The San Francisco call., 1899-03-25

lands. The title and the ownership Of
the crown lands remained with the
Government of Hawaii, which is now
that of the United States. This fact
will throw in the path of Liliuokalani
the first stumbling block to the claim
of ownership
In outline this is the condition Of the
Hawaiian land system, as far as the
ownership Of the crown lands is con-
cerned. There has never been any dis
pute in reference to the private hold
ings, which are known as Kuleanas.
No one has ever questioned the title to
the Government lands, which are
rented, leased or sold to the highest
bidder. From the creation of the land
system these two great divisions have
been above dispute. The status of the
crown lands was the same as these
until there came change of dynasties
and in the setting of the star of the
Kamehamehas a new royal family as
cended the Hawaiian throne.
The first of the new line, Lunalilo, as
cended the throne in 1873, reigned a
year and died. There was a bitter fight
for the succession between Kalakaua
and Queen Emma, the Queen Dowager
of the last male Kamehameha. Kala-
kaua, assisted by the powerful white
element in the Hawaiian Legislature,
won. The selection of the King had
been by legislative election, because
the last male Kamehameha had died
without nominating a successor.
With Kalakaua came a new race to
the Hawaiian throne, and here again.
in this fact, Liliuokalani will meet with
difficulty in establishing her claim to
the ownership of the crown lands She
will have to supply a double proof
first that the Kamehamehas retained
personal ownership of the crown lands
and that she as a successor to their
throne inherited their property. And
when she has made both of these ex-
plantations she must still make a third,
more difficult than the other two, for
the Hawaiian Government bought what
it believed to be an interest in the
crown lands derived from a Kameha-
meha.
The incident of this purchase Is Of
timely interest. When the last male
Kamehameha died he left as his heir a
sister named Ruth Keleekolani. This
woman never asserted any rights to the
crown landS because new dynasty
was on the throne. She did claim, how
ever, that she should have been given
the crown lands as surviving heir of
the last Kamehameha. About fifteen
years ago Claus Spreckels purchased
from this woman all the rights Of
ownership which she might possess as
heiress of the Kamehameha in the
crown lands. The Hawaiian Govern
ment considered this purchase of the
gravest Importance. Negotiations were
begun, and the Hawaiian Government
gave Claus Spreckels part of the lands
upon which the Hawaiian Commercial
and Sugar Company is located in ex-
change for the deeds which had been
bought from Ruth Keleekolani. The
transfer was formally confirmed by the
Hawaiian Legislature.
This transaction is of exceptional i'm
portance, as it shows clearly that the
Hawaiian Government, at least, be-
lieved that the title of the crown lands
rested, If it rested anywhere else than
in the Government itself in the family
of the Kamehameha. Liliuokalani will
have to meet this fact, as we'll as prove
her ownership, although she possesses
no family title and never received any
thing more from the crown lands than
their revenue, which came to her as
reigning Queen OF the Hawaiian
Islands.