Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-11-04


States, and will protect it; and it will be open
to the free use of the United States govern.
ment for two centuries" II these islands |
should, during the next two centuries, come
under the protection OF the United States, the |
advantages Of the canal would be still more
evident to us. Captain Fades concludes with
this cheering assertion: "I have received as
surances from Washington to this effect, that
II our representatives will place themselves in
accord upon this bill, and 60 before congress
in one body, as they did upon the Chinese Bill,
the bill must pass and will pass"
WORhKNGS or THE LIQU0R LAW.
We have before shown that, in regard to the
passage Of the recently enacted liquor law, the
present Ministry were alone responsible; nor
do we know that any attempt has been made
on their behalf to deny the fact. In regard to
the working of that law it is palpable to any
imprejudiced man Of ordinary observance,
that the effects of the law have been baneful
What the promises Of the government were in
regard to an impartial and strict enforcement
Of the law, il passed, is also well known. And
now we have right to look 10 the government
for fulhllment of the promises then made. A
grave responsibility rests with the governmen,
in this matter; and it would behoove the ex-
ecutive to give ii their earnest consideration
and an amount of honest work that has so far
Nccn left undone. That the law, il properly
l., H.. 10 ,,f bai
along the cause of morality and good govern
ment is theory entertained by many but no
sane man can expect that the best law, unen-
forced, will be productive Of any good results.
So far, arrests for drunkenness have not been
commensurate with its great increase since the
removal Of the tabu; and the application Of
the law TO the venders of spirits in the form Of
penalty for infraction Of its provisions, seems
to have been entirely unthought of And
jobbers are liable to a penalty for allowing
liquor to he drank on their premises; but in
some places this is still done, and no secret
seems to be made of the matter. Retailers
are liable to penalty for allowing drunken or
disorderly persons to remain on th.i premises;
or for furnishing liquor to persons who are al
ready intoxicated; but no prosecutions for the
violation Of either of these provisions have yet
transpired, although all have been openly vio-
lated. The executive seem to be the only
ones who are ignorant of these facts; and il is
natural to infer when their attention has been
I, called to them without any effect, their igno.
; rance is designed. 1t has been suggested that
) the police records, which have been ap.
| pealed to by the advocates of free liquor, have
been purposely suited SO as to afford an argu
, ment in favor Of the soundness Of the views
) which led to the construction of the law. II
5 drunken and disorderly persons are not arrested
by the police, it is very certain there will be
, no record against them in the police court but
there is a street rteo,d which everyone can keep
t and that will govern the sentiment Of the com
5 munity more than any record, however autho
, ritatve it may be made to appear, that doe.
not accord Herewith.
} 1t is only weak government that dare no
) enforce law; and the way that enforcement
in this particular case has been neglected
consistant with the theory of protracted ex
. istelce of the present administration. Their,
:. is actual danger in prospect from the way il
, which violation Of this law, and the statute
against drunkenness, and street brawling ar,
: allowed by the police to 60 on undisturbed
and the result may yet be (unless reformation
, is ehected) serious riots and perhaps blood
= shed. 1noffensve persons travelling the pub
t lie highways naturally look for protection t,
5 the Government under the law, and when Gov
, ernment becomes powerless or disincned t,
, afford such necessary protection, the natura
law of sef-defence is quite likely to be resorte,
to. Mob law is natural outgrowth of i'm
. beetle government, and when populace hav
S become accustomed to such conditions as lea,
to it, wrong to an individual may very readil
= lead to wider spread disturbance. 1t may ap
S pear in the eyes of narrow minded official
but small matter to allow the hoodlum ele
ment occasionally to set law and order at de
{ fance; but they should remember that in SOW
S ing the wind we may also reap the 7ohiyksoind
S The fact should not be ignored that tn,
( population Of these Islands is compose,
mainly of few different nationaities whicl
! are largely represented, and who naturatl
, among themselves are respectively bound to
a gether by strong race afinities, and that un
{ punished injury to individuals of either, ma
be looked upon as common injury and resente'
Z. as such, and it is only knowledge that i'm
4; partiaity in dispensing the law will be adhere,
c to by the executive, that can perpetuate har
e mony among then in their relations witt
, each other.
We say that harmony will be cndangere,
t unless there be reformation in the conduct O
5 the police force, especially in Honolulu and it
vicinity. Illustrative Of the inefficiency Of on
police such incidents as the following (whicl
are fair representations Of occurrences whicl
are commonly may be mentioned: A whit
man Nationality unknown) while walkin;
peaceably home at night on Beretania street
was assailed by mob Of half drunken native
with volley Of the most abusive and insult
Ing epithets and repeatedly challenged t,
; fight. Being persistently followed and in dan
) ger of being beaten. assistance was called for
long and Amd, when two policemen appeared
upon the scene. The hoodlums, after shor
conversation with the policemen, were re-
quested to 90 home and leave the Aaols Iaione
On another occasion a harmless Chinamar
walking the sidewalk OH Nuuanu street wa,
struck violently in the breast by young native
hoodlum and knocked into the street police
man standing by, saw the whole affair, and
when asked why he did not interfere, simply
smiled and walked of, Again a street fight
occurred between several native and half.caste
express drivers, after twelve O'Clock one Satur-
day night. "Murder" was called for at least