The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-12-11

islands taught the principles which
led those in power to value a man as
man because he is a child of God, a
brother, and a fellow heir of immor-
tality?" Who 1 continued, "instill-
ed these truths into the hearts and
minds of kings and chiefs SO that they
proceeded to make laws respecting and
protecting human rights, giving the
people lands, organizing a school sys-
tenn and adopting a general policy for
the uplifting of the people?"
Whose influence stopped the terrible
infanticide? There is one present to-
night who saw a Hawaiian on the floor
of her mothers bedroom waiIing bitter
ly She was crying because she had
strangled twenty-one babies, the chill
dren of herself and others, and was
alone in her old age. Who made the
change? t'Was it, L continued, "the
sandalwood traders, the runaway sail
ors, or the men of the whaling fleet ?''
There is only one answer which can
be given to these questions and the
man gave it. It is true that God sent
here noble and remarkable men who
became leaders in business and the
professions, to whom much is due for
the advancement of these islands. But
sometimes L ask myself what would
these islands have been if the mis-
sionaries had not come when they did.
That missionaries, those here and
elsewhere, made mistakes. is but hu-
man. Some were due to the stern re-
ligion of New England at that time.
But the mistakes they made were of
the head and not of the heart. Many
troubles came from their influence with
the government which they considered
for the best interests of the people, and
from the fact that all along people of
three great nations We're jealous OF
each others influence. But loose and
unfair statements hurt the whole cause
of Christ. That is what L was made
to feel when in the Eastern States
heard so often: But the missionaries
got the natives lands" Now it so hap
pened that 1 had made some independ-
ent investigations here, and as people
reasoned from one supposed case to all
cases. | felt that if I acquired prop
erty as I am trying to do, people might
say the same of me or of others here.
1 detest a falsehood whether it is told
about friend or an enemy, so 1 OBJ
tanned some facts at first hand and
was astonished at what L found to be
the truth.
1 submitted my conclusions to a man
of Honolulu who belongs to no church
and is no relation to the missionaries.
He is second to none in his knowledge
of the lands in the islands. He said,
You are correct. My statement of the
case is this:
First. The land held by the original
missionaries was insignificant in guam
tity and of little value at the time.
Secondly The largest land owners
today in the islands are not of mis-
sionary stock. What the missionaries
sons have they got in the open market,
principally from the estates of chiefs
whose lives became extinct
I was surprised considering their pc
cuIiar advantages that they did not
own more.
I was surprised also and pleased to
find the amount held by Hawaiians
themselves or by estates Of Hawaiians.
In 1895 there were 4117 Hawaiians hold
ing real estate, which was an in
crease of 1172 in six years
I have made this statement simply
because if anything rejecting upon the
character and devotion Of missionaries
is spread abroad it hurts the entire
cause. and this I have found to be the
case again and again in the Eastern
States. The story about lands has been
told me on the islands as well as away
from them. I do not believe for a mo-
ment that those who tell it intend to
he unjust. the fact is they have re
heated it 50 often that they believe it.
one Of the first things 10 be done if
Christians are TO he drawn together
is that they shall have fair and open
minds. It is to promote fairness thai
I have spoken as above