Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-29
The Hawaiians.

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Under date of April 90 you published a
letter from Hawaii, which think does in
Justice to the territory which l have the
honor to represent and to the race to which
i belong. For more than twenty years.
elementary education has been general in
the Hawaiian Islands. For sixty-four years
1t has been compulsory and the law is
strictly enforced. The percentage of Ha-
waiians who connot read and write is al
most exactly the same as that of the
American born citizen of the state of Mass
achusetts. and far smaller than in almost
any other of the United States. Until an
nexation. 1t was the general custom in the
city or Honolulu and elsewhere throughout
the islands to leave the doors unlocked at
all times. 1t is only since annexation that
the thief has been abroad in the land and
he Is rarely of the Hawaiian race
Judge Lynch has never held court in
Hawaii and at any time within the past 100
years, a women, white native could
travel anywhere in the islands unattended
and without danger. Professor Blackmer
of Yale College in his philosophic book
The Making of Hawaii" ranks Kameham-
cha L. as the greatest dark skin bar
harlan who ever sat upon a throne
Ksmehameha. III voluntarily gave his peo-
pie a constitution, guaranteeing them sub
stantiafiy the civil and religious liberty
which We enjoy under our. state and ma
tional constitutions (this was in 1S4O) there
has been constitutional government for
sixty-four years. and life and property
have been safe for more than 100 years
The monarchs of the Hawaiian race
whatever mistakes they may have made
have been innocent of bloodshed and cruel
ty for the past 100 years to an extent al
most unparalleled in history. They have
also given property worth many millions
or dollars for educational and charitable
uses.
The people of the Hawaiian race have en-
joyed the evils and blessings of civliza ton
for less than 100 years. During that time
they have certainly made more progress
than the inhabitants of Britain did. In the
first 100 years after the invasion of julius
Caesar. Even their enemies admit that
they are a generous, courteous and kindly
people. They are people who are dis
posed to do what is right and always can
be reasoned with by man who understands
their point of view and gifted with tact.
They are no different than any other peo-
pie in this respect. This explains Govern
or Carriers success with the legislature and
while 1t Is creditabe, IL Is equally an an
swer to unjust slurs upon the native race
person might easily live in the territory
or Hawaii, during long life time, associate
with the people and be actively engaged in
business and politics without ever seeing
leper. Leprosy Is there. and its existence
there, is more widely commented upon and
more generally known, for the very reason
that lepers are rigidly segregated, kept by
themselves In a spot inaccessible to the
public. While In nearly every other part
OF the world they go where they please.
mingle with their fellow men and are not
generally known to be lepers.
No doubt Hawaiians are more or less
careless In respect to catching and commu-
nicating diseases. They have this quality
in common with the rest of the human race.
but l have never seen and never known
sOf such utter disregard of precaution as the
writer OF the letter referred to apparently