The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-07-16
HAWAII AFTER A
YEAR OF AMERICAN|SM
GEORGE Alfred Edwards Gives Fine Word
Picture of the Islands as Seen To-Day,

Their, but about his shoulders he wreathes
a garland of flowers and In his wide
brlmmed straw hat are thrust many
flowers and peacock feathers. The Wo-
men also go barefoot They wear
brlght-hued Mother Hubbard, belted in
with festoons of gaudy flowers and green
vines.
In the Hawaiian Islands one may select
the kind of climate that is best suited to
him and know no other. He may select
a spot that is sufficiently cool while yet
frosts are unknown and chilling WINDS
blow not: he may select another spot
where the heat is excessive, or he may
ascend from the sea to the mountain
tops and feel the air growing cooler with
almost every step. I'm fact as one sclen-
list has remarked Every graduation Of
temperature. altitude and humidity with
varying forces and volume of wind cur
rents, is presented in the Hawaiian Is
lands Moreover, each grove, beach,
vale, summit, and belt OF land preserves
its respective climatic attributes almost
unchanged throughout the year IL IS
this latter fact that has made these Is
lands the ideal spot for invallds. GER
tain climate may be selected and there
one may remain without fear OF change.
or. by travelling about from place 10
place one may follow what Is something
like the rotation of the seasons in the
temperate attitudes. without danger OF
meeting those sudden changes OF tenn
perature that are SO shocking 10 the SEN
sitive organizations.
INSECTS AND LEPROSY
OF course Hawaii is not without is
pests and these are the insects They
vary as 20 the locality but I'm many places
n Is the mosquitoes that make one re
member that life is not an flowers ana
sunshine. In other places there are 9TH
er insects and they are always persist
ent, always virulent. Another factor that
cannot be disregarded is the leDrosy. OF
which SO much has been written AT
present IL is jealousy exiled and iso-
lated and is az present but slightly con-
tagious but il still exists, especially IN
the lower quarters Of the city That the
disease is here is known everywhere, and
yet it is one subject that is under the
ban To speak of IL Is 10 incur the dis
pleasure of your host. IL he Is a native
he will shrug his shoulders and walk
away. II he Is a white resident Of the
islands he will insist that the reports
have been exaggerated and that your
fears are groundless. In spite OF All that
can be said however the leper colony AZ
Molokol is q living witness 20 the fact OF
the existence of that horrible disease ana
il is whispered that In that horrible place
OF exile there are Americans who are
suffering this living death. Al the nres-
ent time. as things are now situated, there
IS little danger Of contracting the dis
ease, and yet 10 many a person even
this slight chance would mar the beau
ties with which nature has been SO Law
ish I'm these islands.
Politically Hawaii IS about as peaceful
a place as one could wish TO See. The
whites and many OF the better class or
natives are we'll satisfied 10 accept the
protection OF Uncle sam. As 20 the ma
tive proper as he Is seen In the common
walks OF life, he has no opinions ~ All
upon the subject. OF course there are
stu natives in high position who are thor
ough royalists at heart but even thew
are willing to accept things as they are.
The common native. however, haroors no
resentment at what anti-annexationists
have been pleased 70 term his down
fall" At the same time he does not feel
any sentiment OF gratitude az being re-
lieved from the bondage Of monarchy.
The simple fact Is that political feeling {
OF any kind are a disturbing element ana
the average native Is decidedly averse to
making any effort either mental or pig
steal Under these circumstances II VIII
only be necessary for the United States
Government 10 use wise discrimination
in the placing OF the ballot ana there
will be little danger that this one Of our
new possessions will ever cause US any
trouble. GEORGE ALFRED EDWARDS.