Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-08-19
SATURDAY PRESS.
HAWAIIAN POLITICS.
AUGUST 10, 1892.


1t han been hitherto ono Of the supposed
advantages Of residence in Hawaii moi.
that no man need vcx himself over that
mystiiying muddo Of modern aocinl life,
known to the general humanity elsewhere
as politics. Who might be om Of, aud who IN,
any government office has not been a riniter
OF much concorn to this community generally,
and a change in the Cabinet has only been
matter Of town talk for tho traditional nino
doyh, OF lcsa. To got any matter before the
public, single sllusion will not suffice.
There muet bo repetition aud roleraton
before public attention can DO reused to
action So it han come to pasa that DO!ifics
winch iorms in other communities, no lurge
part OF general conversation, or Of newspaper
discussion, has been allowed to drop out Of
consideration.
But the iimo bas come, when such O course
would seem to be ont Of the qneslion. Every
one, who has any interest in lhe welfare or
the country, must give this subject sone
thought, and to hs thought some fitting and
forcible expression For now as never before,
arc classoe of the community called upon 10
express themselves freely, aud to make tho
power OF public opinion felt and respected
In order to do this, there must be discussion
and agitation We have no such opportunity
ior tho devoopoment and training Of public
opinion in this country as is afforded by the
town meeting in tho United States, that most
democratic Of all political assemblies but.
moro and more all over tho world the nows
paper press Id the great educator of the
masses, as we'll as their spokesman and repre-
sentative Appealing as it does for support
to the general public, it can neither disregard
nor swervo far away from the average public
sentiment.
Ii wo are not mistaken, the time has come
for that public sentiment to express itself
plainly in regard to the present political con-
ditlon OF this country We arc no longer
undor the rule of Hawaiian chief, TO whose
grace and favor we owe the possession of any
property or even our life. The whilom editor
OF the Adrertiser may be foolish enough. to
remind us that once every nhabitant of tho
Islands owed to somo Hawaiian chief instant
military service, and absolute submission Of
life aud possessions but we owo 10 thanks to
Mr.. Gibson that tho old autocracy, with its
cruelty and oppression, has been swopt away
forever. Kamehameha III. showed his good
sense when under the pressure of circumstances
and at the instance Of wiso coupsollors. he
gave to tho Hawaiian pooplo constitutional
form of government.
Under this constitutional government, il ia
supposed to be one Of the prorogatives for the
sovereign TO be above criticism, That
wcll-known authority in English History, Mr.
Z. A. Freeman. tell us that in government
like the English it is doubtless necessary tha,
thero should be one porson, the actual soyer-
eign, who is placed above tho reach of poli,i-
cal praise and blame. But If SO he must
abstain from all aots which in other persona
are open to criticism. Freedom from public
criticism can only be had on the condition Of
abstaining from all public action, direct or
indirect, open OF secret. Il is against common
fairness that there should be any persons who
may act, II not directly and openly at least
indirectly and socretly, but whose acts may
not be freely spoken Of like tho acts Of other
men,"
We do not propose now to diseuss the pro
priety OF the expediency OF the peculiarly
Englishy way Of hedging about the sovereign
power, 80 as to secure the reverenlial regard
commcnly deemed essential to the exercise
and maintenance OF political authority. What
ever our private opinioa may be as 10 the
utility oi this legal fiction, whether this DO
"a
making the shadow Of the chief 80 sacred ,hal
Il was death To amy vae Of the common people
to have IL fall upon him; We are OF the opinion
that il was the intention Of these who formed
the Hawaiian Constitution. thai the conslilu-
tienal advisers of the sovereign, should be
held responsible. But this Can only be on
the condition that the sovereign himself takes
no active part in political management, and
exercises no individual influence. dirscsly oT