Until legislation shall be enacted extending the United States customs laws and regulations to the Hawaiian Islands the existing customs relations of the Hawaiian Islands with the United States and other countries shall remain unchanged. The public debt of the Republic of Hawaii, lawfully existing at the date of the passage of this joint resolution, including the amounts due to depositors in the Hawaiian Postal Savings Bank, is hereby assumed by the Government of the United States; but the liability of the United States in this regard shall in no case exceed four million dollars. So long, however, as the existing Government and the present commercial relations of the Hawaiian Islands are continued as hereinbefore provided said Government shall continue to pay the interest on said debt. There shall be no further immigration of Chinese into the Hawaiian Islands, except upon such conditions as are now or may hereafter be allowed by the laws of the United States; and no Chinese, by reason of anything herein contained, shall be allowed to enter the United States from the Hawaiian Islands. The President shall appoint five commissioners, at least two of whom shall be residents of the Hawaiian Islands, who shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, recommend to Congress such legislation concerning the Hawaiian Islands as they shall deem necessary or proper. SEC. 2. That the commissioners hereinbefore provided for shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. SEC. 3. That the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and to be immediately available, to be expended at the discretion of the President of the United States of America, for the purpose of carrying this joint resolution into effect. Approved, July 7, 1898 make the following report: A majority of the said commissioners met and effected a partial organization of the commission at Washington, D. C., on the 16th day of July, 1898, and determined that the commission should next meet at Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, as soon as practicable. Accordingly, the commission met in Honolulu on the 18th day of August, 1898, all of the commissioners being present. MEETINGS AT HONOLULU. The commission thereafter held its meetings in regular daily sessions in the former palace of the Hawaiian Government, now known as the "Executive Building," of which due public notice was given. Certain times were arranged for the hearing of suggestions from the public and for the receiving of petitions or other papers which might be presented. A number of societies or associations, as well as individuals, appeared and were heard through their chosen representatives by the commission. At designated times the commission visited several of the most important islands of the Hawaiian group, in company with persons representing important agricultural and commercial interests and others representing the Government. These visits to the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, and Molokai, and to the seaports of Honolulu, Hilo, Lahaina, Wailuku, Kawaihae, Kahului, and Kalaupapa, served to give the commission a great deal of valuable information as to the condition and capabilities of the islands as regards agriculture and commerce, and some knowledge as to the climate, temperature, and soil. The atmospheric peculiarities and meteorological conditions also furnished important subjects for our study and inquiry, as bearing upon the adaptability of the islands for general or miscellaneous immigration from the United States. THE INHABITANTS. An important subject of our investigation was that of the adaptability of the several races of the people who inhabit the islands for American citizenship and their ability to sustain the obligations which attach to the right of suffrage. The American idea of universal suffrage presupposes that the body of citizens who are to exercise it in a free and independent manner have, by inheritance or education, such knowledge and appreciation of the responsibilities of free suffrage, and of a full participation in the sovereignty of the country, as to be able to maintain a republican government. The following different races and nationalties of people now occupy the Hawaiian Islands: The native Hawaiians are a kindly, affectionate people, confiding, friendly, and liberal, many of them childlike and easy in habits and manners, willing to associate and intermarry with the European or other races, obedient to law and governmental authority. Many of the Japanese are contract laborers, who are engaged upon the sugar plantations. Others are employed as day laborers. There are some, however, who have become merchants and mechanics, who conduct business for themselves, and who exhibit the national characteristics of skill, thrift, and ability. There are about 700 Chinese who have been naturalized into the Hawaiian Republic. Many of the Chinese and Japanese on the islands are, or have been, brought there under permits by that Government and contracts under which they are bound to work for a term of years and to return at the expiration of the contract term of service. At the expiration of their terms they are either returned to their native country or renew their labor contracts, or become day laborers. Nearly all Chinese laborers desire and expect to go back to China at death, if not before. The Japanese are not so particular as to returning; but with their accumulative habits they frequently attain a position and standing in business which makes it desirable to them to remain in the islands. The Americans, although in such a small minority, practically dominate the governmental affairs of the country, and, with the British and Germans, and part-blood Hawaiian-Americans together, constitute the controlling element in business. The Chinese and Japanese do not now possess political power, nor have they any important relation to the body politic, except as laborers. The Portuguese are largely immigrants from the islands and colonies of Portugal in the Atlantic, and have never been very closely tied to their mother country. With the certain attrition which is bound to exist between them and the Americans in Hawaii, and under the influence of the existing public school system, which makes the study of the English language compulsory, they promise to become a good class of people for the growth of republican ideas. It will, of course, be observed that this entire population of 110,000 is dominated, politically, financially, and commercially, by the American element. THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. The Hawaiian Islands are located in the Pacific Ocean about 2,100 miles southwest from San Francisco, and are between 18° and 22° north latitude and 154° and 161° west longitude. The latitude or distance from the equator is about the same as that of Cuba. The climate would probably be the same as that of Cuba were it not modified and equalized by the northeast trade winds, which prevail for about nine months of the year, coming over thousands of miles of ocean uncontaminated by impurities. The Japanese gulf stream is a broad current of cool water, flowing like a river across the Pacific Ocean, which lowers the temperature within its vicinity materially. There are other somewhat permanent currents and winds which affect temperature, and these great natural agencies tend constantly to neutralize the tropical heat, which would otherwise seriously affect the temperature of the islands. The annual average of temperature at Honolulu is 72° or 73° F., while the lowest is 55 and the highest 88°. During the warmest month of the year, September, the temperature, except for about two hours at midday, stands at about 78°. There is never any frost or snow, except upon the high mountain peaks, where at the altitude of nearly 14,000 feet there are at times considerable snowfalls. AREA AND POPULATION. The Hawaiian group numbers seven inhabited islands and eleven or twelve small rocky or sandy shoals or reefs, with a total area of 6,740 square miles. They are described as follows: Hawaii, area 4,210 square miles Maui, 760 square miles. Oahu, 600 square miles. Kauai, 590 square miles (rich farming and grazing lands) Molokai, 270 square miles (agricultural and grazing) Lanai, 150 square miles (devoted to sheep raising) Niihau, 97 square miles (leased to sheep raisers) Molokini, small size. Lehua, small size. Population, 1896. 33, 285 17, 726 40, 205 15, 228 2,307 105 164 Nihoa, 500 acres (about), precipitous rock, 400 feet high (244 miles northwest from Laysan, 2,000 acres (about), guano island, low and sandy, 30 feet high (800 miles Gardeners Island, two inaccessible rocks, 200 feet high, about 1,000 feet long (607 miles northwest of Honolulu). Liscansky Island, 500 acres (about), low and sandy, 25 to 50 feet high (920 miles northwest from Honolulu). Ocean Island, 500 acres (about), low and sandy (1,800 miles northwest from Honolulu). Palmyra Island, a cluster of low islets, about 10 miles in circumference, with lagoon French Frigate Shoal, scattered shoals or reefs. THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. The statistics available in regard to the public lands belonging to the Republic of Hawaii at the time of the cession to the United States are not of that absolute or definite character that they can be accepted as conclusive of areas and values. The frequent radical changes in the past years in the methods of control and of sales and leases and transfers of lands under the direction of the Crown-some made by royal order or grant, some by law, and some without much legality or formality-have made it very difficult to arrive at exact figures. We have, however, from the best sources available, obtained the following statements, which are approximately correct, but subject to amendment when full opportunity may present for critical examination and computation. In 1894 the Crown lands, or the lands formerly belonging to the Monarch, were taken over to the Republic of Hawaii. They amounted on May 1, 1894, to 971,463 acres, valued at $2,314,250. Those lands are now nearly all held by tenants under long leases, and for the year ending March 31, 1894, the rentals received were $49,268.75. The leases in force when the transfer of sovereignty from the Monarchy to the Republic took place have been recognized and the rental treated as Government income. As these leases expire the lands become available for settlement or lease, under the public-land system. An estimate by the Government September 30, 1897, of all Government lands and their value, shows an aggregate of 1,762,330 acres, worth $4,147,700, to which is to be added the value of lots in Honolulu and Hilo-old lots unleased and sites of fish market, custom-house, and reclaimed lots-in all estimated at $1,481,000, making a total value of $5,629,500. Since September 30, 1897, and up to August 12. 1898, patent grants in fee simple, conveying 8,860 acres of agricultural land, valued at $48,500, have been issued, so that the present total area is 1,772,640 acres and the total value is $5,581,000. Values have, however, been rapidly appreciating, so that this estimate is a very moderate one. The leases now in force will expire at various dates and for various tracts from year to year until the year 1921, when all the leases issued under the Monarchy will terminate. Before noting the peculiarities and characteristics of the several principal islands it is proper to state, generally, that all, without exception, are of volcanic origin, while extinct craters, volcanic cones, and extensive fields of lava are almost universal. Kauai, the most northwesterly of the group, is nearly circular in form and about 25 miles in diameter, having an area of about 590 square miles. It is believed to be one of the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands; has a deeper soil and a greater proportion of naturally arable land. It seems to have been originally formed by eruptions of Mount Waialeale, the great central peak 6,000 feet in height, a volcano which has been extinct from time immemorial. There are several mountain streams flowing from an elevated natural reservoir or lake in the central plateau. The valleys between the mountain ranges, which radiate from the interior, are broad and deep, having large areas of rich bottom lands, very productive under the influence of irrigation, which is largely in use for the sugar plantations. Kauai was, in the remote past, a kingdom by itself, and the stories of kings and chiefs and warriors of Kauai are the traditional histories of the island. Lihue, the chief settlement, has about 3,500 inhabitants. The Falls of Wailua are romantically situated in the midst of a luxuriant forest, the river falling 180 feet in one unbroken sheet. Coffee, sugar, rice, and some other products are grown with profit. The inhabitants of Kauai take much pride in their fertile lands. Oahu, upon which is situated Honolulu, the capital city, is the most populous of the islands, having over 40,000 inhabitants. It is devoted largely to pasturage and agriculture. Several very profitable sugar plantations are now operated on this island, and the full development of the artesian water supply for the irrigation of growing sugar cane is here exhibited. During the past two years the yield of sugar upon one of the favorably situated plantations has exceeded expectation, amounting to from 93 to 103 tons of sugar per acre. Honolulu Harbor, although not large enough to accommodate a rapidly growing commerce, is a deep-water opening through the coral reefs at the mouth of the Nuuanu Valley, in front of the city of Honolulu. A few miles away is Pearl Harbor, a naturally excavated harbor, covering 8 or 10 square miles of water surface, and ranging from 20 to 90 feet deep. It is expected that by a small appropriation a coral reef, which bars the entrance from the ocean for large vessels, will be removed by the Government of the United States, whereupon this will furnish the best harbor on the Pacific. Some of the most beautiful and enchanting residence sites to be found are at Honolulu. A railway 55 miles in length connects Honolulu with Waialua and several intervening points. Several very prosperous business enterprises are established at Honolulu, and, altogether, the location, for many reasons, is a most desirable one for commercial and shipping facilities. Molokai is a long, narrow island, about 40 miles in length and less than 10 miles in width. The eastern half of Molokai has some very wild mountain scenery, and in some places a luxuriant vegetation. Recently much attention has been given to irrigation from artesian water, and a large area is expected soon to be brought under profitable culture. Still, most of the island is devoted to pasturage. Quite a large number of deer have their haunts on this island. LEPER SETTLEMENT. The noted leper settlement is situated on the north side of Molokai. There are about 1,200 lepers in the settlement, fed, clothed, and cared for by the Government of Hawaii. A few devoted monks and nuns of the Franciscan order have the immediate personal care of the lepers. The peninsula on which the lepers are maintained contains about 5,000 acres of land, which is completely surrounded and separated from the world by a turbulent ocean on the north and a range of impassable mountain heights on the south. Much of Mani is believed to be one of the oldest volcanic islands. the lava of which it is composed has become decomposed and available for easy cultivation, while the use of artesian water for irrigation has made the sugar lands the most profitable known. This island has upon it the great volcano of Haleakalau, now and for centuries entirely quiet, but which is the largest extinct volcano in the world. This crater is half a mile deep and 20 miles in circumference. On this island artesian water is pumped in quantities of 6,000,000 gallons daily, to the height of 400 feet, for sugar irrigation. The lands on the south and west sides of the island are mostly cattle ranches and pasture lands, while on the north and east the numerous streams furnish abundance of water for prosperous plantations of sugar and coffee. This island was once a kingdom. The town of Lahaina was its capital and contained the palaces of the king. Some of the plantations on this island were visited by us and were truly places of beauty. They evidenced great enterprise, and yield large profits from the great crops of sugar. |