The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-02-11
THE GOVERNMENT SUSTAINED.

hN NiNNSiohc ht''N SS''N' viz wv
crnment a majority of eight votes
in the House of Representatives,
which, with even or almost even
sides in the House of Mobiles, and
the votes Of the Ministers them
selves, will make them strong enough
in the next Legislative Assembly
for any purpose. AS the Govern
ment supporters returned are about
all office-holders, there can be no
doubt of their capacity for swallow.
ing any measure prescribed to them
by the Ministry. There is, however,
some hope for the country in the
consideration that the Ministry may
not he obliged to support every
hobby and injurious measure that
their dependent, irrational and re-
dictionary followers may drag to the
front. For it would be uncandid
not to admit that the votes of the
Ministers last session saved the
country from some very retrograde
legislation, such as the bill to have
the sale of opium legalized. They
would have been entitled to the
benefit of this admission in the late
campaign had they not failed to
suppress, or at least protest against,
the utterances of their recognized
spokesmen in favor of a licensed
opium traffic. Now that the Minis
try has been given ample power in
the Legislature, it only remains for
the friends and advocates of good
government to appeal to their reason
and their patriotism, upon the matter
just mentioned and everything else
that may become subject of legis-
lation. The verdict of the people
leaving out of sight how it may have
been obtained-makes the Govern
ment's past record closed volume,
except with regard to the Ministers
stewardship for the closing biennial
period, which will properly come up
for adjudication before the Legisla-
ture and the public at next session.
During the past campaign we have
supported the Independent candi-
dates, because the performances
and the promises of the Ministry
and their supporters presented them
selves to us as inimical 10 the differ
ent interests of the Kingdom; be-
cause we believed that an independ-
ent Legislature would be the strongest
bulwark of national independence
and the surest guarantee of progress
and prosperity, and because the
men put forward as candidates by
the Government party were all but
universally unfit representatives OF
the society, the commerce, the in.
dustry and the wealth that give
Hawaii respectable position in the
family of nations. Events, how.
ever, show that the electorate have
regarded matters in different light
While, therefore, we bow to theil
decision and shall henceforth address
ourselves, in discussing the admins
tration, mainly to the policy of th'
Ministry as it may be unrolled, W.
must say that the new House of Re
representatives. is great disappoint
ment to our estimate of the intelli
gence and independence of TIN
electors of this kingdom. Let II
hope that there is lingering instinc
of self-preservation in the breasts o
the ruling majority, which, togethe
with the power of very able minor
ity, and the influence of an enlight
ened public opinion and an indie
J pendent press, will save the countr
from at least some of the retrograd
| and ruinous measures that the Gov
ernment campaign has given reaso
to apprehend would be the outcom
of that party's triumph. Although
e however, accepting the defeat of th
n cause of independence, we cannc
r acknowledge that the fight has bee
t a fair one. Not only did the Co
$ ernment party exhaust every meaI
$ of position unparalleled in const
!, tutional systems for giving adva1
C tage to those in power, but it availe
/ itself of the most dishonest, CORFU
, | and ,lonnorol; ;z;no mathnda NJ forcir