The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-11-24
THE LAWlESS ELEMENT.


growing prevalence of predatory
offenses. 1t is, however, very doubt
full If such measures as he recon-
mended are within the scope of ex-
isting law. Yet it is absolutely
necessary that residents should be
protected, and if that is beyond the
power of the authorities to have
done, then property owners will have
to combine in some method of de-
fensive action upon their mutual be-
half. People who have lived here a
long time allege that roost-robbing
and similar offenses have always
been common. Nevertheless there
can be no doubt that the petty
criminal element has never been
larger than it is now in the commun-
ity. Neither is there any probability
that either the number of marauders
will diminish, if no effective check
intervene, or that the degree of their
criminalty will change except IN the
way Of aggravated Nervousness.
| Unless something decisive be adopted
to stem the rising tide of crime,
therefore, the likelihood is that
Honolulu will soon be preserve of
81 class relatively as large and abso-
lutely rs desperate as any city in
the world harbors. Many residents
have attributed the comparative
immunity of this city from serious
crime to the fact that the narrow
bounds of the kingdom and the
limited means of communication
with the outer world, make it a
great difficulty for anybody COM
mitting grave offense to eludc the
grasp of justice. This may be q
serious delusion. Equally as reason
able explanations of the good charac-
ter hitherto attaching to this COM
munity are, we believe, forthcoming.
Is it not probable that the main
reason for our past exemption from
violence may be found in the trac
table and peaceful nature of the
native race, and the exceptionally
good class of foreigners, outside Of
contract laborers yet partly in
elusive of them, attracted hither by
the commerce and industry of the
country? Another likely reason for
the same thing lies in the changed
relations to the community, COM
pairing now with not very long ago,
of large portions of the population
imported as labor supply. Thou
sands OF contract laborers have de-
cided that their terms of bound SER
vice were as much as they would
endure of toll amoug the cane, I'M
less forced to renew their contracts
by sheer necessity. Therefore, in
swarms these people, Of different
natlonalities, have left the planta.
tions to hive in the city, here tc
make living by such methods as
were most readily discoverable by
them. 1t is doubtless from among
the habitations of the class just DIES
cribed that many, if not all, of th'
nocturnal providers, at present giving
so much annoyance, sally forth t.
pilfer and rob, availing themselve
of the shelter of darkness or tn
guidance of the moon, according Il
their individual degrees of boldnes
or illegitimatc necessities. If th
aforementioned are the real contri
buting causes of increasing crimina
activity in Honolulu, then, Will
there is no prospect of the state
conditions coming to an end, til
only rational conclusion is that til
evil must continue to grow until
eliminates in veritable reign G
terror, provided efficient means ar
not adopted for speedily quellin
the predatory element. There wi
Z not, perhaps, long be wantin
' demonstration of the delusivenes
OF that sense of security, befor
referred to, founded upon the diff
Guilty of guilty rascals either pei
I manently hiding in the country c
escaping abroad, if offenses agains
property, with occasional outrage
l upon the person, continue so largel
n. I