580	HAWAIIAN   ISLANDS.
to foreign powers. It had an alliance with natives of foreign parentage, some of whom were the descendants of 
missionary ancestors. Hence the terms "foreigner" and "missionary" in Hawaiian politics have their peculiar 
significance.
Foreign ships of great powers lying in the port of Honolulu to protect the persons and property of their citizens, 
and these same citizens left by their Governments without reproof for participation in such events as I have related, 
must have restrained the native mind or indeed any mind from a resort to physical force. Its means of resistance was 
naturally what was left of political power.
In 1890 a legislature was elected in favor of a new constitution. The calculation of the reformers to elect all the 
nobles failed, owing to a defection of whites, especially amongst the intelligent laboring classes in the city of 
Honolulu, who were qualified to vote for nobles under the income clause. The cabinet installed by the revolution was 
voted out. A new cabinet, in harmony with the popular will, was appointed and remained in power until the death of 
the King in 1891.
In 1892 another legislature was elected. Thrum's Handbook of Information for 1893, whose author, a reformer and 
annexationist, is intelligent and in the employ of the Provisional Government, and whose work is highly valued by 
all persons, says, concerning this election :
The result brought to the legislature three rather evenly balanced parties. This, with an admixture of self-interest in 
certain quarters, has been the means of much delay in the progress of the session, during which there have been no 
less than three new cabinets on "want of confidence" resolutions.
Judge Widemann, of the national reform party, divides the legislature up thus: "Three parties and some 
independents. The national reform, reform, and liberal." There were nine members of the national reform party, 
fourteen members of the reform, twenty-one liberals, and four independents."
The liberals favored the old mode of selecting nobles; the national reform party was in favor of a new constitution 
reducing the qualification of voters for nobles, and the reform party was in opposition to both these ideas.
There were a number of members of all these factions aspiring to be cabinet officers. This made certain 
individuals ignore party lines and form combinations to advance personal interests. The reform party seized upon the 
situation and made such combinations as voted out cabinet after cabinet until finally what was termed the Wilcox 
cabinet was appointed. This was made up entirely of reformers. Those members of the national reform and liberal 
parties who had been acting with the reform party to this point, and expecting representation in the cabinet, being 
disappointed, set to work to vote out this cabinet, which was finally accomplished.
There was never a time when the reform party had any approach to a majority of members of the legislature.
Let it be borne in mind that the time now was near at hand when the legislature would probably be prorogued. 
Whatever cabinet was in power at the time of the prorogation had control of public affairs until a new legislature 
should assemble two years afterwards and longer unless expelled by a vote of want of confidence.
An anti-reform cabinet was appointed by the Queen. Some faint struggle was made towards organizing to vote out 
this cabinet, but it was abandoned. The legislature was prorogued. The reform members

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