The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-01-30
THAT STOLEN PLATFORM.

The Bulletin returned to the charge
last night with one of its periodical
jokes on the subject Of the stolen plat
form. 1t is wonder that the Bulletin
is not silent on this subject. Silence
would be the part of discretion on this
topic. But if it must be discussed
again, the Reform party certainly
has no occasion to fear the sub
ject. The Bulletins sensitiveness may
be due to the fact that it feels some
thing of the pride of authorship with
regard to the platform, and the charge
Of plagiarism deals death blow to its
too susceptible vanity. The declara-
tons OF the National Reform party have
the same merit which iacetious re-
viewer once ascribed to book which he
was unwilling to handle roughly, st
contains great many new and true
things" But he added soto voce, 'The
true things are not new, and the new
things are not true" The platform OF the
so-called National Reform party has
judiciously borrowed some articles OF the
faith OF the Reform party. Such for in
stance are it's endorsement of the Home
stead Act, of policy of liberal public i'm
provement, OF the Postal Savings Bank
and finally of Anti-Chinese legislation.
Every one OF these four items was car
dinal feature of the policy of the Reform
party before the Mechanics Union was
ever organized, as is perfectly we'll
known. The Homestead Act was a
measure OF the Reform parties and the
present ministry is the only one which
has ever given effect to its provisions.
The Postal Savings Bank has been used
by the Government and has always been
regarded by the Reform party as an in
valuable instrument by means of which
the Government could use its credit for
the prosecution of public works. The
ADVERTISER ventilated the subject fully
two years ago as anyone may see who
will take the trouble to consult file OF
the paper. 1t is superfluous to call at
tention to the record of the Reform party
in the matter of public improvements.
Even Mr.. Bush, in his lucid moments,
admits that there is certain piausibili-
ty in this claim. And a few days ago
the ADVERTISER gave statistical proof
that the Reform party is the only one
which has ever done anything of note
in the way of reducing the Chinese pop
ulation.
Be these things as they may. We
have no quarrel with the National Re-
formers" for proclaiming, as their plat
form does, the substantial excellence OF
the principles OF the Reform party. Ii
they had only been content to let well
enough alone. But they were impelled
by delusive thirst after originality, or
they perhaps felt something more than a
stale reiteratlon of Reform principles to
be necessary if they were to demonstrate
the worthlessness and wickedness of the
Reform party, and to make good their
own claims to be regarded as the saviors
of mankind. We will not pretend to
fathom their motives. The results are
all we are in possession OF and the re-
suits were these. They made four bids
for the native vote. They emphasized
four points which distinguish their plat
form radically from that Of the Reform
party:
l. They propose careful revision OF
the constitution. Wherein this revision
is to consist they with significant evasive-
ness fail to suggest. But if anyone has
been simple enough to be in the dark
the speeches of Bush and Wilcox may
perhaps enlighten him. The party con-
vention wisely left the platform to be
amplifed by later utterances on that
point.
2. The platform proposes "modif-
cation OF the property qualification.
What is meant by this modification
Mr.. Mccarthy understands "abolition'
under modification. The gentleman
is dangerously frank, and MIR. Logan,
another representative OF the party, is
more discreet. The general public can
probably give pretty good guess, but
no one, not in the counsels Of the OPP
position, can possibly know anything
about it, except that it is thinly dis
guised bid for votes.
3. The platform further suggests that
certain Government officers should be
elected by the people. That is all. The
point is one Of fundamental importance,
but that is all the National Reform
platform SO celebrated for its freedom
from ambiguity, has to say on the sub
iect.
4. The platform further is hostile to
closer relations with America. Regards
the Reciprocity treaty as permissible
merely, and wishes that Hawaii's rela-
tons with America may be no closer
than with England or Germany.
The Reform party has another opinion
in this matter.
Such iS the shOwinp which 4 careful