The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-07-05
THE MAKING OF HAWAII"

THE Making Of Hawaii" by Profess
sor William Fremont Blackman, of
Yale College, and published by The
Macmillan Co., is the first attempt that
has been made to apply the scientific
method to Hawaiian history, and make
a connected story of its evolution.
Previous histories, or stories, writ
ten by Bingham, Dibble, Jarvis, Alex
ander, and others record events, with
out any special attempt to work out
the philosophy of the native. history
Bingham's history was written from
the standpoint of Calvinism, which re-
garded the natives as heather. who
were on the eve of everlasting punish
ment, without Recommendations to
mercy, unless they were converted"
Jarvis impartially recorded events I'M
til the year 1912, and Alexander fol-
lowed some years later with an i'm
partial, clear and brief history, which
was specially prepared for the schools,
and does not discuss the principles in
volved in the evolution. as the author
was under the restraint of the Mon
archy in the preparation of his work.
Professor Alexander Is especially fit
ted to take account of stock Of Hawa-
iian history, and strike correct bal
ance, now that one long chapter in
that history Is closed. But that has
happened here, which has happened on
the Mainland. While Professor Bryce,
an Englishman,. has published the best
and most, philosophical treatise on
American commonwealth, SO Profess
sor Blackman has now published the
best, the most searching and reliable
commentary on the growth of the Ha-
waiian community. 1t is the work of
a careful and impartial student, who
has made himself familiar with all of
the stories about these Islands, with
out being Influenced by any OF the
business, political or family interests.
He has done what no one here, how
ever well qualified for the work, could
do, taken an entirely Independent
stand. For so many of the actors in
Hawaiian history are still alive, any
person living here who would publicly
criticise their acts would find il better
not to have been born.
Professor Blackman has never visit
ed these Islands, and relies entirely
on the data furnished to him by books
and correspondence. 1t Is a comment
on the value of thorough training in
scholarship, in the scientific method,
that he has traced out so clearly the
evolution OF this little mid-ocean COM
munity from the early days, without
having seen the people whose history
he reviews. while a number of appa-
rently intelligent persons have given
these Islands and their inhabitants a
personal examination, and have ended
in publishing a lot OF descriptive trash.
His book is also admirable In this re-
spect, that !, Is not an attempt to
prove some theory of evolution, but Is
statement of connected facts, and
their relations to each other.
There is yet much to he written
about the evolution OF this little com
munity, which Is singular composite
OF mixed races, The data for correct
psychological history OF the natives Is
wanting, that which reveals the pre-
else effect OF stamping upon their poly
theisllc ideas the Idea Of one Supreme
Being when a native convert ~
Christianity closed the blessing az hls
repast with the words In tho name
~ Jehovah, Kane, ku ana Lono
amen" there IL at once revealed
the obscure processes Of his mind
and II sDgssts thai q long In
tellec,,ml rekeneraiion was 40 much
needed az a, spiritual, and that