CHAPTER XX
Hawaii As Annexed.
The Star Spangled Banner Up Again in Hawaii, and to Stay—Dimensions of the Islands—What the Missionaries Have Done—Religious Belief by Nationality—Trade Statistics—Latest Census—Sugar Plantation Laborers—Coinage of Silver—Schools—Coffee Growing.
The star spangled banner should have been waving in peaceful triumph over our central possessions in the Pacific for five years. Now Old Glory has ascended the famous flag-staff, from which it was mistakenly withdrawn, and is at home. Its lustrous folds are welcomed by a city that is strangely American, in the sense that it is what the world largely calls "Yankee," and does not mean bad manners by the most expressive word that has so vast a distinction. The shops of Honolulu are Americanized. There is a splendid blossoming of the flag of the country. The British parties of opposition have faded out. There is the wisdom in English statesmanship to be glad to see us with material interest in the Pacific Ocean. In this connection there is something better than a treaty.
Do not mispronounce the name of the capital city of the Hawaiian Islands. Call it Hoo-noo-luu-luu and let it sing itself. Remember that this city is not on the larger of the islands, but the third in size. The area of Hawaii, the greater island, is 4,210 square miles. Oahu, the Honolulu island, has 600 square miles, with a population of 40,205, and Hawaii has 33,285 people. The area of the islands, told in acres is, Hawaii, 2,000,000; Nani, 400,000; Oahu, 260,000; Kauai, 350,000; Malokai, 200,000; Lauai, 100,000; Nichan, 70,000; Kahloolawe, 30,000. The dimensions of the tremendous volcanoes that are our property now are startling:
Dimensions of Kilauea, Island of Hawaii.
(The largest active Volcano in the World.)
Area, 4.14 square miles, or 2,650 acres.
Circumference, 41,500 feet, or 7.85 miles.
Extreme width, 10,300 feet, or 1.95 miles.
Extreme length, 15,500 feet, or 2.93 miles.
Elevation, Volcano House, 1,040 feet.
Dimensions of Mokuaweoweo.
(The Summit Crater of Mauna Loa, Island of Hawaii.)
Area, 3.70 square miles, or 2,370 acres.
Circumference, 50,000 feet, or 9.47 miles.
Length, 19,500 feet, or 3.7 miles.
Width, 9,200 feet, or 1.74 miles.
Elevation, 13,675 feet.
Dimensions of Haleakala.
(The great Crater of Maui, the Largest in the World.)
Area, 19 square miles, or 12,160 acres. Circumference, 105,600 feet, or 20 miles. Extreme length, 39,500 feet, or 7.48 miles. Extreme width, 12,500 feet, or 2.37 miles. Elevation of summit, 10,032 feet. Elevation of principal cones in crater, 8,032 and 7,572 feet. Elevation of cave in floor of crater, 7,380 feet.
Dimensions of Iao Valley, Maui.
Length (from Wailuku) about 5 miles.
Width of valley, 2 miles.
Depth, near head, 4,000 feet.
Elevation of Puu Kukui, above head of valley, 5,788 feet.
Elevation of Crater of Eke, above Waihee Valley, 4,500 feet.
Honolulu's importance comes from the harbor, and the favor of the missionaries. As to the general judgment of the work of the missionaries, there is nothing better to do than to quote Mr. Richard H. Dana's "Two Years Before the Mast." He said in that classic:
"It is no small thing to say of the missionaries of the American Board, that in less than forty years they have taught this whole people to read and write, to cipher and to sew. They have given them an alphabet, grammar and dictionary; preserved their language from extinction; given it a literature and translated into it the Bible, and works of devotion, science and entertainment, etc. They have established schools, reared up native teachers, and so pressed their work that now the proportion of inhabitants who can read and write is greater than in New England. And, whereas, they found these islanders a nation of half-naked savages, living in the surf and on the sand, eating raw fish, fighting among themselves, tyrannized over by feudal chiefs and abandoned to sensuality, they now see them decently clothed, recognizing the law of marriage, knowing something of accounts, going to school and public worship more regularly than the people do at home, and the more elevated of them taking part in conducting the affairs of the constitutional monarchy under which they live, holding seats on the judicial bench and in the legislative chambers, and filling posts in the local magistracies."
