The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-11-07
GILMAN As
TO BURTON
Boston kamaaina
Talks TO the
Point.
The Boston Transcript says:

n htr iattn liblB lhpthd, Ndnsas, du-
nounces the arrival there of United
States Senator Burton. who has just
returned from Hawaii. where he went
as one of Senatorial investigations
committee. Senator Burton is quoted
as saying: THE Hawaiians are fine
people. but they are in hard lines just
at present. Their condition Is the re-
suit of the work of Boston's mission
aries. A number of missionaries have
been over there recently. and have CIV
en- many of the natives certificates
guaranteed to admit them to heaven In
exchange for their lands. 4 number
of the more ignorant natives have
been swindled in this way. Those who
have learned their mistake are natur-
ally triile suspicious of all Ameri-
cans"
This statement on the part of Sen
ator Burton becomes interesting here
because of his reference to Boston
missionaries" Probably no one here
about is closer in touch with the real
condition of affairs in the Hawaiian
Islands than is Hon. Gorham ID. Gil
man of this city, long a resident there
and for many years consul in the
United States for the Islands. He de-
clares regarding this matter: THE
despatch is hardly worth considering,
and it Is a matter of amusing surprise
that Senator of the United States can
utter such patent nonsense without the
least foundation as the language at
tributed TO Senator Burton"
Mr.. Gilman then says that there
have been no missionaries sent to the
Hawaiian Islands from this country
for the last twenty-five years or more.
MOREOVER, the Hawaiians are not so
gullible as TO be easily misled, for It
would be difficult to find one that can
read and write who would take any
stock in such heavenly chances.
Senator Burton of Kansas" states
Mr.. Gilman, was one of a sub-commit-
tee, the other members of which were
Senator Mitchell and Senator Foster
appointed for the purpose of visiting
the Hawaiian Islands last summer, 10
gain information 20 be reported to the
United States Senate regarding the
condition of affairs in the islands.
| Their investigations covered broad
grounds, and they visited the principal
islands and devoted themselves very
thoroughly to the business of their ma
ton They gave very generous hear
ing TO all classes who desired to APP
pear before them, and, If one may
Judge by reading the stenographic re-
ports of the commission, as appearing
in the Honolulu papers, Senator Bur
ton apparently was the only one of the
committee who seemed to act as an
eX-party advocate for what may be
termed the 'disgruntled element OF
Honolulu.
From the reports in the papers the
late Judge Humphreys, of unenyiable
notoriety, who failed to make his own
case good before President Roosevelt,
as against Governor Dole, seemed 10
be an assistant to Senator Burton in
an endeayor to bring out all that was
discreditable in connection with the
administration of the government. II
seems as If Judge Humphreys, during
his brief residence In Hawaii, had his
hand against every man, and think
there can be no doubt that IL was
great relief to the better class of the
community the business men and
those styled missionaries, when he left
the bench. The Hawaiian delegate to
Congress from the Territory was
Robert w. Wilcox, a man who has fig
ured very extensively in several reyo-
lutions against the government. He
has claimed publicly that the presence
of Senator Burton on the subcommittee
was due to his influence, and the fact
Of the apparent friendship between the
two men lends some countenance to the
statement.
THE land laws of Hawaii are very
carefully compiled system, embodying
the results of half century of ex-
perience, and the most illiterate, even,
of the Hawaiians knows full well the
money value OF whatever land he may
own and he could not be fooled by
any such-exchange as that proposed in
the above dispatch. Present hard
lines in the islands may be interpret
ed to mean hard times, and these at
present are occasioned by the low price
OF sugar. consequent on the bounty
paid sugar OF Europe, and also by the
dearth OF laborers that can be hired at
n remuneratlve figure"