The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-05-28
HONOLULU, April 8, 1888.
Mr.. GoOdale Armstrong, Wailu III

| 10 MIR. 0OO0aI6 Armstrong, w allu u,
Maui,
DEAR SIR Il am delighted to learn
that the voters of this country-begin-
ming with Maui-mean to assume their
| proper responsibility under the present
| form of government. There was no sort
of use formerly in public discussion of
| public affairs, as long as the King had
| the power under the SO-called cOnStitu-
tlOnal forms, to do precisely as pleased
the easily Influenced mind of Mis- Ma
| jesty. But now that the power has
passed out of his hands, never to return,
it is essential that the brains and wealth
of the country see to it that the political
power which is thus set free, be properly
distributed, and its exercise by different
departments of government properly
guarded and checked.
You and | were born and bred in a
country which started off with strong,
highly cultivated and intelligent self
governing people. Our ancestors went
from their English homes which were
dear to them, to seek in the savage
wilderness for the blessings of liberty.
They founded as nearly an ideal Com
mOnwealth as the world ever saw, and
Notwithstanding the food of European
immigration, bringing the ignorant, de-
based, wealth-hating and yet wealth.
seeking crowds OF voters, to pollute the
very fountains Of civil liberty, still we
all have faith in the permanent and gen
eral prosperity.
But in seeking to establish here a self
governing commonwealth, under the
monarchical form, which | think was
wisely retained, we must bear in mind
that we have not the same material
which made up the British American
Colonies. We have here many Hawaiian
Portuguese, and Asiatic, elements, which
are unused to self-government and which
only to limited extent will for many
years be capable OF self-government |
The intelligence of the country must
devote itself then to working out a sys-
tenn of government, by which political |
power shall be safely distributed, and |
used in such manner as fairly to distri-
butte all the burdens of taxes, to develop !
the national resources without doing |
harm to any class or nationality, and to |
cause the laws to be honestly, imparti-
ally, and effectively administered All
this may be called useless generalizing
or theorizing; but it is not. We cannot
ignore facts, if we would.
Now the attempt and intention of those
who sincerely took part in the Revolu-
ton, to make the King merely the Orna-
mental and representative head of the
nation, somewhat like the position of the
English Sovereign, was all right, and
based on correct political reasoning. 1t
was the only thing to do, if Hawaii is to
remain an Independent nation. But
much remains yet to do. / think it wise
to adhere to the new Constitution with
care, to amend it slowly and
cautiously, as experience may justify
and require.
The turn which the veto question took
was a disappointment to many, myself
among them. But [ am not now pre-
pared to advise an Amendment of the
Constitution by which to secure beyond
1Oubt, the control of the veto power with
he Cabinet. | think it would be we'll to
lmend the Constitution so that two
birds of a quorum of the House-and
lot two-thirds of all the elective mem
override veto. This would
i've the Legislature suffici Mt control :
'ver it's own enactments, and also secure
hat later second consideration of it's bills :
which is not required by the present
ystem of one-house assembly.
l also am inclined to think that Min
sters should be elected members of the
louise OF Mobiles, so as to require them
o go directly before some electoral dis. I
riot, and defend their course and policy. y
his is the English method, and see no \
why it would not work we'll here {
'ut it ought to be carefully considered. I
the above mentioned amendments are \
lade, think that the calling of the
legislature between its biennial Sessions
nay properly rest with the Ministry.
AS for the Governors, most of nv
lends thought they were a useless force.
hey reasoned we'll that if the outer dis
'icts could get on as they have done, +
18th the functionaries which have been <
ppOinted of late years, they could get p
n with none. They also deemed that n
ne country is too small for sui h COM B
Heated official system as it has had and 3
lat the beginning of reduction of offices L
'ould well be made with Governors.
l think, Notwithstanding those facts, =
lat well regulated gubernatorial sys-
I'm, with men required to give substan-
al bonds, elected in each guberDatorfal
istrict, for definite term subject to re- I,
loyal for cause by the Legislature, and q
laced in general charge of the assess =
tent and collection of taxes, roads and
ridges, and the administration of the
zeal affairs of their respective districts.
ould not only well repay the outllv.
ut secure far better results in every WV :,
IAN are obtainable withoutsu such system. =
he people must become used to the h
lffrage. The qualifications of electors
II governors should be the same as for