Take away the tropical vegetation and the gigantic scenery and we have here, in our new Pacific possessions, a new Connecticut. The stamp of New England is upon this lofty land, especially in Honolulu, where the spires of the churches testify. There is much that is of the deepest and broadest interest in the possible missionary work here, on account of the remarkable race questions presented. Here are the nations and the people of mixed blood—the Chinese, Japanese and Portuguese—a population immensely representative of Oriental Asia. The measure of success of the missionaries under our flag in dealing with these people can hardly fail to be accepted by the world as a test of the practical results of the labor with the Asiatica. In this connection, the figures following, from the Hawaiian Annual of 1898, furnish a basis of solid information for study:
Table of Religious Belief, By Nationality.
(So Far as Reported in Census Returns, 1896.)
Roman
Nationalities. Protestants. Catholics.
Mormons.
Hawaiians………………. 12,842 8,427 4,368
Part Hawaiians………….. 3,242 2,633 396
Hawaiian born foreigners…. 1,801 6,622 15
Americans………………. 1,404 212 34
British………………… 1,184 180 7
Germans………………… 592 83 2
French…………………. 6 57 …..
Norwegians……………… 154 8 …..
Portuguese……………… 146 7,812 1
Japanese……………….. 711 49 4
Chinese………………… 837 67 49
South Sea Islanders……… 178 42 3
Other nationalities……… 176 171 7
====== ====== =====
Totals…………… 23,273 26,363 4,886
Note.—This table shows but 54,522 of the population (just about one-half) to have made returns of their religious belief. With 21,535 Japanese and 18,429 Chinese (probably Buddhists and Confucians) unreported because not provided for in the schedules, the great difference is largely accounted for.
The latest census returns show that of the whole population, 109,020, there are: Males, 72,517; females, 36,503. The latest information of labor, under contract for sugar-making, make the number of males on the island more than double that of the females. There has been an increase of population of more than 50,000 in the eighteen years from 1878 to 1896. The census of the several islands, taken September 27, 1896, shows:
Population. Dwellings.
Unin-
Male. Female. Total. Inhab- habi- Build- Total.
ited. ted. ing.
Oahu…. 26,164 14,041 40,205 6,685 1,065 60 7,010
Hawaii.. 22,632 10,653 33,285 5,033 955 35 6,027
Molokai. 1,335 972 2,307 651 92 3 746
Lanai… 51 54 105 23 13 .. 36
Maui…. 11,435 6,291 17,726 3,156 650 18 3,824
Niihau.. 76 88 164 31 3 .. 34
Kauai .. 10,824 4,404 15,228 2,320 299 8 2,627
====== ====== ======= ====== ===== === ======
72,517 36,503 109,020 17,099 3,081 124 21,104
Hawaii's annual trade balance since 1879 is a notable record:
Excess Export Custom House Year Imports. Exports. Values. Receipts. 1880 $3,673,268.41 $4,968,444.87 $1,295,176.46 $402,181.63 1881 4,547,978.64 6,885,436.56 2,337,457.92 423,192.01 1882 4,974,510.01 8,299,016,70 3,324,506.69 505,390.98 1883 5,624,240.09 8,133,343.88 2,509,103.79 577,332.87 1884 4,637,514.22 8,184,922.63 3,547,408.41 551,739.59 1885 3,830,544.58 9,158,818.01 5,328,273.43 502.337.38 1886 4,877,738.73 10,565,885.58 5,688,146.85 580,444.04 1887 4,943,840.72 9,707,047.33 4,763,206.61 595,002.64 1888 4,540,887.46 11,903,398.76 7,362,511.30 546,142.63 1889 5,438,790.63 14,039,941.40 8,601,150.77 550,010.16 1890 6,962,201.13 13,142,829.48 6,180,628.35 695,956.91 1891 7,438,582.65 10,395,788.27 2,957,205.62 732,594,93 1892 4,028,295.31 8,181,687.21 4,153,391.90 494,385.10 1893 4,363,177.58 10,962,598.09 5,599,420.51 545,754.16 1894 5,104,481.43 9,678,794.56 4,574,313.13 524,767.37 1895 5,714,017.54 8,474,138.15 2,760,120.61 547,149.40 1896 7,164,561.40 15,515,230.13 8,350,668.73 656,895.82
The percentage of imports from the United States in 1896 was 76.27;
Great Britain, 10.54; Germany, 2.06; France, .25*; China, 4.17;
Japan, 3.86. In 1895 the export of sugar was 294,784,819 pounds;
value, $7,975,500.41.
