The National tribune., 1899-10-12

brown brother; and if these articles serve
the purpose of the author they Will bring
out many good qualities (and perhaps
some bad oncs) of our kind-hearted and
trusting Kauaka friend.
In few instances their history is quite
like ours, and like lessons have been learn
ed; but perils never known to us nave come
to them, and have been ove-thrown and
conquered; wars have been waged and
con1uests fought for power and land;
conspiracics have wrought their havoc,
and the Government has been repeatedly
in danger Of downfall; men and women
of immoral character have held responsible
positions, and have had so great hold that
only with a mighty effort have they been
overcome and things set right. 1t is
proven fact that Kanaka can not govern,
and so it is the feeling of universal joy to
be protectcI and governed by the United
States.
On the whole, the history Of these people
is we'll worth our attention and study, if
for no other reason than the lesson to be
learned. Too many of us have held the
same idea of this group Of islands that
some Christians have of Heavcn-that they
are q great distance from us, and hence
hard to understand. Both of these ideas
are ROW seen to he quite wrong. l may
here give brief Illustration of our prox-
unity TO the group.
DISTANCE FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
Supposing San Francisco to be the
center of a large circle, | draw string
representing 2,0S5 nautical miles in a
soutlwestcrly direction on the map.
ot4 ,fu un,nI,,l,,
tai of the Sandwich or Hawaiian Islands.
Now continue the circle to the southern
point, and it will reach the Isthmus of
Tehuantepcc, Mexico; on the southeast
it enters the city of Houston, Tex, and on
the direct east it will climb the Missis-
sippi River, while at the northwest it Y sits
the Peninsula of Alaska. These facts, |
believe, Will give to many clearer idea
of the ncarncss to us of this group than
though L simply said Honolulu is about
2,140 miles from San Francisco.
One may sail due east from Honolulu
three times the distance from Buffalo,
n. Y, TO New York City, and then sail due
north, and land at Alaska; or he may sail
due west from Honolulu three times the
distance from Buffalo, y. Y, TO Chicago,
Ill, and then in a great circle sail north,
and arrive at Alaska. In all this sail
not 50 much as a spcck of land would be
seen; only the great pond of water tccming
with a commerce that is now only a small
part of what is yet TO be. This fact may
fifty recall to our minds Il great truth our
far-seeing statesman, VIM. II. Seward
once uttered: The Pacific Ocean, its shores
its islands, and the vast region beyond
will become the chief thcatcr of events in
the worlds great hereafter" (Annals
Senate, 1922
How true this prophecy has been proven
is readily seen; to-day, even, Hawaii is
becoming of great importance 10 America
in the commerce question for gcograp phic;,l
considerations alone.
THE GROUP.
In order to know how much attention
was given 10 the study Of these islands
among our school-clildrcn | attended, or
visited, graded schoolof friend of mine
During a class recitation (tcacher's class
! asked how w>many islands composed Tie
Hawaiian group, and to give their size.
One scholar quickly answered rs" and
asked if that was correct, adding, at the
same time, his geography gave that num-
Der. True enough, it did; but it is a qucs-
school textbooks are to be correct upon
foreign subjects when they arc written
by American authors who have no init
mate knowledge of their subject. Here,
again, the Kanaka gets the best of US;
they study our history from our point
of view and from our textbooks, while for
their own history they have books COM
piled by their authors 10 study.
q -. =
appreciable size, but only eight Of these
are fertile enough to be inhabited In
regard to their products, etc, will speak
later, but will here give thci, names il.
the order of their s:zc-E:lvaii, Maui.
Oahu, Kauai, Lanai, Moloiai, Niit.aii, ;.i.,.
Kahulawi.
They are in 1So. 54. 2:~. n. LIT. :.t,d
1550-161o W. Long, So u II
same latitude as Cuba and To1.s ~; -
e..