Evening star., 1898-03-17

r.ous than cutting OF the arm" It Is
cutting off the head. In their view the
such a sense and degree that with
out a monarch they are no nation,
q mere headless body. As unintelli-
gent Polynesians with strong racial sen.
timent, they care little for independence"
or flag" but they must have their own
monarch. In the past they have always
been ready to go under the sovereignty Of
England, provided they could keep a king
of their own. For this reason they could
cheerfully accept Japanese sovereignty, Il
they could keep their queen, which means
a native local rule. That they cannot re-
tain under America, and therefore do not
want annexation.
Passing of the Natives.
The real truth in the case Is that the
small monarchist native population do 'iot
form an important factor in the situation.
They have diminished to less than one
terth of their original number of 12O years
ago, and one-fourtn of that seventy years
ago. The entire native population num-
bers only 2OOOO, or one-fourth of the
present population Of the islands. They
continue to waste away at a quite regular
decrease of 10 per cent in six years. There
is little encouragement to expect that this
rate of decrease can be checked. The great
est cause of it is the immense excess in
our population of males over females. with
its natural result upon the weakest class
morally, who are the Polynesians. Thers
are several other destructive influences,
and there is no prospect of bettering the vi
tality of the native race while in the pres
ence of such large numbers of other races
who are stronger, both physically and NOR
any.
The PoIynesian aborigines of Hawaii, it
IS painful to say, have practically lost .ex-
istence as nation. By two or three gen.
aradions more probably the last Of the
purely native people will have disappear
ed. Their blood will. however, continue to
be perpetuated in descendants Of mixed
blood, both white and Chinese. The half
and three-Quarters whites are people Of
fine physique, and often of much character
and ability. II enjoying similar culture
none Of the caste distinction which pre-
walls against Eurasians in India. The ad-
mixture of Hawaiian and Chinese is an ex-
cellent one, and will form large and valu-
able element in the future population Of the
islands. The highly trained and civilizsd
Chinaman, with lis self-control, blends
most usefully as corrective of the i'm
pulsive and sensuous Polynesian strain.
1t is only in these mixed descendants that
the Hawaiian Is to survive. As a nation
he is disappearing. Without doubt this in
teresting, amiable and generous people will
continue to be considerably and kindly
treated. Under American domination this
will unquesttonably be the case. For the
Hawaiians to continue TO rule in Hawaii
is impossible. That Is a thing of the past
Revival of native rule Is an impossible
QTedNn MI DaVleS roHQ6IS tne uaIlVeS a
service in contributing to dispel it.
Available Sugar, Lands.
Some three weeks ago Senator Pettigrew
made an erroneous statement in the SEN
ate, in saying that these islands possessed
at least half million acres of available
sugar lands. which were capable of pro-
ducing the entire amount of sugar con-
sa:ned in the United States. Now, although
the average product Of plant cane has
been raised lately by the use of large
tons an acre, 1t takes eighteen months to get
this crop, while not more than half the land
Is in plant cane, the other half either lying
fallow or being in ''ratoons." which are the
second crop from the old cane roots. But
there are certainly not 2OO,COO acres here
from which sugar cane can possibly be
raised. 1t may be considered absolutely
certain that 100000 tons is the outside limit
OF our possible sugar crop. 1t Is highly
improbable that it will exceed 1900 tons.
Very few available localities remain. Some,
hitherto considered useless from drought,
are likely to be reclaimed by artesian wells
bored at sea level, and the use of powerful
steam pumps forcing water to the uplands.
But such tracts are OF limited extent.
This does not mean that We have not
plenty more of good agricultural land. Our
area is nearly four million acres. Probably
two-thirds of this is rocky volcano desert
or mountain precipice. Many parts of the
rest are hopelessy arid for profitable agri-
culture of any sort. About 1.GJ0OO0 acres
are available for culture. Much of this Is
at too great an altitude for sugar canes,
which cannot we'll go above 1,50O feet.
Then, again, the greater part of that mil
lion acres is too dry for cultivation, except
in the winter and spring, whereas cane re-
quires moisture the year through.
the splendid coffee belts Of Hawaii are
either too high for cane or too rocky for
profitable culture of that sort. They em-
brace, perhaps, 10000 acres. In Kau, at
the south end of the large island, is a mag
nIficent tract, covered deep with recent vol
canic ash of the highest fertility-say,
IOO, O,000 acres. But most of 1t is too dry for
sugar cane. Some 10000 tons only come
from that district. The greater part of it,
however, would be available for winter
crops Of various kinds, and will ultimately,
no doubt, support a large population.
The arrival Of President Dole was fully
expected before the departure of this mail,
which is a few hours earlier than was an
ticipated. We anxiously await intelligence
of the sequel of the sad disaster to the
Maine. Will war with Spain ensue? We
are deeply interested in the American mis-
sion in the Caroline group, which belongs
to Spain. That mission might be broken up
by such a war. KAMEHAMEHA.