Nationality of Vessels Employed in Foreign Carrying Trade, 1889-1896.
1889. 1890. 1891. 1892.
Nations. No. Tons. No. Tons. No. Tons. No. Tons.
American 185 125,196 224 153,098 233 169,472 212 160,042
Hawaiian 44 56,670 35 43,641 21 26,869* *21 4,340
British 22 21,108 16 22,912 33 52,866 30 58,317
German 5 3,337 9 7,070 9 9,005 5 5,978
Japanese .. ……. … ……. 5 8,239 3 4,701
All others 9 12,268 9 9,980 10 8,401 11 8,201
=== ======= === ======= === ======= === =======
Total 269 218,579 293 236,701 311 274,852 722 242,579
Bonded Debt, Etc., Hawaiian Islands, June 30, 1897.
Per Cent.
Under Loan Act of 1876 7 $ 1,500.00
" " " 1882 6 67,400.00
" " " 1886 6 2,000,000.00
" " " 1888 6 190,000.00
" " " 1890 5 and 6 124,100.00
" " " 1892 5 and 6 82.100.00
" " " 1893 6 650,000.00
" " " 1890 5 222,000.00
=============
3,337,100.00
Due Postal Savings Bank Depositors 782,074.25
=============
$4,119,174.25
Number and Nationality of Sugar Plantation Laborers.
(Compiled from latest Report of Secretary Bureau of Immigration,
December 31, 1897.)
Hawaii- Portu- Japan- S. S. All
Islands. ans. guese. ese. Chinese. Isl'ders. Others. Total.
Hawaii 594 980 6,245 2,511 24 232 10,586
Mauai 580 526 2,010 1,114 45 110 4,385
Oahu 197 211 1,331 973 16 55 2,783
Kauai 244 551 3,307 1,691 30 203 6,026
===== ===== ====== ===== === === ======
Tot.1896 1,615 2,268 12,893 6,289 115 600 23,780
Tot.1895 1,584 2,497 11,584 3,847 133 473 20,120
===== ===== ====== ===== === === ======
Inc.1896 31 ….. 1,309 2,442 … 127 3,660
Dec.1899 ….. 231 …… ….. 18 … ……
The number of day laborers, 11,917, or a little over one-half of the total force engaged. The Japanese and South Sea Islanders are about evenly divided in their numbers as to term and day service, while Hawaiians and Portuguese show each but a small proportion of their numbers under contract. Minors are reducing in number. Women laborers, numbering 1,024 in all, show a gain of 89 over 1875. Only thirty Hawaiian females are engaged among all the plantations, and confined to one plantation each in Oahu, Kauai and Maui.
The Hawaiian Annual of 1898 makes this annotation:
During the year various changes have occurred in the labor population of the country; and under the working of the present law, requiring a proportion of other than Asiatic of all immigrant labor introduced, there has already arrived one company of Germans, comprising 115 men, 25 women and 47 children, all of whom found ready engagements with various plantations.
Chinese arrivals in 1897 to take the place of Japanese whose terms were expiring, will alter the proportions of these nationalities of plantation labor, and by the new law Asiatic laborers must return to their country at the expiration of their term of service, or re-engage; they cannot drift around the country, nor engage in competition with artizans or merchants.
The islands comprising the Hawaiian territory are Hawaii, Mauai, Oaha, Kauai, Molokai, Lauai, Niihau, Kahaalawe, Lehua and Molokini, "The Leper Prison," and, in addition, Nihoa, or Bird Island, was taken possession of in 1822; an expedition for that purpose having been fitted out by direction of Kaahumanu, and sent thither under the charge of Captain William Sumner.
Laysan Island became Hawaiian territory May 1st, 1857, and on the 10th of the same month Lysiansky Island was added to Kamehameha's realm by Captain John Paty.
Palmyra Island was taken possession of by Captain Zenas Bent, April 15th, 1862, and proclaimed Hawaiian territory in the reign of Kamehameha IV., as per "By Authority" notice in the "Polynesian" of June 21st, 1862.
Ocean Island was acquired September 20th, 1886, as per proclamation of Colonel J.M. Boyd, empowered for such service during the reign of Kalakaua.
Neeker Island was taken possession of May 27th, 1894, by Captain
James A. King, on behalf of the Hawaiian Government.
French Frigate Shoal was the latest acquisition, also by Captain King, and proclaimed Hawaiian territory July 13th, 1895.
