The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-07-07
REPORT Is MADE
Correspondent Whitney Writes Of
Island Politics.
A RAsPGR'S WEEKLY LETTER
Talked to People Hare and Repro
duced Their Communications
MISUNDERSTANDING
A KAsPGR'S WEEKLY LETTER


Hawaii has suffered ut the pens of
the subsidized correspondent and the
half-informed editor OF prejudice as
none other among enlightened peoples. |
We have read of the "hierarchical rule !
of the missionary element; of the
base deception Of the few in power
practised upon the many in tribu a
ton; of the ''restlessness' of the IA
tive under the changed political cen
ditions: of our perfidy in anneXing Ia
wall without consent OF the gov
erned": of native unanimity" for the
restoration OF Liliuokalani.
Honolulu is an excellent field for the
reporter who seeks sensation rather
than fact. Having only weekly steam
er communication with the world. peo-
pie in that little mid-ocean city con-
Germ themselves rather more perhaps
than those in any other English-speSk-
ing community on earth with one an
others affairs We all know the teLd-
er solicitude of the friend who dis
cusses our affairs. That dear friead.
whom the latch-string never escapes.
with the apologize Introductory, It's
none of my business. and | never dis
cuss other people. but they do say,
etc.
When q Pacific cable puts Hawaii in
daily touch with the world. its people
will have more to think about and will
become less gossipy.
! | devoted many days while ut Homo
lulu, and painstaking inquiry. to- put
myself IN touch with the various local
sentiments on the political situation.
| so much endeavor. Not that any one
refused to talh On the contrary. all
were willing and apparently anxious
TO be delivered of the thoughts obvious
" burdensome. Never did men talk
more and say less. | could extract pos
itively nothing tangible upon which to-
/ base an argument or follow a line of
investigation.
| should say. first of AL. that among
white men there is really no serious
division of opinion-political- all
Hawaii. On all important matters
! touching the welfare of the Islands,
| the opinion of those. white and native
whose opinions really carry weight. are
/
is the same as elsewhere. and therefore
there is mild disagreement. that salts
fes itself with gentle discussion ut the
club. In time. no doubt. Hawaii will
have its Republican and Democratic
parties, but at present the only party
idiViSiCn at all discOverable is one based
on pro and anti missionary le1nilEs.
And this is so indefinite IL can hardly
be disnitied with name. and so mis'e1d-
ing as to- require explanation 10 the
.non-Hawaiian reader.
The anti-missionary element may he
described as whites who more recently
limmigrated to Hawaii. and are Cnvious
of the political and commercial pre-
leminence OF the early-settler descend
ants. The majority of this anti ele-
ment comprises men OF the smaller
business interests-shopkeepe clerks
few of whom have strong preiudices on
the subject. The minority ants. the
lagitators. who do the talking 1T home
land supply the newspapers abroad. are
political aspirants from the Mainland,
and few half-CasteS OF vicious tend
iencies and absolute responsibility.
The anti element have a grievance
Iof course. but il concerns personal
lemolument more than the prosperity
lof Hawaii. They seek place on the
governmental salary list rather than
part in the judiCious guidance Of the
Government. They offer no teuablC
,criticism of the Government; they dc
not pretend To deny that the ministry
of the Republic administered the pub
lie affairs of Hawaii wisely. eCouom
ically. ably. I could not extract Z
single criticism from the more irtelli
gent members of the anti element witt
Iu-h I f,1l J., I sgrr.
anywhere against the Ministers OF tn,
Republic and those continued in offic,
under the annexation that could b
viewed seriously or sustained.
Pressed for at least one definite oh
lection to the appointment. rs Cover
nor. of Hawaii's Grand Old Man.
Sanford b. Dole. one Of the more in
telligent of the ants said:
The President Dolel does not en-
terrain enough" and following IL b.
adding, and when he was made Pres
ident of the Republic he did not trea
his friends Well"
How sou | queried.
. Well" replied my informant. ID
kept lot of Government department
clerks in Office who had for year
served under the monarchy"
All" said I: then YOU object q
, President Dole because he is not al
I advocate of the spoils system. Nn
= would have him turn out all the clerk.
= who were in no way responsible for IN
= actions OF the Monarchy. and who hav
a been in Government. service. some q
them. for years-to make room Tor hi
particular political supporters" r
= which my antj-uissiouary friend 90
- INJURED as beirE perhaps too hrrsu'
expressed
And this missionary element" q
which we hear So Wuch-what Is Go
Who comprise it,
One of the very wfse-t acts OF *
Imchameha III was 20 give lands 90 th
missionaries who Ind arrived 90 Hone
lulu from New England in the frs