The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-18
GOING FOR THE
HAWAIIAN POLICE
No More Unlocked Doors and
Windows in Tropic Capital
Owing to Crime.
Especial to the Advertiser.)

~ AN FRANCISCO. Feb. S.-The New
- York Sun publishes letter from
Honolulu correspondent. which
pitches into the Honolulu police force
pretty hard. Complaining of the epi-
denic of crime in Hawai- the correspon-
ent of the Sun says that the police force
of the Hawaiian capital is all right for
parade purposes, but that for actual po-
lice duties, they are of little value. The
letter is a protest against the present
force, and shows the great change in the
moral condition of Hawaii. Whereas pet
" thieyery, highway robbery and similar
J crimes were almost unknown five years
'iago, the writer says they are now COM
mon.
The correspondence to the Sun in f1il
IS as follows:
one by one the Hawaiian customs and
practices are being lost in the American
ization of the Islands Less than nVe
years ago such a thing as a residence
secured by bolts and locks was unknown
in Hawaii, but the depredations OF crirni-
mails in the last few weeks have CON-
PEELED people to take steps to secure the
windows at night.
Robbery after robbery has alarmed the
people of the Islands, and the sense OF
full and honest Hawai.ans has given way
10 fear of the depredations of the new
population sprung up since annexation
Living in a land of plenty, where the
fields bore sufficient to satisfy all the de-
manas of the natives, the need OF any
other form of riches was not apparent
to the Hawaiian. He was not disposed
TO lay up any of the worlds goods, ana
was content when the needs of the day
were satisfied Such a thing as a beg
fnalIr
crime of vagrancy was not known 10 the
court calendar.
The coming of the white man did little
to Grange this at first. 1t is true they
had more regard for the accumulation or
riches, but as long there was enough
for the native he parted willingly with
his lands in exchange tor a competence
sufficient to satisfy him for the remain
der of his days.
The newcomers saw little reason to
change the customs of the natives. They |
built their houses. magnificent mansions
some OF them, but with no thought or
protection from thieves
Around each OF these residences was
built a lanai, a wide veranda. which was |
furnished much as the interior of the |
house oftentimes with expensive furni- !
ture and fine paintings There was not
lock TO be found at window or door
AT night the doors Were left open. and
families making trips from home for
months at a time deemed II unnecessary
10 take any precautions against theft
Even now the custom is followed TO some
extent. and the older and wealthier resi-
dents sleep serenely despite the fact that
there have been lao precautions taken to
prevent the entrance of thieves.
T.e importation of Chinese and Japa-
ues- was under contract formerly, and
they were compelled TO go direct to the
sugar fields so that they caused no
change IN customs or apprehensions IN
The cities
The first rude shock of awakening
came with the Spanisi-American war
and the establishment OF the transport
service in the Pacific. with Honolulu as
the midway stopping place thousands
Of American soldiers will remember with
what Joy they were received by the Ha-
waIsaS. and how Americans We'd with
the Hawaiians to extend the fuIieSt
rl1ea -,lre of hospitality They Were feast
ed 10 their hearts content, and there
,r,,,eared 10 be no let-up in the enthu-
SlaSna of the Hawaiians-
Then came a change. The departure OF {
4 transport generally means the disap- I
of sundry articles OF value, ana !
always of BICYCLES which were not prop
eriy secured. Natives and Americans
alike became suspicious. 1t was not the |
fauit OF the American solder as type O
,ut there were some soldiers VINO hao
not the scrupies of the majority l
The crowds that went to greet each
- s<ine transport grew smaller and
smaller. and the offerings OF fruit ana
hospitality became rarer. as TIE miSdeeds
,f the soldiers became more generally
lnovn Now transports come and 80
with very little attention
I. * nor to the soldiers alone that ti1e
,assing of the old feeling OF SECURITY IS q
lue. With the expiration OF the labor
contracts which kept Japanese. Portu-
.uese and Chinese on the plantations n
hey began to come to town and take up 9
trade here, failing in which they con- Y