Gardener Island, Mara or Moro Reef, Pearl and Hermes Reef, Gambia Bank, and Johnston or Cornwallis Island are also claimed as Hawaiian possessions, but there is some obscurity as to the dates of acquisition, and it is of record in the Foreign Office articles of convention between Hen. Charles St. Julien, the Commissioner and Political and Commercial Agent of His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands, and John Webster, Esq., the Sovereign Chief and Proprietor of the group of islands known as Stewart's Islands (situated near the Solomon Group), whereby is ceded to the Hawaiian Government—subject to ratification by the King—the islands of Ihikaiana, Te Parena, Taore, Matua Awi and Matua Ivoto, comprising said group of Stewart's Islands. But the formalities do not seem to have been perfected, so that we are not certain that the Stewart's Islands are our possessions. The latest thorough census of the Hawaiian Islands was taken in September, 1896, but the population was closely estimated July 1st, 1897.
Japan- Portu- All Other
Natives. Chinese. ese. guese. Foreigners. Total
Population as per Census,
September, 1896 39,504 21,616 24,407 15,191 8,302 109,020
Passengers-Arrivals-
Excess over departures,
4th quarter, 1896 …… 1,377 1,673 …… 339 3,389
Excess over departures,
6 mos. to July 1, 1897. …… 2,908 396 58 207 3,569
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
Total 39,504 25,901 26,476 15,249 8,848 115,978
The following denominations of Hawaiian silver were coined during the reign of Kalakaua, at the San Francisco mint, and imported for the circulating medium of the islands in 1883 and 1884. They are of the same intrinsic value as the United States silver coins and were first introduced into circulation January 14th, at the opening of the bank of Clans Spreckles & Co. in Honolulu. The amount coined was $1,000,000, divided as follows:
Hawaiian Dollars……………………………..$ 500,000
" Half Dollars………………………… 350,000
" Quarter Dollars……………………… 125,000
" Dimes………………………………. 25,000
Total……………………………………….$ 1,000,000
Schools, Teachers and Pupils for the Year 1896.
==Teachers.== ==Pupils.==
Schools. Male. Female. Total. Male. Female.
Government 132 111 169 280 5,754 4,435
Independent 63 72 130 202 1,994 1,840
==== ==== ==== ==== ====== ======
195 183 299 482 7,748 6,275
Nationality of Pupils Attending Schools for the Year 1896.
Nationality. Male. Female.
Hawaiian 3,048 2,432
Part-Hawaiian 1,152 1,296
American 219 198
British 105 151
German 152 136
Portuguese 2,066 1,534
Scandinavian 51 47
Japanese 242 155
Chinese 641 280
South Sea Islanders 15 13
Other foreigners 57 33
===== =====
7,748 6,275
Of the Japanese, 8.5 per cent. were born on the islands; of the Chinese, percentage born here, 10.3. Of a total of 41,711 Japanese and Chinese, 36,121 are males and 5,590 females. The figures show that the Asiatics are not at home.
The sugar industry in our new possessions has had great prominence agriculturally. The sugar interest of these islands has had a formidable influence in the United States. Recent events and the ascertained certainties of the future show that the people of the United States will soon raise their sugar supply on their own territory. The annexation of these sugar islands was antagonized because there was involved the labor contract system. As a matter of course, the United States will not change the labor laws of the nation to suit the sugar planters of Hawaii, who have been obtaining cheap labor through a system of Asiatic servitude. There is but one solution—labor will be better compensated in Hawaii than it has been, and yet white men will not be largely employed in the cultivation of sugar cane in our tropical islands. The beet sugar industry is another matter. There will be an end of the peculiar institution that has had strength in our new possessions, that brings, under contract, to Hawaii a mass of forty thousand Chinese and Japanese men, and turns over the majority of them to the plantations, whose profits have displayed an unwholesome aggrandizement. Once it was said cotton could not be grown in the cotton belt of our country without slave labor, but the latter trouble is, the cotton producers claim, there is too much of their product raised. A ten-million bale crop depresses the market. Already experiments have been tried successfully to pay labor in the sugar fields by the tons of cane delivered at the mills for grinding. This is an incident full of auspicious significance. A general feeling is expressed in the current saying that coffee raising is "the coming industry." The confidence that there is prosperity in coffee amounts to enthusiasm. Here are some of the statistics of coffee growers, showing number of trees and area, trees newly planted and trees in bearing:
No. of Trees or Area.
