Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-12-10


thusiastc adnircr of the scheme, who is now
groaning under his wealth, has deliberately
announced his intention to rashly invest two
bits" If he can find n responsible party to
take it. Will our readers contribute
THOUGHTS ON THE HAWAIIAN sITUA-
T1ON.
The pamphlet written by Noble, and before
briefly noticed in this paper. has doubtless ere
this been read by such Of tho community as
are interested in the politics of tho country /;
and those familiar with the doings of the
Legislature during its last two sessions can
not fail, among the few foreign born Mobiles
who were prominent in the debates, to identify
the author OF this brochure, although written
incugnito. Coming from dny source it would
be devoid of special weight with the thinking
portion of the community bat recognizing the
author by the strongly national spirit of his
writings, and knowing the absurd lengths to
which this spirit has upon more occasions
than one carried him, the opinions expressed
will be still less worthy of anxious consdera-
ton. Yet still, as they have been intended
upon the public notice in recapitulation of his
views previously expressed in print or upon
the floor Of tho Legislative Hall, it may per-
haps he revelant to remark upon their ma ture
and the motives to be inferred from the pre-
vious conduct of the writer in again placing
them before the public. Adopting the maxim,
that persons are likely 10 judge others by Men,-
seices, we have much right to infer tho de-
sire of this self -denatonalzod Britiser that
these Islands shouid BE- presented to the country
Of his birih, as that he should infer desire as
existent in the minds of naturalized rulers
born on American soil, " that the Islands
should bo annexed to theirs. In such an in
ference however. he is unfair, and affords no
proof upon which tn base his charge of such
desire and to fastcu like desire upon his
part any farther than to show tho slight
grounds upon which he conjures up his phan-
toms of American annexation would be trivial
indeed.
His boy in tho dark whistlng to keep his
courage up" would more probably be hnkiag
had he so much company the anthor init
mates and his similc here is as poor as his
annexation schemes from contemplation of
few historic events occurring in remote times
and more recent trivial occurrences, inlnbled
together, and lacking any logical connection
either between themselves or with the issue
he seeks to prove.
He is anxious about Sights offered to the
British Government which, from appearances,
has al l.,u 1. 4
over, or forgotten, and about the neglect of
means for the introduction of British Indian
coolies, the infeasibiity of which scheme, we
trust, is generally admitted, even by interested
parties claiming the same national birthplace
as the writer of tho pamphlet, and to whom
tho dread of American annex alton as any
thing Immediately probable, has never occur
red. And the author 10 exceedingly exer-
cised over somo really triaing utterancss of
the American press wherein u desire by the
United States Government to purchase tho Is
lands, is alleged to exist But having assumed
the affirmative, he fails to bring forward any
evidence in its support unless perhaps we are
expected to deducs it from his quotations of
such historical events as the hostile visit of
French frigate in 1899; the invasion of the
town by can infuriated mob " in 1852, the
secret conspiracy between Gregg and Wyllie
to traDsfer tue sovereignty which 10 generally
be icved to be yet a secret to others than the
author of the pamphlet.
HE assertion that the Treaty of Recipro-
city "went into operation without being re-
ferred for approval to the Legislative As
se'nbly" We believe, as our memory serves
US, to bo incorrect in fact; but even il 30. the
position taken by the Government in the mat
ter was supported by the highest authority to
which the case could be referred, the Supreme
Court; and the Legislature who, in voting
resolution of ,csm IF co.fdsaes in the Min
istry subsequently made, negatively justified
their conduct in this particular instance
But to attempt TO answer the pamphlet In
detail would be bardensome to the reader and
Improbable to ourselves Suffice it to say,
rectness Of his general propositions that the
lsiands arc immediately in danger Of losing
their sovereignty; or that " everyone goes to
his work feeling something like the boy in
the dark, as he has to assert them While
sugar interests are commercially paramount
to all others, and while our chief staple finds
a free market In tho United States, il thess
are not strong reasons why Americans inter-
esied IN the trade Of these IslandA should dis
favor any schemes ~ annex, there are sill no
apparent REASONS why they should favor an
nexaIon; and in the absence OF reasons we
have q right to assume the absence Of desire