Evening star., 1898-01-26
REPUBLIC OF HAWAII
Overthrow Of the Monarchy Re-
viewed.
WHAT Led TO THE REVOLUTION
The Queens Fatal Disregard of
Rights.
Led TO THE REVOLUTION
ANNEXATION MOVEMENT

ITeSluent DOle VlSlC naturally reVlNeS
interest in the exciting events in the Ha-
waiian capital in January, 1893, in which
he took a leading part. resulting in the
overthrow of the monarchical government
of the Sandwich Islands and the establish
ment Of the present republic of Hawaii.
The Hawaiian Islands, formerly known as
the Sandwich Islands, consist of eleven is
lands and islets. of which but seven are in
habited. OF these Hawaii is the largest
with $3.50 square miles, Maui and Kanai
are next in order. Oahu is fourth, with
only 600 square miles, but derives special
Importance containing Honolulu, the
capital with over 25,O0O inhabitants and an
extensive foreign trade. The total area of
the island is 6,G7I square miles, and their
population in round numbers, 1O0O 900, of
whom less than one-half are of pure ma
tive stock. The chief products of the
islands are sugar and coffee. About $50-
100000 is invested in these and other in
dustries, of which at least three-fourths
are the property of American citizens. The
commerce of Hawaii is said to be greater
in proportion to population than that of
any other country in the world
Early History.
Hawaii regns solitary the queen of the
Central Pacific. 1t is in direct line of the
great steamship routes from all Pacific
ports of the western hemisphere to China,
Japan and Australasia, which fact accounts
in large part for the great interest that is
taken by all the great powers of the world
in the outcome of the present movement
for the annexation of the islands to the
United States. The American missionaries
CT Christianity reached the islands in 1870
and have since. with their descendants
been most influential in their civilization
and government. They were discovered in
1IiS by Captain Cook, who lost his life on
one of them in a battle with the natives
At that period each island had its petty
chief, but in 1893 all were consolidated into
one Kingdom under kamehameha l. In
1913 the United States sent commissioner
to the islands and has ever since MAIN
tanned the closest relations with the gov
ernment and people. A constitution modelled
upon that of the American republic was
granted by Kamehameha III in 1870 and
new constitutions were proclaimed in 1852
and 1864. Upon the death of kameham meha
v, without heir. in 1873, Lunalino was
erected KING by the people, under the con-
sttution, but he died the following wear
and the high chief, David kalakaua, was
after some disturbance, similarly elevated
TO the throne. Kalakauas motto was .'Ha-
wall for the Hawaians," and his efforts ia
return to the ancient ways and to restore
arbitrary power to the natives resulted in
SO much personal and national degeneracy
ana SO many violations of the constitution
Cured at the capital in June, 1887. He
was compelled to dismiss his ministry and
10 accept cabinet nominated to him: to
erect the obnoxious officials, to abstain
from all interference with the legislature
and to give the nation an amended and
hperailzed constitution. He signed this
constitution July 10, 1887. He reigned in
eomparauve peace until January 20, 1891,
Mneh ne died, while on a visit to San
Francisco.
heisn of Queen LiliuOkaIanf.
AS MS successor he named his sister, the
Princess Lydia 'Kamakena Liliuokalani, the
now deposed queen. She is the widow of
John o. Dominis, an American, who had
been governor Of Oahu and Maui. The
queen began her reign hopefully for the
people, but soon developed aggressive and
tyranncal tendencies and made several at
tempts 10 override the constitution in the
appointment of a ministry and in other
ways. Early in January, 1893, she forced a
cabinet crisis, and new cabinet was
chosen by hsrself, as follows: Samuel Park
er, minister OF foreign affairs; w. H. Corn
weii, minister of finance; John F. Colburn,
minister of the interior. and Arthur F.
Peterson, attorney general. They were
supposed to be plant tools Of the queen
but subsequent events proved otherwise.
since 1t was their final refusal to obey her
unconstitutional mandates tnat precipitated
the revolution from which the present gov
ernment was evolved.
Near the close of 1892 the queen and her
advisers inaugurated n movement revolu-
tionary In intent and effect, the purpose of
which was the reversiop to the Kalakauan
doctrine of Hawaii for the Hawaiians,"
and minimizing the rights and privileges
of all allen residents. The queens reign,
although already short. had been marked
by much corruption In the administration
of public affairs, and several petty insur-
iections had occurred in consequence. Dur
ing the last session of the legislature her
partisans, in alliance with an opium ring
succeeded in passing most obnoxious law,
licensing the Importation and sale of the
drug; and promised bribe of $5OOOOO, with
a telegraph cable to the islands, secured
for the Louisiana lottery the legalization
of a branch in Hawaii. The queen signed
both measures against the repeated pro-
tests OF the best elements of the popula-
ton, and in so doing sowed the se,ds of
the revolt which resulted in her dethrone-
ment.
The lottery bill was passed January II,
1888, and on the 14th the legislature was
prorogued. The draft Of a new constitu-
ton was submitted by the queen to her
cabinet, but none Of them would sign H.