Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-08-30
THE SESSIONS WORK.

last to be prorogued The question
naturally arises What benefit has the
nation derived from these immensely
protracted deliberations Regarded
in the light Of possibilities, little indeed
has been accomplished which tends to
the immediate welfare OF the nation :;
but, regarded in the light of existing
circumstances, most important results
have actually been accomplished, while
the foundation has been laid for much
hope of future reform. The fruit Of
newspaper agitation in reference to the
misdoings of government, which was
constantly kept up for months prior to
the day of election, might have been
seen in the very general election Of
men who asked the suffragcs of the
people as opponents Of the admnstra
tion, and the comparatively small mum
Der who were able to gain seats as pro-
administration men. Eighteen out of
the twcnty-sevcn representatives were
elected as opposition candidates; but
that four of these have been foresworn,
and have since their election shown their
perfidy to their constituents, does not
alter the fact that on last election day
the majority Of voters were with the Op-
position party And there is every
reason to believe that throughout the
islands, the doings of this legislature in
exposing abuses and corruption have
been instrumental in fostering that
sentiment, in manner, and to a de
gree, that in no other way could have
been more effectively accomplished
The records OF the session about to
be prorogued will be the most effective
campaign document that can be used
at the next polling time and if dis
cretely handled, will send majority to
the next legislature that neither free
feeding and the bribery of office, nor
official bulldozing, will be able to sway.
After election, 1t was noticed with feel
ing OF pleasure, mingled with certain
degree OF surprise, however, that the
last effort of Gibson to create an an
tagonism between Hawaiians and white
men had most singularly failed, as evi-
denced by the fact of the large proper
tionate number of foreigners returned,
and the fact in particular, that cat of
eight such candidates seven got seats.
That the now expiring session OF the
legislature has not been productive Of
all the good that might have been
wished =; and that in the main, the OPP
position party should have been out
voted is in no way discouraging, when
we compare the results which have
been obtained, with those of the session
! Of 1882, where only for of the 7h0le
unm6er made themselves conspicuous
by their independence With such a
legislature as that of 1882, PaGted with
shameless sycophants and toadies, it
would have been impossible to foretell
the results, had the plans of the ad-
ministration, to bring confusion and
ruin upon the country, been as delibera-
tely concerted as during the present
session. With body of men such as
those elected TO the last Legislature,
the administration could have done en-
,irely as it pleased, and neither investi-
CATION nor exposure would have been
effected in any case. In such a case,
no finance committees report, such as
was at this session brought forward,
would ever have seen the light the
bank charter would have passed, and
the country have been flooded with
paper money, and such things as loan
bills, indemnities, foreign embassies,
army and navy bills, permanent settle
ments for a numerous posse of newly
created princes and princesses, and all
sorts of criminal eytravagances, would
have been piled upon the legislative
record while lottery schemes, opium
licenses and sundry other demoralizine
measures would have passed without
opposition.
If the Opposition has been unable tc
effect any great reforms, II has at leas
been able to negative such measure:
as these, against the backing OF the en-
tire cabinet, and their large hirelins
support among the mobiles and repre-
sentatives. Not least, it has been able
to show in their true light the charac
ters of certain men in the assembly
who, with less strength in the opposi
ton, might have been able to longe
maintain their guise of gentility anC
responsibility. In short, 1t has beer
able, il not to bring the thief, in ever,
instance, to justice, at least to expos'
his infamy in many instances, to tn,
eye OF the community, 1t has showi
the electors what men have fought OF
principle for good government; an'
who on the other hand have been will
ing to support all kinds of iniqultie
for personal considerations of pecu
mary nature; and that white men cal
as safely be trusted to represent then
as those OF the native race.
A few extracts from Blaines letter ac
cepting the presidential nomination
are given in this weeks New York Cos
sip, We have lacked space to prin
the letter as whole; and most OF on
readers have doubtless already read il
II there be ilaw--a fatal flaw in thi
most statemanlike OF kindred docu
ments, il is in Mr. Baine's reckless a
ienation OF the Mormon vote. Fo
one may scarcely doubt that that EN-
nent Californian, Mr. Sam Brannar
and that equally eminent Hawaiian
Mr.. W. Murray Gibson, ,willnow castthei
influence for Cleveland.
In another column, knickerbocke
calls attention to the wonderful skill a
hnancier Of merry Mr. Ward of tn
famous New York firm of Grant&WarC
The finances OF this country have bee
placed in so highly satisfactory cor
dition by the economies of Gibson
Co tha, little is left to wish for. A
though perhaps, as Mr.. Frederic War