' ' m iv' i ' -sLW 7TTT T7T TTrHiX
FROM th moment that th whit
man aatUcd In their country It
. bwtmi inarltabU that th Ha
wallana decadent race muat
In tha and come under an alien
rule.. The eoneummatton wet lona In
.the making, and verloue conflictlnc fac
tore Influenced the troceaa that eul-
mlnated In - the annexation of the
Ulanda to tba United Starve. The final
reiult eti never arlouljr In doubt,
Sfor althouch rranoa. Great Britain and
.Runiia dliplayed' by overt acta and
.thinly hidden dealfna tbalr atronf de-,
aire to a-atn poeeeeilon of the croup,
the United Statea. deapiu her reluo.
tance to araap the prlie. made It clearly
understood from the flrat, that aha
wvild not countenance the acquialtlon
or Hawaii by any other power. ,. la
eeklne; new territory covemrnenta are
.moved by commercial or atratee-to con
Ideratlona. It waa the Utter of theee
, that excited the cupidity of the Euro
pean natlona. . Aalde from thla advan
tage, Hawaii had nothing apparently to
offer an tha oentury. following Ita dis
cover if we excent sublime aeenerv
' and an Ideal climate tnaufflclent con-T
. 41tlona In. themaalvee to Induce any
government to Incur tha palna and ex
pense of acquisition. The natives never
' exacted from the soil a greater tribute
than what aofflced to afford a bare
subsistence. Tha early Caucasian set
tlers tried tobaeoo and other hlgh-
. priced products without success, and It
was not until the Introduction of cane
ugar In llt or rather . the develop-
- went of the Induatry at a later date
' that the Uawalian group offered attrao-
; tlona of e'commerctal character. In the
. Maya of tha Katnehameha dynasty tha
- golden aae of Hawaiian hlstorw the
htmrhitea -enjoyed-thoutmoet- considera
tion from the rulers and exerted great
, deal of Influence with them. Whilst
almoat all elv1Ue4 eountrlea were rep-
resented by their cltlxene In Honolulu.
. Americana and British far outnumbered
, ,all othara. For a long period up to
' tha date of annexation. In fact a keen
IF1W .Util Raam tk m.Imm
' . of Anglo-Saxon residents. The Atneri
cans had tha advantage of the preatlga
attaching to pioneers who had dona
much for the development of tha coun
try, while tha British derived great
influence from the marriage of one or
two men of that nationality with mem
bers of tha royal family. While each
party would naturally have been grati
fied by the establishment of Ita coun
try's flag In the Islands, there waa not
any considerable aentljnent Ip favor of
a ehange among the white resldenta
until the latter half of tha nineteenth
oentury, or If such a "sentiment exlated
anywhere It was smong the British,
nr.nnt- wmA h. the Paulet Incident and
r other axsreselvo acta of their govern
ment.'- With the Americans the desire
for snnexetlon waa a gradual outgrowth
of commercial conditions and dlnoontent
with the misrule that marked the c Joe
ing years of tha monarchy.
Asld from Captain's Cook'a discov
ery In 1771, Great Brttaln'a pretensions
were supported by the fact that the
Islands were formerly ceded to her at
the time of Vancouver s visit In 1794
and tha Union Jack raised over. them,
although the cession was never ratified
by tha British government As sn off
set to these Interests the Americans sd
jranoed thro Important onaldaraUona,
! ' " fe-i . t " .1 '. '
The flrat whites to become domiciled U
tha Islands were two American seamen.
named Toung and Davla. It was tha
former who, a prime tnlnieter to King
Karaehameha tha Flrat. defeated the
attempt of the - Russian ' governor of
Alaska to take poasesslon of the Ha
waiian Island for his country In ISO.
Almost to yaara before thla event. Cap
tain Kendriok. Tankea skipper, had
established a depot In Oahu for tha
collection of aandalwood, thua forming
tha nucleua of Hawaii's foreign trade.
