Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-08-17
NINETY MENHEARC. \. AITELL
OF CHINESE ACHE EMElH HERE
Pan Pacific Luncheon at 7. NJ.
c. A. Gymnasium Marked by
important Announcements

chief speaker, c. X. Al, tell OF the
work that the Chinese haze doaa in
the upbuilding of Hawaii.
Owing to the need OF more room
through the constantly Increasing at.
tendance at the luncheons, the gym.
nasium will hereafter be used instead
Of Cooke Hall, which has been found
too small TO accommodate all those
who come.
Alexander Hume Ford presided as
chairman and In his usual pleasant
and clever way introduced the speak
ers.
Mr.. Al said, in part:
1T may not be a bad idea for me
to take you back to the early historical
days when the islands were barely
known to the outside world. While
the American war of Independence
was going on there were some very
interesting dramas enacted right here
In the isles Of the Pacific Vancouver,
in his Book of Voyages. related that
in the year 1889, q Captain Metcalf
had sailed from Macao, China, with
crew of 10 Americans and As Chi
lese on the schooner Eleanor. This
vessel was said to have called at the
islands of Hawaii and Maui. Although
no records can be found to substan-
tiata the claim It was commonly be-
lieved that a good number OF these As
Chinese, II not all. had taken up their
residence in the islands. What help
ed to strengthen this belief was that
the schooner Eleanor would not have
enough jobs to 60 around even to one
third Of the IS Chinese. Further,
when Vancouver himself returned to
the islands in 1875. or thereabouts,
he found Chinese settlers already here
and that commercial relations had
been established between these islands
and China.
Rice introduced.
The Hawaiian products in those
days were very few, but chief among
them was sandalwood, which was very
highly priced by the Chinese, so that
even today the islands are stu known
as sandalwood islands. Later on. the
Chinese realized that the opportunities
for Development we're unlimited, and
so the rice culture was introduced.
thriving In the great tracts OF swampy
and neglected lands and growing al
most side by side with taro. The rice
industry was at one time the leading
one in Hawaii, flourishing until the
annexation of these islands to the
United States. The operation Of the
exclusion act haz practically ruined
this Industry as It deprives Chinese
rice growers of the supply Of Chinese
laborers,
If ych ask any school boy what is
the leading industry in Hawaii today
he viii without hesitation say that SUI
gar is. But II you ask him who in
troduced sugar here he may ind 1t
difficult to answer. In digging up the
records one will ind that in 1902 a
sugar mil was sent from China. as
the Chinese mad already discovered
that these islands would be suitable
for sugar cultivation.
The next important industry that
the Chinese had taken up was the
cultivation Of pineapples. This was
long before the days Of the Wahiawa
pine growers, although don't want to
take away any Of the credit belonging
to the latter, who were the ones to de-
velop it to such large scale.
Ksnehanieha Apt Pupil. IS
The Chinese taught Kamehamaha
the Great his first lessons in the econ
omics Of government and gave. him the
idea OF port charges, Import and ex-
port duties. TO his credit, the king
was quick in establishing system for
the collection of taxes and duties for
his own country similar to those prac-
tised in China. China was at that time
the only country with which he held
foreign relations.
.With tro ,ncrease of nonulation |
and the devel6umeat at new industries
the CRYING need was for lahor I,ool,. /
inq over the records found that in |
August. Xxi ne Hawaiian Aericul. |
lprsi and IIistnricaJ society sent1fhe /
min Thet,s cantain Cass n china
lor lahorars In kew months the
hin ratnrnaa IN Honoluiu WITH 1g5 i
rbiness .s sgr;c,,itnrsI Is h6,ers. and In |
,5datisn On sbove e honsa seryanfs
Tsha erner;,nont nrcyed - he 90 sat.
: 40 cNPSet---S ~ - 80 ~ ~ ~ ~ i