from 1841 to 1861, a resident of the islands, and also Hawaiian Consul General for New England up to the time of their happy "benevolent assimilation" by the United States,-Hon. Gorham - D. Gilman.

ADDRESS OF HON. GORHAM D. GILMAN, ON HAWAII.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: I regret that the limited time allotted to me prevents my giving you some account of one of the most interesting people of the island world of the great Pacific, of their early history, traditions, customs, government, of their discovery and development from barbarism, idolatry and degradation to civilization and Christianity-all within the comparatively short space of a hundred and a few years, of the greatest active and extinct volcanoes, of its beautiful valleys and scenery, and all the attractions of a Paradise of nature, but I must confine myself to a brief résumé.

THE TERRITORY OF

GREAT OCEAN

THE PARADISE OF THE PACIFIC.

The political evolution of Hawaii from savage feudalism to royal authority, to a republic, and now to a close union with a great nation affords material for a most interesting study, and the tremendous changes of the last thirteen years especially.

In January, 1891, King Kalakaua died, and his sister Queen Liliuokalani became the reigning sovereign. Under the Queen was continued the conflict begun under the King, between those with whom had not completely died out the despotic ideas of a feudal ancestry, and those who had imbibed the principles of Anglo-Saxon liberty. This conflict culminated in the attempt of the Queen in January, 1893, to overthrow the Constitution she had solemnly sworn to support, proclaim one which would have destroyed most of the safeguards to life and property, and introduce a strongly autocratic government.

She failed, and to the monarchy succeeded the "Provisional Government," its title designating its character,—its aim to promote the union of the Islands to the United States. But unexpected obstacles intervened, and in self-defense, the foreign population, with some native Hawaiians, combined to constitute the "Republic of Hawaii," Honorable Sanford B. Dole continuing to act as chief executive. Efforts were continued to secure the primary object of the Provisional Government, the admission to the United States. The tender of the Islands to this country was repeatedly made, until, by the "Newlands Resolution," passed by

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both Houses of Congress, signed by Pres. McKinley, April 30, 1900, the Islands were admitted as a territory of the United States.

The early missionaries of the A. B. C. F. M. to Hawaii were instructed not to interfere in the political affairs of the country to which they were sent. They were Americans, however, who had been educated in the principles of civil and religious liberty, and although they obeyed their instructions, they could not well help teaching as they had been taught, that where there is light there is liberty, and in the light of the Gospel is freedom and progress.

Today the missionary pioneers have passed to their reward, and are entitled to grateful remembrance for work well done, but their children, the active forces in the country, have now come into the place of influence and power. Others also, not "sons," but those who went from this country, Germany, and England and her colonies, inheriting the same fundamental principles, the same desires for safe, stable and constitutional government, united in one common cause in which also the intelligent and educated Hawaiians heartily joined, that the words of King Kamehameha III., the motto on the seal of state might be perpetuated, "The life of the land is established in righteousness."

In the institution by Congress of the Territory of Hawaii the little republic became merged in the greater country which had always been the protector and guardian of the once far-off isles of the Pacific. It was a most alluring anticipation to those children of Anglo-Saxon blood that by this union with the mother country they were at once to obtain the best advantages of American life, national, educational, social and religious, and thus fulfil the hopes and prayers of the early pioneers.

There has been a rude awakening from such pleasant dreams. True, the flag of a common country floats over the new possessions, and the protection of the laws of the greatest republic on the earth has been extended to the little Territory, but those laws have been so interpreted that there has been turmoil where peace was hoped for, and justice strained in behalf of the transgressor, and the evil influence of political "pull" exercised from Washington, has made itself felt, much to the detriment of good government and frustration of hope.

Most unfortunately for Hawaii, on coming into the United States, it was destined to share the experiences of other newlyestablished territories. Adventurers, seeking only personal gains by the readiest and shortest means, flocked from the mainland as vultures to their prey. Such carpet-baggers are ready to use any means to secure their ends. They assumed to be the only truly representative Americans, for had they not just come from this country? and almost immediately they began to form an "Ameri

can Party" to control affairs, ignoring those who combined pride and loyalty to their American blood and ancestry, with a knowledge and sympathy with the Hawaiians, which much better qualified them to guide the newly made citizens in the paths of self-government.

In the Organic Law enacted by Congress for the Territory of Hawaii, the suffrage was made unlimited. This was a mistaken extension of the franchise, which, under the monarchy and up to annexation, had been limited by a property and educational qualification. There was a strong, but unavailing effort to keep the suffrage the same as it was, made by those who knew the Hawaiians best, such men as President Dole, Chief Justice Freear of the Islands, Senators Mitchell and Cullom, and Representative Hitt of Congress, men of ability and judgment, who had made a thorough examination of the subject at the Islands, and were qualified good judges.

At the first election in Hawaii under the new laws, it was plainly seen that the mass of the natives were led astray in the exercise of their new privileges by the greatest demagogue the Islands have been cursed with, a man without moral character, but with a better education than most of the people, a man who had been tried and convicted of treason against the government and sentenced to death, but later pardoned. This man succeeded in fooling the natives and obtaining for himself the election as delegate to Congress from the Territory. His course at Washington showed his utter worthlessness; he did not secure a single measure passed by Congress for the benefit of his constituents, and left debts behind him when he left Washington.

