The Colorado statesman., 1922-11-18
"GO0D QUEEN LII"
Recalling Occasion Of Royaltys
Visit to Washington.
Last Of Hawaiian Dynasty Came to
the Capital to Seek Restitution
Of Her Prerooatlves.


Official Washington had put on her
very best clothes and made ready 10
give royal welcome to a royal guest.
True, this visitor no longer occupied
throne. nor was she ever likely to.
She did not even move In the court
circle, she was the court circle, ana
although that august body had moved
around until 1t had reached Its last
lap, still, by nature of its former
status, 1t was deserving Of attention.
This visitor was the last of the Ha-
waiian dynasty, Queen LiliuoKaianl'
popularity known in this country as
queen Lii, writes Margaret Bell in the
Boston Globe. She was an imposing
looking woman, not exactly handsome,
as we understand the term, but OF such
obvious strength of character as to
rally respect to her standard wherever
she went. This particular visit to
Washington was for the purpose OF In
teresting congress in her affairs. Be
Ing no longer a queen with royal
rights, she looked to this country to
reimburse her for her sacrifices.
Queen LIS story is unique. When
an infant she was given by her par
ents to another chieftain, a custom long
fostered among Hawaiian royalty, be-
cause this exchange Of children was
supposed to promote good fellowship
among the different tribes and harmony
throughout the islands.
At the age of four she was sent
to boarding school, where she learned
to speak English and think Christian.
She spent all of her childhood ana
some of her young womanhood in
school, and when she was twenty-four
married an American, John Dominis.
the son of a sea captain.
She had twentynine years compare
tive freedom; then her real troubles
began. Her brother, the king, dying,
Liliuokalani became queen, but with
out the pomp and grandeur which usu-
ally accompany such social elevation.
Before had time to collect my
SELF" she said, "a trap was sprung
on me by the wild hosts with whom L
was surrounded" A document was
thrust before her by the cabinet, great
ly restricting her power. To this she
objected, and the storm broke.
Queen Lii managed to keep her
throne for two years. During that
time her husband died and she found
herself deprived of very vital moral
prop. The organization of a provi-
slonal government in 1898, under San
ford e. Dole, brought about her abdi-
cation and gave the islands one OF
the best administrations in their whole |
history.
Ambitions began to stir within Lii
uokalani, however, and urged her to |
plot to regain her throne. But there |
were enemies around her, and her am
billions were learned, with the result |
that Queen Lii was thrown into prison.
That settled it. In eight days she |
renounced forever all claims to the
throne. The government evidently did
not place implicit trust in her, for al
though she was released from prison
she was kept under close surveillance
in her own palace for practically
year. Then on New Years day, 1896,
she was allowed full freedom, after
signing a paper In which she declared
her intention henceforth to live in alb
solute privacy and to avoid even the
appearance of being concerned in pub
lie affairs.
The remaining years of her life were
married by not the slightest deviation
from this promise. She allied herself
with no party and kept her political
opinions to herself. She devoted her
self to the writing of songs in her ma
tive tongue and travelling extensively
In this country.
On November II, 1917, while other
thrones were breaking, she passed
away at the age of seventy-nine.
Interrupted.