The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-12
QUEEN AND
CROWN LANDS
Doesn't Expect
Help From
Wilcox.
GUIDED BY CARTER
AND MACFARLANE
An Interview With the Former
Sovereign on the Status of
Her Claim.
Especial to the Advertiser.>

kalani is now in Washington. The
Queen does not xpect much
help from Delegate Wilcox eX-
cept in the formal pr,senta-
ton Of her claims to a committee. She
has other and influential friends at the
National Capital who will aid her all
they can. She is following implicitly
the guidance OF j. o. Carter and Col
onel Macfarlane.
Before she left here she gave the Al
vertiser correspondent an interview. as
also the Chronicle. She said she Was
going East to present before Congress
a claim for compensation for the prop
erty of which, she said, she was de-
prived by the provisional cover lment
Of Hawaii, and which came into the
possession of the United States gov
eminent by annexation. L-Iliuokalani
expressed her confidence hat the
American people would make a J.at
settlement with her.
Further she said, in the Chronicle in
terview:
THE Hawaiian crown lands are very
valuable. They are worth, at a con-
servative estimate, not less than $15,-
OCC, 600, not to mention the large annual
income which they produce. This in
come has been enjoyed by the rows
iicnal government and its sTccA'-ors
since the overthrow of the monarchy
in January, 1898, and as I ave not re-
ceived one dollar of this revenue 'ince
that time it is not unnatural that l
should expect suitable compensation
for my rights, if the lands themse,. IS
800, oo+ =, Ia raefnraA tn mo The
United States is now in possession and
is enjoying the revenue of a vast es-
tate for which it has paid the owner
nothing, and 1 feel that the Am lean
sense of justice will provide a remedy
for this condition.
1.-The history of the title of thu crown
lands has an important bearing on tbs
Justice of my claims. In the first plare
you must know that in former days all
the lands of the realm belongei |, in
theory and fact to the King, and the
occupancy of lands by subjects of the
King was subject to the royal title.
But after half a century of develop
ing civilization this feudal ownership
was found to be i'll suited to the frog
ress in national affairs to which my
predecessors on the Hawaiian throne
aspired. The reigning monarch OF hat
period, Kamehameha III, was a man
of enlightened and generous ideas. who
recognized the advantages that would
flow from a more progressive coiicy.
Accordingly TIE King, voluntarily and
purely of his own grace, made a Ill
vision OF the lands of his kingdom. As
nearly rs practicable he divided them
into thirds. One of these thirds hc cS-
signed for division among his chiefs
and people; another third he .'evlteG
to the use and benefit of the govern
ment as a public domain. and tn 70
naming third he retained for his pri-
vate use and ownership, TO be regulat-
ed and disposed Of according to his
royal will to quote the language OF
the act of division.
THE crown lands. which a"e con
cerned n my present claim. were in
Guided among those reserved by the
King for his own purposes. Al his
death Kamehameha III left a will
leaving nearly the whole of his estate.
consisting Of the lands mentio Icd, 20
his successor and successors upon the
throne. to be owned and enj0yri by
them in succession. After the death of
Kamehameha w, who was the nus
band of Queen Emma, and upon th-
accession of King Kamehameha Y, MS
successor, it was conceded on all sides.
and subsequently decided by the Su-
preme Court, that the monarchs we're
successfully wner in fee of the lands
left by King Kamehameha III; ana it
was found necessary to commute with
the late Queen Emma. widow of King
Kamehameha ". for her dover rights
IN that domain. Subsequently, t pre-
vent a diminution of the estate. the
fifth King K-ameharneha invited me
Legislature to pass an act. when ne
Improved. establishing Il board Of COM
missioners, to be appointed solely at
the Kings pleasure, to manage the eS-
tate. And from tina time until the
overthrow of the monarchy they we're
managed by such a board AMI known
as the crown lands. Nc sovereign OF
Hawaii ever assumed TO make over
that domain TO the public, or other
wise TO part with it's beneficial cwner-
ship. or the right to receive and enjoy
its revenues. Those rights were mine
the day I was deposed from my throne.
and they have never been taken from
ne by any competent authority nor by
process of law obtaining in that coun-
try or elsewhere. I have never relin-
quished my rights therein. either vol
UNFAIRLY or otherwise. It therefore fol-
lows that those rights are still mine.
though I am kept out of their enjoy
ment by superior force. It is n this
belief that I shall appeal To Congress
to rectify the wrong done me. and !
cannot believe that the sentiment OF
Justice Is SO nearly extinct in that BODY
as to render my appeal Unavaillu-.
1T is familiar history, yet I fear not
only the reading public but those IN
trusted with the government IF this
great nation are disposed IN forget or
} ignore the fact that 7 was dep--,sl Of