At the next election, a man of the ancient royal blood consented to be the Republican candidate for Congressional Delegate. He is now a candidate for re-election.

The assembling of the first legislature of the Territory of Hawaii soon revealed the utter incompetency of a majority of the members to comprehend the rudimentary principles of good government. The United States Organic Act provided that the proceedings of the legislature should be conducted in English. This was set aside the first day of the session, and is a sample of what followed. There were petitions presented by members that would have shamed the scholars of a grammar school. The time was mostly frittered away in attempts to embarrass Gov. Dole and his administration, as a majority of the legislature had been elected on the same platform as the delegate, and were in sympathy with him under the class cry of Hawaii for the Hawaiians. The better class of the community could do but little to prevent some most absurd and dangerous legislation. The session closed by limitation without the passage of the necessary appropriation bills, and an extra session had to be called for that purpose,

making the total expense to the territory greater than that of any legislature in the history of the nation.

The second session of the legislature was not much improvement on the first. Most of the time was passed in a wrangle to pass what was called "A county bill," but which might better have been called a bill to provide offices for as many Hawaiians as possible. The measure as passed was declared by the United States authorities to be null and void. There was the usual lobbying carried on by the majority, but they could point to legislatures on the mainland which could give them lessons in the art. Still, there was a saving portion which succeeded in staying much mischief and in doing some good work for the territory.

The Hawaiians are somewhat excusable, perhaps, for their lack of integrity and ignorance in legislative matters, from the fact that they are much like children suddenly placed in places of responsibility, unprepared, without proper education or experi

ence.

There are those who think that as yet but few Hawaiians can wisely be placed at the heads of departments or intrusted with the control of affairs. While good subordinates, they are not yet qualified to take the lead in important matters requiring a full sense of responsibility. Several instances have occurred where Hawaiians forced upon the administration for responsible positions have proved defaulters and embezzlers of the public funds. The voting Hawaiians seem possessed with the idea that as Congress has made them full-fledged American citizens, they are, therefore, fully capable of filling any and all offices of the government, and that they are the ones who should fill them. Their logic is simple:-the offices belong to the citizens, we are the citizens, hence the offices belong to us. Nevertheless, there is among them a slowly-increasing sense of public responsibility. It is to be hoped that the incoming legislature will contain a larger number of men of character, for there are many such among the Hawaiians if they can be brought forward, to counteract the sordid politicians.

Gov. Dole stood nobly for the best interest of Hawaii in all things for a decade. His has been a self-sacrificing position, like that of his father and mother who gave their lives to the advancement of education and religion among the people. It was no easy task to stand firm under the pressure of friends and opponents, but Gov. Dole always maintained the dignified position that as the Governor of the Territory, and servant of the United States, he must not be swayed by personal inclination, but act only for the good of the charge committed to his care. When a vacancy occurred by death last year in the United States District Court for Hawaii, President Roosevelt appointed Mr. Dole to fill it, a proper recognition of his eminent fitness for a high judi

cial position as well as of the great ability which he exhibited as the head of the government of Hawaii.

Owing to this appointment, there was a vacancy created in the gubernatorial office which the President filled by the appointment of Hon. George R. Carter. The new incumbent is island born, of American parentage, and a graduate of Yale University. Much younger than his predecessor, he has a goodly share of the strenuous characteristics of the President who appointed him. He has commenced a course of action which has excited much comment. He has been freely among the Hawaiians, expressing sympathy with their desires, and assuring them of his friendship and of his co-operation as far as possible and consistent with the public good. Against the advice of a large majority of his friends he called the legislature together in special session to pass financial bills vitally concerning the expenditure of the revenue. His action was completely justified. For the first time the bills were debated, and passed, with not a whisper of graft, and the session was shorter than planned. Gov. Carter is now preparing for a new legislature to be elected next month, with good prospects of continuing to hold the great influence he has acquired over the people.

Business of late has passed through a period of some depres sion, owing partly to the low price of sugar in the markets of the world, but chiefly to the labor question. The latter is the more serious of the two, for unless cheap labor can be obtained, the culture of sugar cane cannot profitably be carried on. What is absolutely needed is a modification of the Chinese exclusion law, made to apply only to Hawaii. The Chinese seem better qualified for field labor than any of the other nationalities which have been tried, and they prove very capable, and are easily managed.

Though the islands lie just on the line between the temperate and the tropic zones, the climate is too warm for white men to work successfully as field hands. Small farmers can cultivate on certain locations, but not in the cane fields. The Japanese who have been introduced in large numbers, and are now in the majority, have not proved tractable as laborers, nor very desirable as inhabitants. The low-grade imported Porto-Ricans and Southern Negroes have proved to be great failures, their natural viciousness, ignorance, and indolence making it almost impossible that they should become desirable elements in the population.

The future population of Hawaii is a matter for thoughtful consideration. With 60,000 Japanese, 55,000 Hawaiians, 20,000 Chinese, 15,000 Portuguese and but 13,000 of Anglo-Saxon blood it is easy to conceive that with that mild climate there will be a large and rapid increase. Under present laws, children born of foreign parents in the United States are citizens eligible to all privileges. What will the future voting population be? Should