Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-10-19
LAHA|NA DOUBTFUL Of
G|[BERTE|E MOVEMENT

! Editor Evening Bulletin: The message
received here early this morning, di-
Iecting all the South Sea Islanders
resident in this district to take the
steamer Kinau tomorrow morning for
Honolulu, thence to be transported to
their far-away homes in the South Pa
Cific, came as a bombshell and created
surprise. CONSERVATION and consider.
able indignation among the thinking
portion of the community.
BY your issue of the 18th inst, also
to hand this morning, We learn that
these people are to be returned to their
native home in the steamer Isleworth.
through the humane efforts Of British
Consul Hoare and Rev. Hiram Bing-
ham, and the generosity oil Mr.. Arun-
del Of Kaimiloa fame. While there can
be no doubt as to the sincerity and
Idisinterestedness Of motive of Messrs
lIOare and Bingham in trying to carry
out this plan, II Is matter for very
grave doubt whether 1t Is good judg'
ment to spring such surprise upon
: the islanders These poor. deluded peo'
pie, without a word of warning, with
out any chance of mature. sober con
sideration Of all that 1t implies, without
even chance Of preparation for sucl
q momentous change, suddenly receive
L.. Nf,tf din lilo tn.
children of Israel of old. break up theii
homes, leave everything behind then
and turn their faces toward the half
forgotten shores of their native isle
an order which they dare not dis
r obey. FOR TO their simple, childisl
( minds this message from their grea
missionary and makua, Bingham, Is a
the voice of God bidding them to go.
, OF course | cannot speak with au
Z thority OF the condition or the home
sickness Of the South Sea Islanders Il
other parts Of the group, but as IA
as those living at the settlement in La
, haina is concerned. they are a prosper
=, Gus. thriving. comfortable lot. appar
/ emily perfectly happy and cOntented
, The men. or all those OF them VIII
care to work, are employed by tn
plantation at not less than rs cent
tie canoes and make profitable haul
among the finny tribes SO plentiful Il
these waters The women braid mat
o and hats from COCoanut and pandanu
: leaves, sell them TO the stores for good
, hard cash or barter them for bot
known to them in their former islam
. homes. They have a pretty, clean
= looking little church. surrounded b
-, their matched huts, in a grove OF ba
= mana, breadfruit. mango and cocoanu
n trees. where a native pastor minister
children all frequent either the kinder
garten, presided over by an able, In
= telligent, high-minded American We
n man, or the public school, where the
a mingle freely and on equal terms wit
q other children of all nationalities, an
are afforded an opportunity for acquil
: ing higher education and civiliz;
n ton.
r. All Of these blessings they are no
: rudely torn away from, and for what
To return TO their earlier, half, II M
quite, forgotten native shores, whel
q everything will appear mean, crude an
i changed, a bitter dsillusion, an
d worse still, where they will probabl
# 20 back to semi-staryation on diet (
y cocoanuts and fish, working for 10 cen
II a day during the short copra seaso
n only, and eventually sinking into
: state OF standardization from whiC
/ they were rescued through their 81
d journ in Hawaii mel. 1t seems an GU
% rage TO expose these trusting peopl
g many of whom are young boys al
n girls, born and raised here and pro-
ts ably far from "homesick" for Il
r southern isles, to such a possibilit
II and 1t behooves Mesbrs. Hoare ar
m Bingham to inquire carefully and Il