HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 
 
The last two positions were sinecures, but Kaai as a speaker and poli- 
tician had great influence with his countrymen. The new cabinet 
granted Mr. Spreckels the desired water privilege for thirty years at 
$500 per annum. The opium-license and free-liquor bills were killed. 
The actual premier, Mr. Wilder, was probably the ablest administrator 
that this country has ever had. He infused new vigor into every 
department of the Government, promoted immigration, carried out 
extensive public improvements, and at the legislative session of 1880 
was able to show cash in the treasury sufficient to pay off the existing

national debt. But his determination to administer his own depart- 
ment in accordance with business methods did not suit the King. 
Meanwhile Gibson spared no pains to make himself conspicuous as 
the soi-disant champion of the aboriginal race. He even tried to 
capture the "1 missionaries,""1 experienced religion,"
held forth at Sun- 
day prayer meetings, and spoke in favor of temperance. 
CELSO CESAR MORENO. 
The professional lobbyist, Celso Cesar Moreno, well known at Sacra- 
mento and Washington, arrived in Honolulu .November 14,1879,on the 
C hina Merchants' Steam 'Navigation Company's steamer Ho-chung, with 
the view of establishing a line of steamers between Honolulu and China. 
Soon afterwards he presented a memorial to the Hawaiian Government 
asking for a subsidy to the proposed line. He remained in Honolulu 
about ten months, during which time he gained unbounded influence 
over the King by servile flattery and by encouraging all his pet hob- 
bies. He told him that he ought to be his own prime minister, and to 
fill all Government offices with native Hawaiians. He encouraged his 
craze for a 10-w illion loan, to be spent chiefly for military purposes,

and told him that China was the "treasure house of the world,"
where 
he could borrow all the money he wanted. The King was always an 
active politician, and he left no stone unturned to carry the election of

of 1880. His candidates advocated a 10-million loan and unlimited 
Chinese immigration. With Moreno's assistance he produced a pam- 
phlet in support of these views, entitled "A reply to ministerial utter-

ances." 
THE SESSION OF 1880. 
In the Legislature of 1880 was seen the strange spectacle of the King 
working with a pair of unscrupulous adventurers to oust his own con- 
stitutional advisers, and introducing through his creatures a series of 
bills, which were generally defeated by the ministry. 
Gibson had now thrown off the mask, and voted for everyone of the 
King and Moreno's measures. Among their bills which failed were the 
10-million loan bill, the opium-license bill, the free-liquor bill, and 
especially the bill guaranteeing a bonus of $1,000,000 in gold to Moreno's

Trans-Pacific Cable Company. 
The subsidy to the China line of steamers was carried by the lavish 
use of money; but it was never paid. Appropriations were passed for 
the education of Hawaiian youths abroad, and for the coronation of 
the King and Queen. 
At last on the 4th of August, Gibson brought in a motion of "1want 
of confidence" which after a lengthy debate was defeated by the 
decisive vote of 32 to 10. On the 14th, the King prorogued the Legisla- 
ture at noon, and about an hour later dismissed his ministers without 
a word of explanation, and appointed Moreno premier and Minister of 
Foreign Affairs; J. E., Bush, Minister of the Interior; W. C. Jones, 
Attorney-gen-al, and Rev. M. Kueea, Minister of Finance. 
 
C;48