The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-09-21
FORECAST OF Annexation
KEEN INSIGHT SHOWN BY REV
S. c. DAMON.
An Article About Hawaiis Future
Written More Than Forty Years Ago,
Remarkable Notification of Prediction

The following is a part of an arti-
Gle appearing in The Sailors Magazine
for January, 1855, written by Rev.
S. c. Damon, father of 5. NJ. and f.
w. Damon, and perhaps the most wide
ly Known man of his time among the
sailors of the Pacific, for whom he
labored.
1t is interesting at this time for the
keen insight it displayed. now that
time has given an opportunity to judge
the forecasts made, by the events them
selves
of late, l observe, in reading Amerl-
can papers, that the subject of Annex
alton" is looked upon as fixed fact"
| This may or may not be true. / am
more than half inclined to think that
things are not as yet quite settled! But
that does not materially concern the
point upon which l would now briefly
remark. Suppose the Islands should be
annexed, then for a time there will be
| rush hither. Should such be the case
! then ! am fully confident, good three
| fourths will come to be disappointed,
! any many most bitterly disappointed
| argue thus, but / daily meet those
who are disappointed. This result has
| taken place from various consderd-
! lions. People are not generally disap-
| pointed with the climate, or the salubri-
! BUSINESS of our sea girt Islands. The
Islands unquestionably possess the fin
est climate on the globe. 1t is remark
ably healthy, although of late years, the
epidemics of other lands have been
! brought hither.
Persons coming hither with the idea
| of accommodating fortunes by agricul-
| tural pursuits, are certain to be disap-
pointed The seasons here do not CORE
! spond with the seasons on the main
] 40 Of fc
ferent. Farmers are liable to be disap-
| pointed in their crops. Labor is high,
and uncertain, and unless a man is
ready to take off his coat take hold of
the plough with his own hands, and
work. he had better never become an
Hawaiian farmer. The old adage that
he who would thrive, must either hold
or drive" is emphatically true at the
! Sandwich Islands. The God of nature
has never abrogated the law, embodied
in the curse pronounced upon Adam,
I'm the sweat of thy face. shalt thou
eat bread" so far as the Sandwich ISL
andS are concerned.
Some will be disappointed, because
they cannot obtain land here, as in the
| Western Country, for 81 .25 per acre
Should Uncle Sam" buy out Kemahe-
meha III, he will not buy much land!
The people, foreigners and natives
now own the principal part of the lands,
the Chiefs, and if a new conner can buy
their lands, that is all very well: but
1t is not here as in the Indian country
of the United States. Emigrants can
not come hither and stake off their sec
tons and quarter sections, as in Kan
sas and Nebraska. No person must
come hither, as he would go to Oregon
or Washington Territry, and stake off
his mile square," unless he goes to the
top of Mauna Loa and settle down up
on region where he will find lava in
abundance, but no soil or woodland!
Although the Sandwich Islands have re-
Gently been added to the Civilized
world, yet they have been long settled
and the aboriginal race is still quite
numerous upon tie soil; and will be FOR
many years to come. Eventually, for
elgners will occupy the land and the
influence will be in their hands, but the
process must be gradual. Cities, towns
and villages are not going to spring VI
mere as they do in Illinois and Iowa,
RAILROADS Will never tunnel our noun
talns and run up our valleys. Our vol
canoes send forth no gold or silver
Mineral wealth does not abound here
But what do the Islands produce?
fanny some of your readers ask. They
furnish excellent pasturage the year
round for herds of cattle, horses sheer
or goats. Our hills are clothed with
perpetual green. Some portions of the
Islands produce good wheat, although
do not imagine flour will ever become
a staple product. 1t may however, and
some good wheat fields already gladden.
the visitors eye. Good sugar and molas.
ses can be produced. None better in
any part of the world; but it is a serl-
Gus question whether our Islands, in
producing sugar and molasses will eve,
compete with Manila, and other parts
of the East Indies. We can produce al.
so good coffee. 1t equals that of ans
other part of the world but then labor
is so nigh, that, as yet, coffee has moi
become extensively cultivated. Many
or the tropical fruits can be produced
put not upon all parts of the Islands
Ihere are portions where oranges
plneapples, etc. grow finely, and ev-
entually will be extensively cultivated
for the San Francisco market.
III persons desire good climate are
wiling to work, are ready to adapt
themselves to circumstances, study the
nature of the SOIL and put up with
many invonveniences, then they may
come and settle upon the Sandwich Isl.
ands, without being disappointed
There are certain localities, such as Ho.
nolulu, Lahaina, and Hilo, where flour.
ishing towns will spring up, where mer-
chants Will prosper and flourish, but
their success must essentially depend
upon the development of the agricul-
tural resources of the Islands. To de.
Velop these resources, requires capital
skill, labor and enterprise. Gladly would
: | welcome 1000 emgrants if they come
with those accomplishments. We desire
to see however none who will not build
up good institutions, viz: good schools
and colleges, churches, and all those
other institutions, indicative of a free
enterprising, intelligent, thriving, and
religious community
Note Heads. Bill Heads, Statements
and Fine Commercial Printing at the