The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1903-11-23


Hawaii and Hawaii's people.
| standy here today anxious to cham
pion the just cause of every man, wo-
man and child in these Islands, and
still more anxious to advance Hawaii
and Hawaiians in their progress to
statehood
Grand as the position which l have
to assume, great are the responsible
tiles; and knowing my own shortcom-
ings, as no one else but myself can
know them, it is with the greatest diff
dence that l come before you to-day
as appointed Governor of this Terri
tory. Most thoroughly do / realize
the peculiar conditions and difficulties
which surround the position.
] know that matters may often go
wrong and that l shall be sharply and,
no doubt, very wholesomely criticized
for them. | know that when right |
shall often be thought wrong by those
who do not view or understand the
whole situation. 1t is clearly the duty
of a man in the position to which |
have been appointed to do right, no
matter what adverse opinion there
may be.
man who is Governor of this Ter
ritory, which is after all small thing;
man who is elected Governor of
sovereign state, which is great thing;
or a man who is elected President of
the United States, which is the greatest
in hn ho
inevitable attacks of those who dis
agree witah him. But the true citizen
stands firm, and in spite of opposing
views and antagonistic ideas, carries
an honest and honorable policy to its
legitimate end and stands or falls by
his ideals.
Fellow citizens that is what | III
tend to strive for. and it is to reach
that end that l need your utmost help.
1t is your interests, not mine, that |
shall serve.
Our Island home. my fellow citizens,
is beautiful one. There are few
more beautiful The colors of Italy
and Greece, the scenic beauties of
Spain, the marvels of India's vast
plains and Africa's grand plateaus may
be vaunted, but none of them can reach
the rich coloring of sea and sky, the
cool, varying greens of our tropical for
| ests, the rich shadows of our receding
valleys, the soft breezes which watt
the sweet perfume of our beautiful
| flowers, and the gentle tenderness of
our climate. / love Hawaii, from the
rugged crown of Mauna Loa to the sun
lit breakers that dash upon the firing
ing coral reefs.
But it is not our beauty that we must
consider; there are other and more
practical things that you and ] must
study.
Hawaii has present, and also a
future. Her present gives her great
resources. Her rich plains and her
mountain slopes; her recurrent show
ers and the limpid waters from her val
leys give her eXuberant crops, which
ative affluence. There are few coun-
tries in the world so bessed-few
whose present is more prosperous.
The future-that grand and wonder
full future which is looming before
us, portentous with great events, will
find the Territory of Hawaii a central
figure. The Pacific is going to be the
theater Of the worlds history. The
untold tale of human existence is 60
ing to be unfolded about the shores
and in the waters of earth's mightiest
ocean.
The waters of this ocean wash the
coasts of continents-on one of which
is the Oldest empire, on another the
mightiest Republic the world has eve
seen. Our small Territory is geopraph.
ically so situated that the great line!
of commerce must pass our doors. Ii
Hawaii, the Occident and the Orien
meet. In Hawaii the Anglo-Saxon pop
ulation of Australia shakes hands will
the equally sturdy population Of Nortl
America. 1t remains with Hawaii t.
WELD her influence to make hersel
great.
When | consider this; when re
alize that the peace the prosperity, tn,
} honor and the happiness Of this m!
birthplace are stalIed for four lonj
years on the issue of this day, l hum
bly, pray for the wisdom, the patience
the fairness, the clear Judgment am
ability so greatly needed
1t is no light burden which is pu
upon me- In that it is an honor,