In 1(11 Boston aent to the lelanda tha
flrat of tba missionaries who Intro
duced rot only Christianity, but also
publlo schools, hospitals and many
other institutions of civilisation. At
the time that tha missionaries first
turned their attenton to .Hawaii, New
England whalers began to make a ran
deavoua of tha Islands, and during the
ensuing 60 years they remained an Im
portant center of tha whaling trade.
The growth of, the . Induatry Induced
President Monfoe to appoint a commer
cial agent to Hawaii for the purpoae of
looking after tha Interests of American
trade and seamen, and thla step opened
official relatione between the United
Statea and tha Islands. Tha British
government eoon followed suit by es
tablishing a consulate St Honolulu and
from that time the friction between the
settlers of tha two natlona was constant
and frequent diplomatic differences oc
curred between their governments. In
list the Hawaiian monarch waa com
pelled, whllet menaced by tha guns of
a warship, to algn a treaty with Great
Britain. But thongh Insisting upon tha
performance of all the obllgatlona of a
responsible. Independent government
the powers displayed a disinclination to
admit Hawaii among them as a civilised
nation. In the hope of securing for bla
country the recognition It. unquestion
ably deserved. King Kamehamebe the
III aent two delegatea to' the, United
States with a letter add reused, tq, lan
11 Webster, then aerretary of State.
Tha . document made a strong appeal
and among other argumetla the king
stated that government aclioola were
established throughout the country and
few of tha younger generation were use
able to read. A regular monarchist
government waa In existence of limit
ed and repressntaUva ahrMtar. - Com
ii ni
THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL. PORTLAND. SUNDAY
. J...
plete protection was afforded to tha
property and persons of all. and, In
abort, tha government rendered all that
la demanded of or rendered by the
governments of sovereign and Indepen
dent statee." Tha royal correspondent
concluded by calling attention to the
growing Importance of the Hawaiian
Islsnda In tha marina trafflo of tha
Pacific, and to tha fact that i that
time there were 1.40 American oltisona
reeldent In tba lelanda, owning property
valued at upwarda of It, 000,400.
Thla letter wee made tha subject of a
message - to - eongreea by Preaident
Tyler, who expreaaed his opinion that
the United State ahould recognise the
Independence of Hawaii and that it
ahould rlaw with dissatisfaction "any
attempt by another power, ahould such
an attempt bo threatened or feared, to
take possession of tha Island colonise
jthsm and Subvert the native govern
ment." Thla expression of policy,
which warned tha power to keep hands
off Hawaii, proved to be extremely
timely. While the president waa put
ting this declaration on paper, Lord
George Paulet, In command of a British
war vessel, raised his country's flag In
Honolulu and deposed tha reigning sov
ereign. Upon tha protest of tha United
States, however, the British govern
ment Immediately repudiated the ac
tion of Ita representative. A few years
later the French attempted the aeisure
of the Islands and their troops took
forcible possession of tha fort, tha cus
tom house and the government build
ings. The king of Hawaii again ap
pealed to tha United Statee and Secre
tary Webater Immediately addressed a
communication to the French minister
at .Washington, which wound up with
tha following significant statement!
The navy department will receive
Instructions to piece and keep the naval
armament of tha United Statea I tha
Paolfle In euoh a state of strength and
preparation as shall be requleite for tha
preservation of tha honor and dignity
of the United Statee and tha safety of
the government - of th Hawaiian
Islands." '
' Convinced that tha United Statea
would war . for the independence) ef
Hawaii, Franca quickly withdrew and
from that time tha design of European
sjat Wr against ika "id,it oaaaed. '
Meanwhile Hawaii was making rapid
stride along th path of civilisation
and prosperity. Th whole trade of tha
Faolflo waa at Its height and tha Ha
waiian Islands had become a depot for
tha deposit and transhipment of the pro
duct of tha fisheries. In response to
the demand of th gold aeeker ef
"forty-nine." Hawaii was raising and
shipping wheat flour and potatoea la
large quantities. Today aha la depend
ing upon California for thee thlnga.
