potato salad, another of. roast meats a
couple of tons of ham sandwiches and
bread and butter, 1000 dozen OF soda water
on ice, with fruits in profusion--pneap-
pies. bananas, ngoes and oranges.
Hundreds of ladies waited on them. Cap
ping and cheers constantly resoundcd, with
college yells. The boys were happy. We
all were happy. President Dole and wife
and leading citizens held open levee under
the trees We all talked with the boys in
delightful intercourse. They were choice
company. A fine-soiritei British editor,
w A
wrote of them thus:
They are no riff-raf. no sweepings of
the purlieus of cities. They are the pick
and choice of the growing western states
One cannot help feeling sad to see
such hne young men being used for such
a purpose. 1t does seem A terrible
price for a nation 20 lay when she sends
the very flower of her race 70 willingly die
for her cause. Other nations nave sacr!.
need their dearest and best, bus It IS very
doubtful, indeed, whether any of them
would send forth to line grimnlest of war
such rank and file as are today marching
In our streets. 1t is inspiring, no doubt,
but 1t is also very depressing"
AFTER eating, there was general resort of
the boys in crowds to the legislative halls,
where desks and tables were thronged ali
uay by letter writer's. They were delighted
to use the public stationery with house and
senate headings. The foreign office clerks
gathered and stamped the letters. There
were about 200 letters and 800 papers and
packages. The special stamps Of the for
elgn office were used, the ones with the
nead OF OF Mr.: Cleveiand's persona non gra-
Ia. Thurston. Those Thurston stamps
nave limited circulation, and should be
priced by the phiatetists.
To Entertain the Others.
The whole cash outlay of the committee
or 100 who had been appointed for the
week, was about s., 800, out of SO 600 raised
by private subscription. many Britons con-
trlbutlng. There was also much private
contribution Of material, as well as labor
But there are probably 10000 more coming
during the next few weeks. We must try
to do much for their comfort also A
strong Red Cross organization has just
been established to minister to their sick.
number of whom We're found on these
first transports. We want all these coming
visitors to carry away happy memories of
Honolulu, as one bright spot on their road
to grim and heavy war.
These bright, choice young spirits left lis
early the next morning. sailing on beyond
the western horizon. You will doubtless
nave learned of their arrival at Manila be-
fore this letter is printed. Our earnest
thoughts toward them were well voiced in
lne morning paper they went:
1T is privilege beyond price to touch
your hands, and hear your voices, because
TO many OF us you are of the same flesh
and blood from over the sea, and you are
the apostles of our faith and hope Are
we not under the same war cloud that rests
we not invited it? And, therefore, do we
not honor you, who now hold your lives at
the service of the state?
We know that in many home
on the western boundary of the great con-
tlnent the blessings and prayers of many
anxious hearts follow you to the end. . =
Under this lavish wealth of trees and
palms and flowers, mothers hands have
tried to do for you, in these few hours
what they would have done for their own,
and our white-robed girls have lovingly
rendered service to you, in the name and
stead Of the girls you have left behind YOU
You need no exhortation to courage in
climbing the awful heights of battle for
you come of a. race that is nodded in cour-
age
OF the Philippines we in Hawaii have
known very little, and that has been nm
favorable The future of that country is
hidden in a mist Can it be the hard duty
OF America to conquer it for justice and
civilization? If so, this enlightened and
prosperous Hawaii may contribute to that
end. Americas mission in the Pacific lies
dim In the future. KAMEHAMEHA.