Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-10-26
OUR HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
Their Beauty and Resources Amaze q
Visitor From the States.

netF 6GdGty anu nSoSd'SSS E"e@S
/. Visitor From the States.
Had Ponce de Leon continued his es-
ploration through the country discov-
cred by Balboa, and continued on his
way westward to the beautiful Hawaii
an Islands, while he might not have
discovered the Fountain Of Youth, says
the New York Sun, he would have
found an earthly paradise. The hyper
bole employed by the boards Of trade
and various promotion committees
when describing the islands amuses the
casual stranger, and yet, when you
have sojourned In Honolulu a short
time and have taken steamer to the
other islands composing the group, 1t
is hard indeed to find adjectives suffi-
ciently descriptive Of the wonderful
climate and natural resources in these
Pearls Of the Pacific.
The growth in resources and wealth
has been remarkable. AS the traveller
makes the rounds Of Honolulu he Is
struck with its modern architecture,
the cleanliness Of its streets, as well as
their excellent pavement, and the mod
ern look Of things; and yet less than q
hundred years ago Honolulu was ma
tive village, ruled by semi-savages and
governed by superstition. The town
consisted Of huts and thatched houses.
Here at least Is one place In the
world where the missionary may point
with pride" for it has been due great
ly to his efforts that Honolulu Is what
1t is today. The descendants OF those
rugged heroes who first subdued and
then made friends with the various
kings and chiefs are now reaping the
benefits from the hardships and priva-
tions through which their ancestors
passed Today Honolulu is clean both
in morals and politics, the natives are
contented, and the islands present Won
derful opportunities, whether you are
seeking health or fortune.
It Is q remarkable fact, and, when
you consider how prolific tropical or
semi tropical life usually Is. a physi-
illogical phenomenon, that the popula-
ton showed decrease Of about SO per
cent in 100 years. When the islands
were visited by Capt. James Cook, In
177S, he estimated the population at
4OO, 1000. In 1875 the census showed
about $4,000. This has increased about
200 per cent, and the population Of the
island is now 175,000. The increase was
due, previous to 1898. when the islands
were annexed to the United States, first,
to a large influx Of Chinese, and then
to the importation Of Japanese. who
now form the greater part of the popu-
lation. The latter fact is not so ap-
parent in the cities as 1t Is In the out
lying districts, where the labor is al
most wholly performed by Japanese.
The chief white labor is Portuguese,
and Porto Ricans have found in these
islands a greater opportunity than Is
presented in Porto Rico.
The report Of F. H. Newell, director
of the reclamation service, dated De-
cember 81, 1903, is very comprehensive.
The committee Of members Of congress
recently sent to the islands has finish
ed it's investigation, and all are enthu-
siastic over what they have seen. Un-
less the interest that Is now manifested
by the members Of the committee cools
before the next session, Hawaii for the
first time since Its annexation will re-
ceive the intelligent attention Of both
houses Of congress next winter. Hold
ing, as the islands do, the key to the
situation in case Of an attack upon the
western coast Of the United States by
a hostile fleet, they have too long been
neglected.