so that an Interruption to the sailings
from Salt Francisco threatens a bread
famine In Honolulu. Th sugar Indus
try, after it years of development haa
assumed considerable importance and
It began to be evident that ita natural
market waa th United State and that
Ita futur prosperity would depend upon
tariff eonoeaalon oa th part of this
oountry. - Thus th ooarse of oommerc
pointed t th Inevitable goal of annexa
tion. Hawaiian sugar la necessarily a high
priced product" It -cannot;-Ilk th href
grade product of the Philippines find a
market In China and Japan. Tha greater
part of It la raised on Irrigated lands
by th most highly paid coolie labor la
tha world. Under auch conditions no
great extension of the Industry could
be hoped for unless Hawaiian auger
might enter America on favored terms.
Consequently th Islanders, many - of
whom began to contemplate th prospect
of a eloeer bond, made every effort to
secure a reciprocity arrangement with
tha United Statea. In 11(1 a treaty of
that character waa drawn by Commis
sioner Le on behalf of Hawaii and
Secretary of Stat Marcy, but it failed
on ratification by th aenata. Again la
1147 a almllar treaty waa made and rec
ommended to congress by President
Johnson, but It met with the same fat.
Whilst of oourse, there were strong In
terest opposed to th introduction of
Hawaii's augar on competitive terms.
It would appear that tha chief motive
underlying the defeat of these measures
was a fear on th part of tha frlenda
of Hawaii that the grant of reciprocity
might prevent- or retard annexation.
That such an Idea, waa entertained by
the administration I evidenced by the
following paragraph from a latter of
Secretary Sewerd to th United Stat
minister at Hawaii.
"A lawful and peaceful annexation ef
th Islands to the United Statea with tha
consent of th people of th Sandwich
Ulan da U deemed Ceslrabl by thla gov.
MORNING, MARCH 17.
eminent; and If die polley of annexatloa
ahould really conflict with tha policy of
reciprocity, annexation ia In every case
to be preferred."
' Her then waa a condition ef affair
calculated to sUmulate tha annexation
movement There appeared to be no
prospect of th passage of th desired
reciprocity treaty. Tha government of
tha United States expressed a wish to
acquire Hawaii end Intimated that Us
people muat look to annexation for re
lief from their commercial difficulties
The situation In 1141 ahould be borne In
mind when considering th situation la
1111-14.
Tha annexation " sentiment la tha
Islands now took th concrete form of a
political movement which derived a
strong Impetus from th unsettled con
dition of the oountry following upon the
death In 1S7I of Kamehameha, th fifth
and last of th dynasty. -The suocesslon
waa disputed and eventually decided by
tha legislature in fsvor of Kalakaua, a
manef-great, political. Jnfluence, but
also of dissolute habits and no talent
for government Hla election waa alg
nallsed by a Hot the first In the mem
ory of tha oldest American reeldent
but th forerunner of many similar oc
currences. During th reign of this
Incompetent debauchee th country, car
lied forward on tha tidal wave of com
mercial expansion, oontlnued to prosper.
The long contemplated reciprocity treaty
was at length passed in 1(71 with a
consequent boom In th sugar busineea,
and th Hawaiian government evinced
It gratitude by th cession to America
of Pearl harbor, a splendid anchorage
about seven mile north ef Honolulu,
needing little Improvement to mek It
on of th finest aavaj stations In the
world. ' Surrey were made and favor
able recommendation forwarded to eon
greea, but th necessary work waa not
performed. When the war with Spain
broke out. some to year later, the gov.
ernraent appreciated th previous neg
lect in thla matter. .
From th Inception of hi reign. King
Kalakmua abandoned himself to drunken
aeea and all manner of profligacy. The
oltlaena were not greatly concerned
about tha private habit of this degen
erate, but when he filled the places of
state with creatures of a almllar type
to hlmeelf the community waa aroused
to action. Tba popular protect took the
form of a demand for tha dismissal of
tha entire cabinet and th grant Of a
aaw constitution. Th movement waa
1907.
