The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-05-27
DEBATE oN THE LIQUOR LAW.

The following are in substance the speeches Of the
Minister of Foreign Relations, the Governor Of Maui
the Hon. Godfrey Rhodes and the Hon. Edward
Preston. delivered last week in the Assembly on the
Act TO repeal restrictions on the sale of intoxicating
drinks to natives.
His Excellency W. L. Green said
Mr.. Chairman This is one Of the most important
bills that ever came up before any Hawaiian Legis-
Iature. 1t proposes to do away with the tabu on
giving spirituous liquor to natives l am not q mis-
sionary, nor are any of my family missionaries. /
was not brought up with the idea that 1t is a crime
to drink wine or liquor. / have been in the habit Of
taking wine and beer, and now and then a little
spirit for over fifty years, and / hope to live many
years longer to drink it. | mention this Mr.. Presi-
dent to show that l am not prejudiced by education
or otherwise against liquor. But, Mr.. President, it
becomes my duty here to-day to tell this Assembly
what is the result Of my experience, and | will state
that as far as regards ardent spirits, at any rate. 1t
ia q miserable beverage for any human being. My
experience is-and the doctors confirm it-that IL
sets the heart beating ,-inereases its action. and II
the habit of drinking spirits be long continued, it
? finally bursts some of the arteries or veins. We have
all seen a fire engine work, and how when it is work
ed too violently the hose is often burst, and all its
effect is spoiled. The human heart is q kind Of
force-pump-a fire engine on a small scale-and it
often occurs that hard drinkers thus burst some Of
the arteries. / have known hundreds CT native Ha-
yaiians die in this way, and / am sorry TO say that
during my residence Of a quarter Of a century here,
I have seen dozens of those who came from my
original country die from the effects OF the too free
use of ardent spirits.
It is urged that this law is unconstitutional, but
the judges of the Supreme Court have decided that
il is not. Do not be led away by pettifogging argu-
ments as TO the uDconstitutionality Of this law. The
law is older than your Constitution. / have urged
M on this House the Importance of guarding the
Constitution, but there are times, Mr.. President,
when even the Constitution sinks into insignihcanee;
for what is the advantage of a Constitution without
Hawaiians to enjoy it? What avails o Constitution
to dry bones? We have heard a great deal lately
about increasing the Hawaiian race, and the cele-
brated Memorial that was addressed to the King on
this subject, to His Majesty in conjunc-
ton with able and faithful men in his kingdom to
devise measures for this purpose; is this one of those
measures?
No one imposes this restriction upon you-eyou
impose il upon yourselves, and you certainly have a
right 10 do so. | am sorry to see the Mobiles Of the
land urging such o measure as this, and encouraging
such ideas as fell from the Hon. member for Eva
and Waianae-that, as We had tried q policy Of re-
striction for twenty-slx years, without increasing the
people, noE-says the Hon. gentleman-let as try
rum.
We have also heard a great deal about the danger
TO the independence Of this kingdom by the decrease
of the Hawaiian race. l can conceive Of nothing,
Mr.. President, that would be more likely to finish
the independence Of the country within ten years
than to pass this law making liquor free tc Hawai-
ians. No government could ever stand IN this eoun-
try which advocated such a measure, for they would
have the support withdrawn from them Of the best
men Of the country all over the group.
II, Mr.. President, We we're legisletipg here to-day
for or rselves-that is, for the men inside the walls
of this Assembly, think / should vote in favor Of
this law, because ! should know that we were leQis-
lstiDg for intelligent men. men with o character at
stake, the picked men Of the country; and that we're
liquor made as free az possible to all Of you, you
would not take more than was good for you. But,
Mr.. President, let US remember for whom we are
legisating here to-day; not FOR ourselves, but for
10000 comparatively ignorant men, women and
children throughout the group. l feel confident that
you will therefore throw out this bill.
One word more as to what the Honorable Noble
who has just spoken (Mr. Kaai) said to you about
the unconstitutionality Of the law as it stands. The
Honorable Noble tries to weaken your estimate Of