Newly 1 to 3 Trees in
Planted. year old. Bearing.
J. C. Lenhart, Kaupo 2,000 trs. 4,000 trs. ….
Mokulau Coffee Co., Kaupo 2,000 trs. 10,000 trs. 2 acres
E. E. Paxton, Kaupo 5,000 trs. 7,000 trs. ….
Native Patches throughout Kaupo 10 acres …. ….
Lahaina Coffee and Fruit Co., Ltd.,
Lahaina 10,000 trs. 100,000 trs. 30,000 trs.
H. P. Baldwin, Honokahua 35,947 trs. 4,669 trs. 2,641 trs.
Waianae Coffee Plantation Co.,
Waianae 7,500 trs. 23,000 trs. 36,000 trs.
C. A. Wideman, Waianae 10,000 trs. 8,500 trs ….
Makaha Coffee Co., Ltd., Waianae 112 acres …. ….
Lanihau Plantation, Kailua 20,700 trs. 25,000 trs. 10,000 trs.
Kona Coffee Co., Ltd., Kailua …. …. 35 acres
Geo. McDougal & Sons, Kailua …. 176 acres 105 acres
H. C. Achi, Holualoa …. …. 10,000 trs.
E. W. Barnard, Laupahoehoe …. …. 30,000 trs.
J. M. Barnard, Laupahoehoe …. 5,000 trs. ….
John Gaspar, Napoopoo …. 33,000 trs. 16,000 trs.
Manuel Sebastian, Kealakekua …. …. 8,000 trs.
J. G. Henriques, Kealakekua …. …. 3,000 trs.
C. Hooper, Kauleoli …. 2 acres 12 acres
J. Keanu, Keei 5 acres 10 acres 16 acres
A. S. Cleghorn 3 acres …. 100 acres
Mrs. E. C. Greenwell …. 8 acres 25 acres
J. M. Monsarrat, Kolo …. 38 acres 40 acres
Queen Emma Plantation …. …. 25,000 trs.
L. M. Staples Plantation …. 25,000 trs. 12,000 trs.
Olaa Coffee Co., Ltd 50 acres 90 acres ….
Grossman Bros 100 acres 30 acres ….
B. H. Brown 2,260 trs. 2,000 trs. 3,225 trs.
Herman Eldart 40,000 trs. 20,000 trs. 7,000 trs.
The list of coffee growers is very long. That which is of greater interest is the showing made of the immense number of new trees. The coffee movement steadily gains force and the pace of progress is accelerated.
Everybody has not been pleased with annexation. The Japanese are not in a good humor about it. The minister of Japan got his orders evidently to leave for Japan when the news arrived that the question had been settled in Washington, and he left for Yokohama by the boat that brought the intelligence. Japanese journals of importance raise the question as to the propriety of our establishing a coal station here. There is some dissatisfaction among the Hawaiians, who are bewildered. They are children who believe stories in proportion as they are queer. Many of them feel that they have a grievance. The young princess who is the representative of the extinguished monarchy is affable and respected. If the question as to giving her substantial recognition were left to the Americans here, they would vote for her by a large majority. It would not be bad policy for the government to be generous toward her. She is not in the same boat with the ex-Queen. The Americans who have been steadfast in upholding the policy that at last has prevailed are happy, but not wildly so, just happy. Now that they have gained their cause, their unity will be shaken by discussions on public questions and personal preferments.
There should be no delay in understanding that in this Archipelago the race questions forbid mankind suffrage, and that our new possessions are not to become states at once, or hurriedly; that it will take generations of assimilation to prepare the Hawaiian Islands for statehood.
The objection to the climate of the marvelous islands of which we have become possessed is its almost changeless character. There is no serious variation in the temperature. There is a little more rain in "winter" than in "summer." There is neither spring nor fall. The trade winds afford a slight variety, and this seems to be manipulated by the mountains, that break up the otherwise unsparing monotony of serene loveliness. The elevations of the craters, and the jagged peaks are from one thousand to thirteen thousand feet. If you want a change of climate, climb for cold, and escape the mosquitos, the pests of this paradise. There are a score of kinds of palms; the royal, the date, the cocoanut, are of them. The bread fruit and banana are in competition. The vegetation is voluptuous and the scenery stupendous. There is a constellation of islands, and they differ like the stars in their glories and like human beings in their difficulties.