,. l
".',""
supported by th white and tha better
claaaea ef half cestee and natives, and
had the approval of all tha foreign rep
resentatives. Alarmed by the determined
attitude of the cltlxene. th feeble
minded monarch ' granted all ef their
detnanda The new constitution ex
tended th auffrag to all foreigners
after on year residence and upon
taking tha eath of allegiance. The
klnga power of absolute veto was an
nulled and the responsibility for the ad
mlnlatration was placed upon hla cabi
net which waa subject to change by
vet of th leglalatura. Thla body was
to be elected by the votea of cltlsena
having certain property qualifications,
and none ef It member oould be eligi
ble for civil office.
In Itll King Kalakaua died and waa
succeeded by his sister, LUluokalanl,
who at a later date became a familiar
figure in America-:
Although Queen LUluokalanl swore at
her coronation to maintain the consti
tution, her earliest act waa tha dismis
sal of tbe cabinet fi violation "of It and
her attitude from the flrat clearly Indi
cated a determination to reestablish ab
aoluta monarchlam. During the early
years of her reign her husband. General
Domini, a native of Boston, exercised
some restraint over her, but after his
death ah dsvoted hereelf to plans for
tha subversion of tbe constitutional
government. In this project aha found
efficient agenta in tha representatives ef
the Loulalana Lottery company and an
opium syndicate who appeared in Hone
lulu at this time seeking concessions.
These two men contrived, by the lavlah
uae of money, to corrupt the legislature,
and In 1S9S the bill proposed by th
queen were paaeed, and franchises were
granted to the vile interests that had
engineered thla rape of th popular
right. Th amended constitution ax
eluded from th auffrag all whit men
save those who had native wive. It
practically reestablished absolutism by
making tha members of the house of
nobles and the council of state eubject
to appointment by the crown.
The queen and her abettora had lost
no opportunity to play on rate prejudice,
and they were not a little dlsonnoerted
to find a large snd Influential native
element arrayed aralnst them In the
popular demonstration that immediately
followed the en traorrtlnary actlon'of the
legislature. At a larye public mass
meeting a 'v-.u-uMt'e of eafetv"
ajipolntal "t J si ire the permanent
maintenance of law and the protection .
of Ufa, liberty and property la : Ha
waii. Riots and Incendiarism broke out '
In the. city, and United State marine
were landed. . The committee declared
that by abrogating the constitution th ,
queen had- virtually abdicated, and they
appointed a provisional government to ;
admlnrnter-the affalnr'of -' gtatTintHr"
negotiations ahould be completed for -"union
with the United Statee ef Amer-
lea." Sanford B. Dole, an associate Jus
tice of the supreme court of, Hawaii,
was chosen president, with an advisory ,
council to aaslst htm. and the new gov
ernment received the recognition of the
representatives ef the foreign power.
A commission waa Immediately die
patched to Washington, with a view of
arranging a treaty of annexation. On'
the 17 th of February, ltot, Preaident
Harrison forwarded to th senate tbe
proposed treaty, with a comprehensive
review of the' entire matter, but con- .
greas adjourned without any action hav
ing been taken. ...
President Cleveland aeeraa to have ap
proached the Hawaiian question with a -prejudice
which waa enhanced by tbe
highly colored report he received front
the confidential agent who waa aent by -him
to tbe lelanda. Almost the first act '
of -the incoming executive waa to with
draw the Hawaiian treaty from the sen
ate. He then eppolnted Mr. I. H. Blount
special commissioner to Hawaii, with
extraordinary authority, to Investigate .
the existing circumstances and the eosx
dl tlona which led ap to them. ' air.
Blount proved to be utterly unqualified
for the efficient performance of the task
Inutruatedto him. He took up his real-'
dence with the royallsta and apared no
palna from the flrat to make hla preju
dice la their favor apparent to alL He
based hla report, which waa refuted by
a subsequent aenata Investigation, solely
upon Information furnlabed by the op
ponents ef the provisional government.
