i9oO Population of Hawaii 



to realize a large community of interest, and govern- 

 ment began to proceed fairly smoothly under demo- 

 cratic forms. 



In 1901 the immediate problem was to adjust a The local 

 thoroughly aristocratic system to the dem.ands of (^''^^''^^^^^y 

 democracy. Land and property were largely held by 

 Caucasians, a group numbering (1900) about 20,000 

 in all.^ The Americans, partly of missionary origin, 

 partly traders, constituted an inevitable aristocracy 

 comparable to the nobility of Europe or the Spanish 

 cientificos of Mexico. The Hawaiians, one fifth of 

 mixed blood, totaled 37,669. In a way these also 

 were aristocrats, some few being rich by inheritance, 

 the rest for the most part supremely and childishly 

 indifferent to work or business. As a race, they are 

 fond of pleasure and of giving pleasure, with both 

 of which thrift and continuous work interfere. They 

 are thus generous, lavish, and impecunious. Indeed, 

 a native who hoards his money is regarded by his 

 fellows as "no better than a haole (foreigner)!" 



In 1900 the islands contained also about 8000 other 

 Azorean Portuguese, 25,767 Chinese, and 61,111 ^^'^^^ 

 Japanese, nearly all brought in as serfs for the sugar 

 plantations. Afterward, the Japanese population 

 was greatly increased through the persistent efforts 

 of planters and steamship companies. At the tim.e 

 of annexation, however, it already constituted nearly 

 half the total of 154,001, a proportion which still 

 obtains, for emigration to California and the influx 

 of additional whites have just about balanced the 

 increase from high birthrate and further immigration 

 from Japan — the latter checked in 1907 by the 

 "Gentlemen's Agreement." 



^ Of these, 4068 were born in the United States, and 12,061 in Hawaii. 



I 95 1 



