The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-03-01
II Fl e
CONSTITUTION mONGERs.

It is amusing to read the daily twad-
die and nonsense printed in Opposition
papers on the subject of constitutional re-
form. An intelligent stranger would be
puzzled to find out what the writer's were |
driving at, because should he refer to the I
orgaRic law of the Kingdom and study |
its provisions, which these writer's evil
IDENTIFY have not done, he would find |
nothing in it which is not sin eonsonance
with modern free representative govern
ment," to quote redundant phrase from
a recent article advocating organic con-
stitution change. Still more surprised
would he be, after his study of the Con-
stitutional, were he to turn to Opposition
literature during the past three years,
having previously read the concrete
declaration of one of these sheets the
other day, ''that the Government of Ha-
wall is practically more despotic than
Russia"
The truth is, however, the Opposition
objects to the Constitution because it
grants the majority of the people the
right to control the Government through
the Legislature, and guarantees the in
dependence of the Crown. In other
words, these constitutional reformers
would deprive the natives of the franchise
and grant it to resident and transient
aliens as a recognition of their superior
intelligence. These propositions were
put forth by them, if not in the precise
words we have used, at least in sub
stance, as feelers before the election, but
seeing that the voters swept away the
last vestige of their power at the electoral
urus, they are now boldly attacking
the Constitution and demanding an
''organic change" no matter how it
may be effected, and regardless of conse-
quences to Crown or people.
To an unprejudiced mind this savors o.
revolution, but we do the Opposition the
justice of saying that it is prepared fol
ANYTHING but violence Some of its less
discreet members may talk about zap
pealing to the guaranteeing powers
and of bringing foreign pressure tc
bear upon the Government to com
pei its acceptance of their dicta
ton, but that is all there is t.
it. BY so doing they only exhibit the
depth of their disappointment anC
chagrin, and subject themselves to the
ridicule of sens IDLE people. And thei
newspaper organs are not betterini
things for them. Instead of accepting
the verdict of the country as final for tn
next two years, and ley6gyy are en-
promote the public gnd thwart the
deavoring to emhgSnsnd.
Governmenlng wrong with the Con-
Tia: 1t was good enough for the
--.antry when the present Opposition was
in power, and it is 40 worse now than it
was then. Nobody ever heard it COM
planned about until the clique now repre-
scented by the Opposition lost its grip
upon the country, and not a whisper
would be heard now if it's nominees had !
carried the election. King and Constitu-
ton would have been perfect But de- {
feat at the polls and exclusion from Office !
reyolutionized their opinion. The Consti- :
SUTTON Is now an instrument of despotism.
we are told by them, and also that any
measures are justifable which might rel
suit in an "organic change" which being /
means that Article 81 of the fl
Constitution and the articles following r
the royal authority and preroga- L
ives should be abolished. No other s
organic change" would touch the point {
If Opposition grievance. If the form of v
Government could be changed they Il
night have chance of again coming to a
he front and securing control of public tt
fairs to their own special benefit. This
5 the kind Of Constitutional reform !"
nd "organic change" the Opposition
ress is advocating, and to that end they ~
intimate that their supporters will en- =,
arrass the Government by preventing O
getting money" We shall see how G
his policy will 'pan out" 1t is just g.
thin the range of possibility that the :
overnment may get all the money it N N
ants, and that the Opposition will not W
1t the ''organic change it is fighting O.
r. Indeed, although we are ''neither
'ophetnor the son of prophet" we are
epared to back our opinion to any thi