The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-05-08
HAWAIIAN. GROUP
HAS BIG FUTURE
Z. N. McGrew of Honolulu Talks In
terestingly Of Islands.
SUCCESS DUE TO AMERICA
PEOPLE ARE THRIFTY, ENER-
CELTIC AND QUICK TO LEARN.

one of the interesting men VINO uIop
into Salt Lake City from time on their
way from coast to coast came in yes
terday i'll the person of F NJ. McGreW
of Honolulu, who is on his way TO
Washington. to consult with the state
and treasury departments concerning
conditions in the Hawaiian islands.
During his stay here MI, McGrew is a
guest at the Wilson
Being an emDIoye of the government,
Mr.. McGreW is restrained from saying
anything concerning departmental
work on the islands, but he was free
to say some interesting things concern
ing the changed conditions since the
United States acquired title TO the Par
adise of the Pacific.
There was a time, years ago." said
Mr.. MCCiTeW, when the natives of the
Sandwich islands looked askance
at all things American, but since they
have come under the domination of the
United States they have realized that
their positions socially, morally phy-
siCaIIy and politically have been great
" improved and today they are reap
ing the fruits of the annexation The
greater part of the islands is given
over to agricultural pursuits, pTinci-
pally TO the cultivation of the sugar
cane There are numerous plantations,
and the majority Of them are incOr-
Porated, the stock being bought and
sold the same az mining stock All the
labor on these plantations is performed
by JapS, Koreans, Chinese, Portuguese
and kanakas.
What "kanaka" Means.
THE people OF the states. as a rule,
have a wrong idea as to the meaning
of the word Kanaka- It really means
working man. just the same as 'dagO'
Is applied to the working class of Italy
But the Kanaka of the Sandwich ISL
ands must not be considered as being
as intellectually inferior as the aver
age dagO. As a matter of fact, there is
q less percentage of Hawaiians who
cannot read or write than can be found
among the other races of the earth. As
general rule they are thirsty after
knowledge. and IL is really surprising
1o see the way i'm which they grasp the
1ntricacies Of the English language.
There are young men in Honolulu today
occupying clerical positions whose
handwriting will compare favOrabIy
with the cOppeTplate chiTOgraphy Of
experts throughout the United States.
And these young men only a few years
ago were practically ignorant of the
English tongue This is a fair illustra-
tiOn of the progress the natives have
made in conforming TO what is general
" termed advanced CiviliZa ton
In the agricultural districts the peO-
pie are very progressive One thing
that Is produced, and I don't think that
II is grown anywhere else Is a plant
called 'sisale-' From il is obtained a
fibre that is exceedingly tough and is
woven into ropes with which they bind
their baICd hay. At koua-KOfa. an in
terror town. is raised the finest rice in
the world. After the crop is garneTed
II IS kept for seven years, for what
reason | do not know, except that the
natives claim its value as a food prod
ice is increased by aging it You know
that the Japs are particularly fond Of
rice Well. this rice Is of such a high
grade when il Is put on the market that
the Japs and the men who have come
from other Oriental countries to work
ON the plantations have to import their
rice from Japan This particular kind
of rice Of which 7 speak finds d ready
market among wealthy people of this
country and Europe. and naturally Is
the source of considerable income TO the
islanders.
American Capital and Energy.
THE industries of the islands since
and energy cannot be easily computed.
Several large CaDueTics have been built
and the product from them. mostly put
up by native labor, Is finding a market
All over the world Ia fresh fruits the
islands are doing quite a business with
the cities along the Pacific coast. Ha-
WaIiau bananas are a conspicuous fea-
ture in the San Francisco market. An
other fruit that has had wonderful
sale during the past few years even
going as far as New York. is the ALI
gator pear This pear derives its name
from the peculiar formation Of the
skin. The 'algeToba tree is another of
the valuable assets of the islands From
this tree there Is produced a pod from
FIVE TO six inches in length The beans
are sweet and are much reIiShed by
horses and cattle. The bean. or rather
the tree, was first introduced many
years ago by one of the pioneer CathO-
Tic priests. He planted il on what IS
commonly termed the leeWard side OF
the main island and its DEVELOPMENT
thereafter was simply wonderful.
''Koa wood is another of the vaIua bic
products Of the islands This wood Is
principally used in the manufacture Of
furniture, and, because of its durabiT-
ity and the ease with which II will
take and maintain a high polish. il Is
much sought Tor. Tt commands a good
price. and 10 certain extent rivals
rosewood and mahogany.
one of the notable features con-
uected with the progressive shirt of
the people can be found Ia the success
which has followed the founding of
the Kamehameha school I'm a suburb
OF Honolulu known as KaIihi. It was