The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1900-06-14

AUAlre, then rhaQ tne COWmlbslOu
Of Sanford Ballard Dole as Governor
OF Hawaii for four years or until his
successor is appointed, and Chief
Just ca Frear administered the oath
of office to His Excelleucy, our first
American Governor.
The Governors inaugural address
which follows was delivered in clear
aud diotinct toues, but for few
moments Interrupted by the dia-
pnseon Of Bergsr's band. After the
conclusion of the inaugural address
Berger again Sallautly came to the
front with the martial array of
American aud Hawaiian soldiers in
the grand military parade. The
proceedings closed with crush re-.
ception in the former throne room
which was most tas,efully decorat.
ed. To night the illuminations will
be "splendiferous" aud the ball and
sup per will round off the night.
Feliow Cttisens: In accepting the
position of Governor of the Terri
tory Of Hawaii at the request OF the
President of the United States,
feel certain that there will be some
problems in the administration of
the affairs Of the Territory for which
the government Of Independent Ha-
waii has created no precedents.
Were it not for the support that l
am confident l have in your gym.
pathy, and in your patriotic deter
mination that in the new departure
the country shall make progress in
good government, could not con-
template the task before me without
deep misgivings.
The political evolution of Hawaii
has been from feudalism to royal
authority, then to republic and
now to dependence upon stronger
nation. The recent policy of the
great powers to parcel out between
them the islands of Polynesia, has
been an influential factor in the last
act of these successive changes.
Paramount commercial relations
with the United States have formed
another. With such Influences at
work, it only needed the decadence
Of the monarchical authority 20
cause the Hawaiian community with
its strong American sentiment to
gravitate irresistably to the United
States, choosing it's own destiny
rather than leaving it to be decid.
ed by others.
Hawaii owes its remarkable pro.
gress in civilization largely to tae
wise craftsmanship of Kamehameha
III. and other high chiefs, in the
early part of his reign. These men
and women carefully weighed the
counsels of their new advisers from
across the sea, and selected the best
as basis OF action. A few months
of peaceful revolution sufliced for al
advance in civil administration,
which has, in analogous cases, re.
quired years of devastating civil
war Personal rights were guaran,
teed, the absolute authority OF the
sovereign was voluntarily surrender
ed for constitutional limitations
the vast landed interests OF kings
and chiefs-the rich prizes OF the
victories of Kamehameha the first
were divided and adjusted in con
formity with the new recognition o.
the rights OF the common people
and the creation OF corporate gov,
eminent.
1t is not easy for us at this time
to give due weight to this organic
ing work Of those chiefs and theil
foreign advisers. Had the formel
been less public spirited, or had the
latter been less sincere, in all prob
ability the history of many another
tragic conflict between the forces Of
civilization and barbarism would
have been repeated here.
The influence of this peaceful re.
form in the civil system has been to