Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-01-27
POLITICAL ORGANIZA 7YON ~

We are just beginning to feel the near APP
proach OF the troubles that might have been
expected TO come from such silly, wasteful and
provoking tom -foolery as the Coronation has
been shown to be. We hear from the other
side Of the water the talk il has occasioned
against the continuance of the reciprocity
treaty. "If the Hawaiian government can af
ford to squander money in tina, style, the treaty
will do harm rather than good: and the Ha-
waiians will be no better off for the three mil.
lions Of dollars that the United States govern.
ment has let them have in the Customs revenue
that the treaty has remitted. II the American
residents cannot prevent such Stiffness and
wastcfulness, the three millions Of dollars the
United States government has let them have
has been money thrown away; the people Of the
United States could have put it to better use. :"
Some of our people have been altogether too
content to let this Coronation scheme 60 on
and on, without a word of remonstrance.
whats the use of talking so much and talk.
ing so hard about this absurd and ridiculous
extravaganza Such people do not forecast the
future, they do not think of the reaching
consequences of human actions. When bust
ness is demoralized, when the good repute of
this little kingdom for morality, thrift, careful
ness Is destroyed, when financial disasters
threaten with their accumulating burdens of
distresses and SORROWS, then such people will
he the first to say, why was not something
done to prevent all this trouble1'
But what was needed was, first of all, some
proper appreciation of the evils incident to
wasteful. exIavagant and ridiculous admins
tration of public affairs. No public opinion
can be formed without the intelligent discus
sions of state policy, without personal and
general interest in politics, and it will not an
swer to push this aside with the foolish dislike
or cool contempt Of those who say, 81 don't
want anything to do with politics. People
get excited when they talk politics. Why
don't you attend to business and let politics
alone 2"
IS7The fact is, too many Of our good people
have kept out Of political questions altogether.
Some few have held government positions and
lost them; few Others perhaps have wanted
office and failed to get it. But there has been
no general movement towards securing the
adoption Of wise governmental policy, and
proper methods of official administration. One
reason why Gibson and his set have captured
the government and run it in the interests Of
petty clique, is because there has been no op-
position party as such. This palace party have
had things all their own way, because they
have had certain objects to accomplish, and
been united in their purpose to accomplish
them.
Has not the time come for some definite po-
litical organirationl Have we not lost perhaps
even now, the golden opportunity, because we
have had no such organization hitherto The
hour is fast approaching, when Gibson and his
set must ingloriously leave the official positions
they have held and abused. Are we ready .
meet the obligations Of the coming crisis houri
"Agitate, agitate." was Daniel O'Conncll's
famous political watch.word. "In Union is
Strength" is recognized political maxim.
But neither agitation nor association, are Of
much value apart from organization. Has not
the time come for concentration Of public
thought and public interest on some ofthc vital
topics, the burning issues ofthe houri What
ought to be the policy Of the government In re-
gard to internal improvements, foreign rela.
tions, commercial union, public expenditure,
official responsibility, and other like matters :
Has not the time come for the formation Of
HAWAIIAN NATIONAL LEAGUEf Every one
who has voice in the choice Of members Of
the legislature, foreign os native, should be
urged to unite on definite platform Of objects
to be accomplished. In every district there
should be councils held fos public discussion
in regard to men and measures. Delegates
from districts and islands should devise and
adopt in Executive Council the measures
needed to carry out the objects Of the LEAGUE.
With some such political organization, open to
all, on definite platform Of sensible and p.ac,
tieable reforms, We might hope to see the way
marked on, for development Of the manhood
and resources Of the kingdom such as is hope
less to anticipate under the mercenary, narrow
minded, unprincipled set u men who nov Gun.
troll the government.