The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-01-03

! anu - LaB44StlLIEtIAL o. a strong EEALEd4
government. The king claimed ali lands
/ by right OF conquest and allotted them
20 loyal chiefs who held subject 10 a
/ sort Of feudal tenure. The nation was
/ in a logical process OF development.
Such a government was necessary TO
its very existence during the early
/ years Of contact with civilization. Ka-
mehameha when supreme, wisely com
Z PEELED MS subjects to engage in the arts
of peace, thus subduing their wariike
tendencies, and increasing material
prosperity Though he maintained the
old heather worship, there is reason to
believe that he recognized its inherent
weakness and was ready 10 discard it,
for something better
The conqueror died in 1919. Aeaving a
Hawaiian nation and orderly govern
nent. in place Of a rabble OF brawling
chiefs and insignificant tribes, ready
for obliteration at the first onset. His
work was complete and TO him Hawaii
owes its national existence. But the
spirit Of change was abroad and two
events soon happened which exercised
an extraordinary influence in shaping
the future course of the little nation.
The first was the abolition of Kapu, a
practical abandonment of the whole
system of idol worship. Such a change,
without some compensation might have
wrecked the whole people. With all of
its given features. the Kapu represent
ed law in a crude form. and held in
check and restrained the passions Re
moved with nothing 10 take its place,
there can be no doubt that, like train
on a down grade with no brakes, Ha-
wall would soon have plunged to
bloody and tragic ruin. But the second
event. the two forming one epoch, was
at hand Early in 1920 the missionaries
landed, and gaining the confidence of
the chiefs, by their all powerful aid
We're successful in guiding the aimless
enrgies of the nation into channels of
safety. Several years of steady growth
followed. which resulted in a pratical
Outstanding of the country. This pc
Rod witnessed in the printing of the first
newspaper in the Pacific, the Lama Ha-
wall, issued at LahainaIuna early in
1884, and later, the Kumu Hawaii, in
Honolulu The Sandwich Islands
Gazette. published n the English Ian
guage. was first issued in 1885. About
this time also. the production of silk
and the growing of cotton was attempt
ed, with. some degree of success.
The growing Importance of the
Sandwich Islands" was by this time
the Jealous attention of
European governments. and the indie
pendent existence OF the little King
dom was more than once seriously
threatened While sit is probable that
some mistakes were made by the young
nation, yet the king and his advisers
were most anxious TO have the good
will of their powerful neighbors, and
they yielded 10 some injustice. But this
did not prevent several attempts to
take possession of the group. Finally
under stress of demands which could
not be complied with, a provisional
cession was made 10 Lord George
Paulet in 1913. At this date it can not
be stated whether his act would have
been sanctioned by the home govern
nent, had not Admiral Thomas inter
'ered. But as his acts were endorsed
oy the English government without re-
;ervation. il seems probable that the
popular idea. that HawaiTs independ-
ence would have been forever lost, had s
lot Admiral Thomas restored the flag.
s incorrect. At any rate, the flag was
again hauled 10 the head of the staff.
IN Thomas Square. July 31st, 1913 amid
great rejoicing 1t was at this time
hat Kamehameha III spoke the fam
us words, since adopted as the national
MOTTO: Ia Mau Ike Ea o ka Alma ka
2ono." He no doubt used them in the
therefore successfully emerged from
his greatest of its perils. The event
and very much strengthened
spirit. Hoy different from the !
of feeling when Kamehameha
First voluntarily yielded sovereignty TO
At that time when the
British flag went up the natives shout
ID We are British subjects
The next event of vast Importance
md far-reaching influence was the sur
ender of their lands by the chiefs; the
sta blishment Of a national land sys-
en-. and the grant of a liberal consti-
ution in 1852 These events have been
he subject of recent discussion and (
iced not BE- reviewed. Kamehameha
:. either not recognizing that the grant {
I that constitution constituted a sacred
compact whereby was forever surren-
Tered the absolute power of the mon
Arch. or with the Intention of violating I
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