The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-06-13
TIE CLOSING SCENE.

1888. But il has not been actually
portion, for we have had our own laws,
unmodfed, have had our own duties,
our own postal system, and so forth.
The position has been quite anomalous.
and might have led to considerable
friction in some communities. 1t has,
however not led to any friction, and
our orderly community has passed
through its period of probation with
credit to itself, and satisfaction to
those who have watched over its des-
TIMES, and to no one more than to Pre-
sident Mckinley.
And during this transition period the
community has been tried. While there
was a doubt as to the ultimate fate Of
the Islands our securities suffered de-
preston. There is nothing that affects
capital so much as uncertainty. There
were a large majority of us who had
no uncertainty, who believed implicitly
that the United States Congress would
do exactly what it has done, but people
abroad, who had capital to invest did
not feel SO sure. They did not under
stand our condition at all and have not,
but tomorrow they will. When capital
sees us an integral portion of the Unit
ed States, when it realizes what safe
returns it can get, it will rapidly seek
investment under such favorable cir
cumstances.
That the above remarks are true, any
one can easily see who studies the
share list. Since the passage of the
Territorial bill there has been a notice.
able stiffening and rise in stocks. Con-
siderable sums of money have come
from the East, for investment, and
every steamer after tomorrow will
bring more and more. Our prospects for
investments are now excellent, and it is
upon the complete development of our
resources that our future depends.
Another serious trial has been the
plague. But this we met with charac-
teristic energy and determination. 1t
was a fight to the death and we won.
Our success in that struggle has met
with admiration throughout the world.
There has never been a plague fight
which was carried on with such drastic
measures as ours was carried on. No
country of it's size spent so much money
on the struggle. 1t had to be done how
ever. Our goal was not merely to stay
the plague and then have it re-appear,
but it was to destroy it right out, and
40 bring about such sanitary conditions
as would be render it's disappearance
almost impossible.
We must remember, however that we
had higher assistance than our own.
hut a
higher power took control and helped
us in our efforts. For the results of
that plague fight there are many
thankful hearts in our midst, and
though there has been no public act of
thanksgiving there has many a prayer
gone up from private households that
the city has been spared the scourge.
Fortunately for US we had the means
for meeting this drain upon us. There
was a large surplus in the Treasury,
and we have been enabled to pay off
obligations amounting to over 100000
incurred in our struggle to beat the
plague.
Financially we enter upon our career
as a Territory in good shape. Iii spite
of the enormous expense of fighting the
plague, we have over 100000 in the
Treasury The United States assumes
$4,000, 900 of our public debt, and will
most probably repay us 100000 which
we have paid out as interest to the
bond holders, since the debt. was as
sumed on August IL, 1898. This will
leave our public debt between $3.50, 900
and 100000, which is a trife when the
wealth of the Territory is considered.
The President has applied the system
of home rule, and outside of Federal
officials has put the appointments into
the hands of the residents of the Ter
ritory. This is a most satisfactory con-
dition Of affairs and contradicts the
statement of the disgruntled who used
to contend that annexation would bring
about carpet bag era, and that we
should be ruled by a set of broken down
politicians. Nothing of the kind has
happened.
Politically we are left to work out our
own salvation. We have our own SEN
ate and House Of Representatives. We
have a far more extended franchise
than under the old monarchy or the In
dependent Republic. Under the mon
archy the upper house was not an cleo
tive body, the members of that House
were appointees of the monarch and
the positions were practically for life.
Under the Independent Republic the
House of Mobiles became the Senate,
and was elective, but it was restricted
franchise Under the law of the Terri
tory of Hawaii there is a comparatively
no restriction, save in the ability to
read, write and speak English or Ha-
waiian, the citizenship, registration, re-
sidence and age qualification. Upon this
we enter tomorrow. Whether we use
this power well or i'll depends upon our
selves. We must all remember that the