The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-12-16

larged commercial facilities in new
| docks and wharves, improved harbors,
! larger and better stores, offices and
warehouses, indicate an activity and
prosperity which gives hope for the
| future
1t would be unjust to the people of
Hawaii not to mention matters religi-
Gus and educational. To those inter-
| ested in guiding the Hawaiians in
spiritual things, there are encouraging
evidences of greater interest in the
churches and church work, and of in
creasing regard for home and home
| life. The people as a whole appear to
| be attaining a higher standard. There
will survive some of the good seed
sown in former years, by the noble
band of self-sacrificing missionaries,
i that will yet be nourished and bring
forth good fruit. / have faith to antic-
ipate a people on the islands who will
come to realize the blessings of civil
and religious liberty. and to build on
the foundations so we'll laid for them
by the pioneers.
The schools promise much on which
to found hopes for the future. The
system of education is conducted large
ly upon New England models. A Gov
eminent Board has the general direc-
8
teachers are from New England, and
the English language is taught in the
schools, with but very few exceptions
The rising generation will be much
better equipped than the old to under
stand American manners and institu-
tons, and accept our forms of good
government.
The question is often asked: HAS
annexation of the Hawaiian Islands
been beneficial to the parties in inter-
est?" The answer is Eyes"
The United States has secured at
small cost the most important strate-
gle point in the Pacific Ocean. ard has
annexed kindly disposed people,
partly, at least, imbued with American
ideas. The United States paid the out
standing debt of Hawaii, amounting
to S4,000,0o0, and in addition paid ST.
900 for stamping out the terrible |
bubonic plague, which was almost as
much of a menace to the port of San
Francisco as to Hawaii-$5, 00o, 5000. It |
has received from the Territory since
annexation over 100000 600. 1t has TAX
en- for government use the best harbor |
privileges, and some public lands for
which it has not yet returned compar-
atively but very small portion in |
appropriations.
The people of the islands have Sc
cured safe and stable government, |
which encourages investments and con-
fdence in business in the place of pos
sible revolutions and attempts at au-I
tocratic government tending to drive
capital out of the country. They are
now an integral part of a great ma
ton instead of being a feeble and isoI-
ated one. whose independence was in /
creaSingly threatened by the encroach-
ments of European powers among the
islands to the south, or by the demands
of Japan which long looked wistfully
upon Hawaii, and whose people form a
large portion of the population.
Nevertheless, the Territory has not
received sufficient return for the mon
ey which it has paid into the national
treasury. "A lighthouse system is inn
needed for the protection of
the rapidly-fncreasing commerce. and
Congress should make appropriations
for various essential internal improve
ments as harbor docks and public
buildings.
In spite of these hindrances, in view
of future growth and the rapid increase
in business which will follow the com.
pletion of the Panama Canal the is
lands will become in time the most i'm
portant crossroads in the Pacific, and
both the United States and Hawaii it
self will be immensely benefited
Relics of the past, antiquated ideas
and customs will give place to new
forms of progress, and as we believed
in the advance of Christianity and I
We shall see in Hawaii the
fruitage of the early seed-sowing of the
American pioneers in the religious and
commercial life in this Paradise of |
he Pacific
4
THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF |