Jere Krischel at 05:19, 22 December 2005

2005-12-22T05:19:26Z

Jere Krischel at 18:49, 11 December 2005

2005-12-11T18:49:09Z

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584 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
or establish a republican form of government, or different form of government,
or enthrone another royal personage, or get annexation to the
United States prior to the time that the people were informed of the
Queen's intention to abrogate the constitution of 1887, do you think you
would have known of it?
Mr. JONES. I think I should, because of my intimacy with different
people there.
The CHAIRMAN. You would say that whatever intention was formed
in respect of these matters about which I have been inquiring, it arose
from public information that was disseminated on jthat Saturday with
regard to the Queen's intentions ?
Mr. JONES. Yes, I say that.
The CHAIRMAN. Are you in any way connected with the clergy?
Mr. JONES. I am not. I am a member of the Hawaiian Board of
Missions—a lay member.
The CHAIRMAN. To what extent, using the percentage, if you can do
so with reasonable approximation of the fact, will you say that the
native Kanaka population of Hawaii had become communicants of any
Christian church?
Mr. JONES. Well, I should say, speaking without an actual knowledge
of the facts, 75 per cent, although Mi'. Emerson, who has appeared
before you, could give you much better information than I could. I
should think that such information might be furnished; but I am very
poor at statistics, carrying things in my head.
The CHAIRMAN. SO that you think, contrasting this Hawaiian community
with x>agan communities, the Hawaiian community is a Christian
community?
Mr. JONES. Oh, yes.
The CHAIRMAN. They have the observance of the Sabbath?
Mr. JONES. Oh, they are very punctilious about that.
The CHAIRMAN. Have you laws also to assist them in the sanctity oi
the Sabbath?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Is the marriage relation recognized?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. IS it a secular relation or religious ?
Mr. JONES. The marriage relation is a religious ceremony.
The CHAIRMAN. IS it sustained and provided for by law—licensed?
Mr. JONES. Oh, yes; the marriage relations there are just as strict
as they are here.
The CHAIRMAN. In regard to deceased persons, do they have regular
administration of estates?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Have persons by law the right to bequeath their
property ?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Have you courts to enforce those rights ?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. The laws in respect to temperance—what is the
general character of them?
Mr. JONES. There are quite a number of laws on the statute books
regulating the sales of liquors, and it is only for want of public opinion
that many of them are not enforced. There is a general looseness there
about enforcing some of the laws. The police are never anxious to do
anything of that sort unless spurred on by public sentiment.
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 585
Senator GRAY. They do not differ from communities here?
Mr. JONES. Very like here.
The CHAIRMAN. IS the Kanaka element in the island addicted to
intemperance ?
Mr. JONES. Many of them.
The CHAIRMAN. "Well, take the majority.
Mr. JONES. I am sorry to say that I think so, if they get the oppor
tunity—not all of them, but I would say a majority.
The CHAIRMAN. SO that it is an evil that is not to be controlled
absolutely by public opinion, but*you And it necessary to enact laws?
Mr. JONES. Oh, yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Are they of a stringent character?
Mr. JONES. Stringent—that is, some: particularly as to licenses.
We have a high license. There are many stipulations in the license
which, if rigidly observed, would make a great deal of difference in the
liquor habit.
The CHAIRMAN. IS the distillation of spirits by Government authority?
Mr. JONES. Oh, yes.
The CHAIRMAN. Whoever distils spirits there must have a Government
license ?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. And your tariff laws—do they relate to the importation
of liquors?
Mr. JONES. There is a high tariff on liquors.
Senator GRAY. To promote home manufacture?
Mr. JONES. No; that is more for the sake of revenue. There is nothing
done there in the way of home manufacture.
Senator GRAY. I understood you to say awhile ago that the distillation
law was largely for the purpose of encouraging home manufacture.
Mr. JONES. This law that was passed I am not familiar with. It
was introduced before I went into the House. I think it became a law
during my incumbency, as I stated to Senator Morgan early in our
conversation. I am not familiar with it.
Senator GRAY. It was this last law to which you refer?
Mr. JONES. Yes. It was introduced, I think, by someone to make it
a sort of popular thing with some of the natives, and there lias never
been anything done about it since.
The CHAIRMAN. This Provisional Government in Hawaii, as I understand
it, has repealed that opium law?
Mr. JONES. Yes, and the lottery law.
The CHAIRMAN. They have not repealed the distillation bill?
Mr. JONES. NO.
The CHAIRMAN. On the subject of education. You have given a
very flattering account of the progress of education in Hawaii. Who
have had that subject in charge since the first appearance of civilization
in the Hawaiian Islands—mainly in charge?
Mr. JONES. The missionaries, originally. Since then the board of
education, which has always been made up of our very best citizens.
Prof. Alexander, who is to appear before you, has been and is now acting
president of the board of education, and he is very familiar with
that question.
The CHAIRMAN. Then I will not trouble you on that question. But
I will ask you this—whether in the absence of the labor of the mis

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Jere Krischel at 05:19, 22 December 2005

Jere Krischel at 18:49, 11 December 2005