The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1886-09-30
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 80, 1886
RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT.

This Kingdom will never have salts
factory administration of its affairs until
it has responsible government in reality
There is now the skeleton of such but
nothing more. It has been seen posi-
BILE for Ministry to go to the polls
and be emphatically endorsed by the
voice Of the people, and the same
Ministry thus sustained to be humili-
ated, in the presence Of the peoples
representatives pledged to support it,
by being summarily elected from office
in the midst Of legislative session.
All this was possible without evoking a
murmur from the representatives, or
producing more than ripple on the
surface of public opinion. These facts
show that neither the Legislature as a
whole nor the body polite has properly
learned even the rudIments Of response
Bile government. But, as showing that
the true idea of popular institutions is
rec cognized as being embodied in the
existing system, the Prime Minister,
who survived the dismissal of his col
leagues, felt compelled to hide the
truth in his first announcement of the
change Of Ministry to the Assembly.
He said that he had been asked by
His Majesty to form new Ministry.
A few days later, on being reminded Of
that statement when a different expla
nation OF the origin of the Attorney
Generals appointment was given, the
Prime Minister contradicted his former
assertion and said that His Majesty
had formed the Cabinet. In this busi-
ness the Premier committed two grave
offences against the spirit Of our insti-
tutions. First, he retained his own
position while his colleagues, by whom
he was morally bound to stand or fall,
were ousted and discredIted. Sec
ondly, to shield himself, he thrust the
sovereign forward into a position ol
responsibility that His Majesty's con
stitutional advisers alone should occupy
The present Minister of the Interior by
his course in this and many other cases
is the man who is to-day chiefly tC
blame for the subverting of popula
institutions and for the dragging Of th'
royal office into the front of part,
politics.
One of the doctrines of limite'
monarchy is, 'the king can do nj
wrong" This means that the responsi
bility for executive and administrative
acts devolves upon the sovereign
advisers. But Mr.. Gibson is alway
ready, when challenged respecting an
particular Of the Governments polio
or practice, to hold the King u
between the Ministry and the Legisls
ture. He has, besides, rather tina
lose office, permitted affairs to b
directed and controlled, over the head
of the Cabinet, by persons having n
responsibility in fact OF in name. Th
country has been sunk in the mire
unconstitutional government by tn
administration OF Prime Minister VIII
has ever been ready to betray tt
people, or to make an ignoble use
the sovereign's name, for the purpo'
OF holding on to the honors ard emol
ments Of Office. Only by having
Legislature that will refuse to sanctio
any measures Of Cabinet governir
With ut regard to the principles
responsible government can Haw'
ever hope to get out of the swamp
which she is aOundering and occul
the high ground of those nations aft
which her political institutions a
supposed 10 be modelled.