Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-03-18

the world welI-nigh hfeiess babe, be
was destined to achieve for his peo-
pie more than all the monarchs OF
Hawaii. ..
Thus he was permitted by the
sanction of his brother, the king. to
sit down in his Kona home and TO cat
with his mother thus doing forbid
den thing; and by that act, though he
was a mere child. he dealt the death
blow TO the tabu system that was a.
ready tottering under the weight OF its
cruel expressions.
Accustomed 10 dissolute associa
tons, and apparently hopelessly
entangled with reactionaries, he snr
prised the whole nation when, ar the
early age of 20, in assuming full SOW
ereignty, he placed himself squarely
before his people on the side of right
eousness by the choice of the Chris
tan princess, kinau as his premier
King John of England granted
Magma ChaTta to his rebellious bar
ons Under. the stress OF armed con-
straiHt. But Kauikeaoulit when only
&c years of age, without constraint
and of his own free will, proclaimed
bill of rights such as no other SOW
ereign probably has ever accorded his
people voluntarily. That bill of
rights emancipated the common peo-
pie from serfdom, and conferred on
them the privilege of owning their
own lands. and of enjoying unhinder-
ed the labor of their hands.
1T does not detract anything from
the honorable record of Abraham
Lincoln to recall that however much
he desired the emancipation of the
negro, be was not able to effect it
until political and military necessity
compelled it. Kauikeaouli emanci-
.pated his people from their irksome
bondage not through compulsion, or
the force of circumstances, but by
reason of his own generous regard for
the happiness of his people. =
Later on he made the emancipa-
ton of his people effective by setting
apart one-third Of the land so that
every Hawaiian might become a land
owner This was known as the great
mahele. and this act of Kauikeaouli's
will always stand out in the history
of Hawaii as the noblest effort CT a
generous monarch to promote the
progress and prosperity of his people.
Gave People Constitution. ~.
Most nations have arrived at con-
stitutional government through the
grudging concessions of rulers anu
the slow processes Of agitation and
civil conflict. But Kauikeaouli con-
ferred constitutional government on
his people as the natural climax of
what he had undertaken in their be-
half. And so he gave them first the
constitution CT 1910, and finally the
ampler constitution of 1852. admitting
the common people to a share in the
enactment and execution CT laws for
the common good
Fer % years Kauikeaouli was the
progressive and statesmanlike leader
CT his peonle. And he was such in
the face of great crises and changes
in the national history. Two great
epidemics deeimated his peoDle. Re-
peatedly the independence CT Hawaii
was mehaced by the unjust encroach-
ment of foreign nations. The great
awakening created conditions that ne
cessitated schools. and courts, and land
commissions. and systems of taxa
ton. and all the paraphernalia of a
civilized community. The doctrine of
religious federation had to be estab-
lished. Protection for his people from
the ravages of strong drink, was a
commanding issue. So was the neces-
sity of shielding his people from the
lustful assaults incidental to the pres
ence here of as many as 500 whaling
vessels in a single year.
Ambition to Serve People.
He was a wise ruler. who kept
5wiSo eoJip cpICrst abonf him and his