The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-11-18
llBElS ON HAWAII.

Hon. Gorham ID. Gilman OF Boston
was once a consul general Of Hawaii
and as such he represented the COM
mercial interests of this group at the
chief New England port, with signal
ability. His retirement only came
when Hawaii ceased to have consuls;
but Notwithstanding the end OF Official
relations Mr.. Gilman has continued 10
serve this country with all his former
zeal and in an even broader and more
effective way than before.
Every now and then some influential
man. who has been mised about the
history of Hawaii, in turn misrepre-
SCENTS the people or the institutions OF
the Islands IF the attack Is one that
ought TO be repulsed. Mr.. Gilman meets
IL with an array of facts and arguments
which at once settles the questions III
dispute The latest instance of TINS
kind Of service was reported In yes
terday's Advertiser. 1t shows how MI
Gilman worsted Prof. q. Stanley Han
of Clarke University, the man who had
charged the early missionaries here with
checking the growth of native popula-
ton. lowering native culture and de-
Driving the aboriginal Hawaiian OF at
least one legitimate means OF llNei-
hood 1t was an astonishing charge Tor
a university professor to make ana IL
served to show in its evidence of wide
spread and deep-rooted misapprehen-
sions about Hawaii and its civilizers,
the need of the kind of service that Mr..
Gilman is rendering.
The missionary is everywhere
much maligned person. 1t pleases
those who do not think well OF religion
to describe him as a disturber OF the
peace in Armenia, a looter OF palaces
in China, a sybarite in India and Japan
and a land grabber in Hawaii In for
ty-nine cases out OF fifty the charge has
nothing but prejudice to rest upon.
Certainly it has little else here, where,
50 far as we can learn, but one or two
Of the throng of missionaries to Ha-
wall left their children decent com
retency. If many of these children,
not missionaries themselves, have done
well in business, that Is no fault OF the
mission fathers but, If fault at ALL
il must be attributed to the industry,
sagacity and thrift of business men OF
New England blood. Unfortunately
the total accumulations Of all white
people here, the veriest minority or
whom have a missionary origin or de-
scent is laid to the discredit OF the
missionary class, until 1t would appear
as If the professional religious workers
Of Hawaii had done nothing but steal
from their converts since the day or
their landing on this beach. An analy-
sis of the assessment roll would con-
vince any one to the contrary, but no
alien investigator ever takes the
trouble to make 1t.
The charges uttered by Professor
Hall, are however, new. No one, so
far as We know, has ever before made
the missionaries bear the blame of the
introduction of those pestilential dis
eases which, during and after the
time Of Cooks discovery, swept away
50 many of the natives and undermined
the constitutions of the rest. Hereto
fore the blame has gone where 1t be-
longs. to sailors, beachcombers and
ether Adventures. AS to an indigo
nous native culture" here, the phrase
il somewhat indefinite; but the critics
If Hawaii may rest assured that any
thing worth preserving and building
Spon in the aboriginal character was
eArefully held together by the mission
aries as a foundation for Christianity
But there could not have been much
in a race given over for centuries to
idolatry, witchcraft, war and individ-
nal vice. What culture the native race
has 1t acquired from white example
and teaching.
The final accusation made by Profess
Dor Hall, namely that the missionaries
killed the native silk worm industry by
too rigid observance of the Sunday
law, is almost diverting. AS Mr.. Gil
man points out in letter to Boston
PAPER, the cultivation of the silk worm
was made Improbable by the warmth
Of the climate and was attempted by
white man, who, though not in SYM
pathy with the beliefs of the mission
aries, bore frequent written testimony
~ their unselfsh usefulness. Where the
Blue law story came from can hardly
be fathomed 1t may have been
dreamed.
Considering the high place held in
New England by Professor Hall II IL
Rost fortunate for the truth of history
shat there was man like Mr.. Gilman
on the ground TO challenge and correct
bis statements. The former consul gem
sral Is a defender of the good name of
Hawaii whom the boldest accuser Is
soon taught TO respect; but IL Is "A pity
that he II forced 20 enter the fray 81
sften. Long before this dine the truth
shout the civilization OF Hawaii at mis-
rlonary hands ought 10 have been set
lied IN the public mind, and partiou-
hIly IN the minds OF scholars.
t
II Was by very narrow chance tina