Of course, this open attitude of fever
toward tha ex-queen on the part of tbe
personal representative of the preeldent
of the United Statea had the effect of
encouraging tha royallsta to revolu
tionary efforts and of creating unreat
and anxiety amongst the entire popu
lation. Thla condition waa aggravated
after the arrival of Mr. Albert Willie aa
American minister to Hawaii. - This
diplomat came to hie poet with Inatrue- ,
tlona to use his best endeavor to eub-
vert th government to which he was
accredited. He Immediately entered
upon confidential relatione with the ex- ,
queen, whilst holding aloof from th '
member ef the provisional government.
At length. In December, ltot. hi re
markable conduct reached a climax In
a written demand upon President Dole
In the name and by the authority of
the United Statea for the prompt relln-
qufehmenf ef the government. to XHIt
uokalanL Mr. Dole emphatically de-"
ellned to comply with thla demand,
which of course, waa abaurd on the
face of It, and proceeded to call the '
diplomat's attention to th consequence
of his unwarranted machinations. "The .
enemlee of the government." wrote the
preeldent to Mr. Willi, "believing In .
your Intention to restore tbe monarchy
by . force, have become . emboldened. ;
Threat of assassination of tbe officers
of this government have been made, j
The police fore la frequently Informed ,
of conspiracies to create disorder. Aged
and alck persons of all nationalities -have
been and are In a state of distress
and anxiety. Children In the schools -are
agitated by tha fear of political '
disturbance. . The wives, sisters and
daughters of residents, including many
Americana, have been in daily apprehen
sion of civic disorder, many of them ,
having even armed themselves In pre
paration thereof." and much more in th
same strain, which, coming from a man
of Mr. Dole' habitual truthfulneee and
self-control, must be accepted aa a se
vere arraignment Mr. Willis had been
explicitly Instructed by Secrets ry Gresh
ara that he ahould not us fore to re
ctor the monarchy. Not only did h
refrain from imparting this Information
a knowledge of which would have al
layed the apprehensions referred to by
President Dole but he actually at
tempted to Intimidate the provisional
government by a pretense ef landing
troop from the American ahtp In th
harbor. Drums beat te quarter, landing
parties war drawn up along th decks,
ammunition waa distributed m th eight
of tbe anxloua people on chore, and th
boate were "prepared for lowering. At
thla Juncture Preeldent Dole drw up hi
force to repel a landing, and Mr. Willie
ordered the curtain rung down. What
would have happened had the bluff been
carried to the extreme point may be
surmised from statement of an officer,
ef one of the vessels Just before rejoin
ing his ship to take part in the demon
stration. Addraaslng a member ef the
provisional government, he aald:
"We have not yet received our final
orders. . . . . I think that If auch
order shall be Issued to us and our
boat with armed matin ahall put out
from-the ehlp. If you' ehould fire a
charge ever our head we ahould be
obliged to put back and abandon eur
purpose." The firm attitude ef the
provisional government compelled the
preaident t refer the matter beck te
congrese.
On the fourth day of July. 1114. a re
publla was proclaimed Hawaii with .
Sanford B. Dole as it flrat preaident A
constitution, framed on . that of the '
United Statea, waa adopted. It la a elg
nlflcant fact that while tbe aaajoiity ef
both houses of the leglalatura were full
blooded natives, they were elected upon
a platform the chief plank of whtoh was
annexation.
With the eatabllahnient of a perma
nent government peace and prosperity
quickly returned te the oountry. and the
yearn of the republlo were the most
plenteou ia th history ef the Islands.
With th return of the Republican party
to power In the United Statee, th ques
tion f annexation again became sn ac
tive on. A treaty waa signed by Preel
dent McKlnley In 17. end was Hl'l
under discussion In congress when ti e
war with Speln broke cut. Tlie "-m-r
value ef tbe Hawaiian Islan-n f -i '
military point cf view was I
appreciated, and tne r ,
Of the country d.rr a i i
of that territory e
The trea'v w" ri t
of Anir':t, '.
t ir'-i e l i