The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-07-13
rns NON. MEMBER SHOULD LEARN.

ThE NON. MEMBER SHOULD LEARN.
In the discussion which arose in
the Assembly yesterday on Mr..
Castles resolution appointing a CON-
mittee for the purpose Of collecting
information relative to the cultiva-
tion, use, and licensing of opium,
Mr.. Kaulukou is reported to have
= said that he thought the idea of
the resolution was very good, as
showing the interest of the mover in
the welfare Of the people. At the
same time it involved outsiders CON-
ing into the house to dictate legisla-
ton. The members elected by the
several constituencies were CON-
petent to pass upon all matters
affecting the prosperity and health
of the people," The one thing
which this speech most clearly indi-
Gates is, that the honorable speaker
has erroneous conceptions in regard
to the relationship of constituencies
to their representatives. Leniency
is due to those members of the house
who have not had the advantages of
enlightenment in modern state
polity, either from reading or from
experience in other countries, and
intelligent men will generally excuse
ignorance that is graced with
modesty; but the ignorance that is
accompanied by overweening pom
posity is always unpalatable. That
is just what makes the foregoing
quotation superlatively distasteful.
We can respect, for what he is, the
modest, unpretentious, well-mean-
ing member, who may be so simple
~ to believe in the feasibility Of
bridging the Pacific Ocean from
Honolulu to San Francisco; but we
cannot, by any process of manipula-
ton known to artists or scientists,
twist ourselves into an attitude of
respectful attention to a voluble
flow Of conceited ignorance from an
inflated wind bag. And this is why
We cannot speak Of the above-quoted
speech in complaisant tones or
serious terms. The honorable men,
Der for Hilo should learn that when
q constituency elects q member to
the Legislature that constituency
does not relinquish its right to an in
dependent voice in legislation, that
the member is simply representa-
tive of his constituency for carrying
out its will, that his electors have
the right to dictate to him his course
in the Legislature, and, IN short,
that they are his masters and he
their servant. He should learn that
in the United States, whose prsce-
dents largely shape the legislation Of
the Hawaiian Islands, committees Of
Congress often seek information and
assistance from "outsiders,'' who
appear before and address the COM
mittees, and that recently the
Hawaiian minister at Washington
performed that office in the matter
of the reciprocity treaty. He should
also learn that in England, where
Parliamentary Government had iti
birth and has probably reached
nearer to perfection than anywhere
else, committees of Parliament are
sometimes engaged between sessions,
cleaning information from people
all over the country. The legisla-
tive bodies Of those great nations,
America and Great Britain, are moi
jealous of "outsiders coming into
the house to dictate legislation -
Their Legislation springs from the
"outside," is for the benefit of "out.
siders," and they are careful not tc
legislate contrary to the outsiders -
will. Mr.. Kaulukou does not believe
in that sort Of thing. He would
have the Parliament above the Peo
pie. Happily for the country there
are not many in the Assembly of biz
way of thinking, and perhaps ever
he may yet become humble and ac
4uire degree Of sound knowledge
and true wisdom.
June 1st, the new law reducing
marriage licenses from "a so to 81
I.