The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-02-09
80 |.

NJ Hatch the representative of the
Planters Association and the Cham
Der of Commerce at Washington, at
the Mohonk Conference, on "Condi-
tions in Hawaii"
The problems of the day in Hawaii
are Industrial only. No political
questions, other than of purely To-
cal nature exist. Hawaii has accom-
plished her political destiny to the
point of having become a part of the
Union as an organized territory to
which the Constitution has been for
mally extended by Act of Congress.
The story of Hawaii is most inter-
esting. 1t is too well known to JUS
tify taking your time to repeat. Ger
tain features, however, stand out with
prominence being uncommon in the
history of the contract of civilization
with an aboriginal race, and are
worthy of passing mention. First, it
may be noted that the Hawaiian rank
ed high in intelligence among the pri-
mitiye races. He possessed an adap-
liability to civilization and had, in
r
cation himself. He was not a nomad
He practised agriculture and that Of
a high order, his principal crop being
cultivated with irrigation. He devel-
oped water leads and irrigation ditch
es. These he conducted with such
degree of accuracy that many Of them
are in use to this day. He also es-
tabished minute and detailed sys-
TEN of water rights, dividing water
for irrigation by hours, according to
the area of the land, entitled to it,
which is also i'm use to-day. From the
water right he evolved both the ida
of, and name for, law.
The Hawaiian would undoubtedly
have made further progress towards
civilization, had his intellectual devel-
opment not been held i'm check by
most dismal and cruel religion which
prevented Independence Of thought
and enslaved him with innumerable
superstitions When freed from this
blight by the introduction Of Chris
tianity, many fine traits Of character
developed The early Kings and Chiefs
were notably worthy and self-respect-
ing men who sought enlightenment,
and strove to build up their race and
to develop their institutions in ac-
cordance with civilized ideas.
The harmonious and sympathetic
relations which developed at very
early day in the intercourse between
the races is another striking feature
quite unusual spectacle of white
in Hawaiian history. Here we see the
race coming among a primitive peo-
pie, and building up and supporting
n native dynasty, helping it to adj
vance on constitutional lines until it
finally became developed into an or
ganized government having a judi
ciary and executive department with
clearly defined jurisdiction, and be-
came worthy of, and obtained recogni
ton among the family of nations. In
stead of seeking to dispOssess native
rule, the latter was supported for half
n century, by the newcomers. Ma
tive Hawaiians and white men have
stood shoulder to shoulder in many a
Legislature and in more than one con-
stitutional convention In the fight for
good government and the extension of
individual rights. The result has been
that the kindly relations have stood
the jolt of the few occasions when
race interests have been in conflict.
The rocky places in the story have
been worked through with the mini
mum amount of ill feeling at the
time, and with no heritage of bad
blood. Nowhere in the world has
there been less race feeling. No So
cial discrimination has been drawn on
race lines. The political rights of
both races are identical. Elections
are conducted without intimidation;
in fact, native Hawaians elect a maio-
rity in the lower house of the legis-
lature and the delegate in Congress;
the present incumbent having run as
a Republican.
Hawaii stands alone among the new
~ acquired possessions of the United
States in her experience in self-gov-
eminent. 1t has been extensive and
varied. She has met each question as
1T has arisen, and has solved her pro-
blems without outside help.
1t must not be concluded. however.
that because our political condition
her feet and can be left to work out
her destiny by her own unaided eff
forts Her problems, as / have stated
are industrial ones; but they are Sc
rious and not easy of solution. Brief
ly stated, they are-Q) How to dew
velop a diversity of industries; (2)
How to obtain a larger population, es-
pecially of farmers
Hawaii is essentially farming
country, It's agricultural development,
up to this time, has been chilly in the
line OF sugar production. Endowed
by nature with soil and climate I'M
surpassed for the growth of this crop,
great ingenuity and vast amounts of
capital have been expended in secur-
ing water for irrigation without
which the crop in some districts would
be impossible and in many others
precarious The irrigation works of