Evening star., 1902-01-28
The Hawaiian Government.

Whatever the President may ultimately
do in order to work out the best results of
American government in Hawaii, it is un-
likely to the last degree that he will
humiliate and contemptuously set aside the
so-called missionary party, the old white
residents and their descendants, of whom
Governor Dole is the representative. These
men have from the beginning stood for good
government in the islands. They have led
the natives along the lines of Christian
civilization, and have been the wise and
safe advisers of the morally-weak Hawaiian
kings. When Liliuokalani, in alliance with
Opium-ring and Louisiana lottery adven-
turers, overturned the constitution which
she had proclaimed and sought to make
herself IN absolute monarch, they deposed
her. They are the men of the provisional
Hawaiian government through whom
American annexation was rendered possible
and finally accomplished.
When Hawaii became part of the
United States the President and Congress
wisely continued existing conditions and
methods as far as 1t was possible, utilizing
in the public service the men who had so
well learned the lesson OF sustaining the
white mans rule in the tropics without
degrading or il-treating the natives. Mr..
Dole was made the first governor, and up
to this time the men of the provisional
government who turned over the islands to
the United States have been consistently
sustained in executive control by the ma
tional administration at WASHINGTON
In one important respect Congress failed
to follow the advice and example of the
provisional government. 1t broadened the
franchise privileges enjoyed by the natives
under the Hawaiian republic. AS result
OF this enactment native political organ
iZation was enabled to carry overwhelnl-
ingly the first election for territorial leg
islature. These Hawaians combined not
as republicans democrats or to carry
out any policy on American lines, but
solely natives, held together by race
sentiment. many OF them believing from
the assertions of their speakers during the
campaign that they might accomplish the
restoration of the native royal government.
The wild and foolish propositions and the
jobbery schemes of this legislature, threat
ening disaster to Hawaii, have been held in
check through the exercise by Governor
Dole of the veto power. and the baff1ed
Home Rulers" are furious against him.
The missionary party has had in the re-
cent past to face not only the Hawaiian
royalist voters. whose queen they had de-
posed, but heterogeneous elements of oppo-
sition. including adventurous American
newcomers. ready to play the role of polit-
ical carpet bagger, and to nf1ame and
utilize native prejudice in order to displace
territorial officials and to succeed, if possi-
bic to their positions. But the mission
ary party with fair play from Washing
ton, can hold its own and win in the end to
the permanent benefit of the islands The
present crisis is not one to dsmay men
who were not reduced to subsection by the
despOtfc rule of Hawaiian kings but were
the latter's soundest advisers; who did not
fear to fight the combination of the opium
ring, Louisiana lottery and Hawaiian roy
atty; who deposed Hawaiis queen at the
risk of their lives, their heads being OBJ
stiEately demanded by LiliuokaIani to mark
her restoration to power by the American
government: who would not yield an inch
to the demands of Paramount Blount and
even opposed the will of the United States
as misrepresented by President Cleveland:
who suppressed by force a Hawaiian royal
fst revolt; and who in the immigration con-
troversy resisted without flinching threat
enlng Japan In due course a controlling
element OF the natives will appreciate the
folly and futility of anti-American isola-
tion on their part. and will doubtless afHli-
ate with the great political parties of the
United States, and divide on American is
sues. The brains, money and backbone of
the population of the islands are largely
In the old-time white residents. and these
VIII never cease to be influential in Ha-
waiian anairs They should be upheld in
Washington for the protection of Ameri-
can interests in the islands and of the
reputation and welfare of Hawaii They
cannot wisely be discarded eitber FOR ,ho
benefit of royalist natives or a carpet-bag
government dominated by adventurous
Americans.