The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1890-03-25
The Portuguese and the Election

| The Portuguese md the Election.
Mr.. EDITOR: There is an impress
sion prevailing in some quarters, that
the Portuguese voted what they re-
garded as the Opposition ticket at
the late election, which they were
certain to do If they followed the
leadings of the Luso Hawaiiano, and
the instructions said to have been
given them privately by parties who
should have known better.
This too, in spite of the fact that
it is to this Government or the party
it represents, that they owe their
right of suffrage.
Not that we would ask them to
support even the government that
gave them the suffrage, if it proved
to be corrupt, but it would have been
only common decency to stand by
the party that gave them the ballot,
so long as its honest aim and effort
was to maintain the good govern
ment which it has established and
maintained to the present time.
But it is wonderful to see, not only
what conceptions some men have of
''good government" but how soon
they turn against a government that
! looo ,o& khnDo Offsaa
Is a man to labor to secure ''good
government" only for the sake of the
Office which he hopes to secure as
channel through which to fill his
pocketsi And after laboring pro-
fessedly for the establishment of
principles, is he to repudiate the
| party that represents those princi
Piles because it has failed to reward
him with Office? Bah!
What can a "good government"
mean in the conceptions of man
who contemptuously cries mission
ary, missionary" and casts against it
as fit cause of condemnation, the
fact that it attempts to restrain the
traffic in body and soul destroying
liquor? Could any government be
good, that did not endeavor to re-
strain and suppress the traffic in this
prolific source of every kind of evil?
This vile stuff that ruins homes, robs
| men of their characters and fills
prison cells.
Would be dealers in opium for
the sake of lucre, could with equally
good sense declaim against the Gov
ernment for not allowing free opium.
But it is not many months since this
very complaint was made-snd edi-
torially / believe-ln the Luso Ha-
waiiano, and the complainant was
"agin the government" because of
its anti-liquor principles.
Another complaint has been that
the Government had done nothing
for the Portuguese; in fact has been
at heart adverse to their interests.
This charge is certainly without
foundation, and rises only from the
fact that this particular class of peo-
pie has not been singled out from
amongst others and made special
pets.
Those who are already here have |
been given the means of securing
representation equally with other |
classes.
1t was but right that certain very
mild educational qualifications |
should be required Of those who |
may immigrate hereafter, and the
Luso Hawaiiano should be the last |
one to complain OF this while max
ing such strenuous efforts for the |
total suppression of another class of |
immigrants, the Chinese.
1.-The ignorant vote is dangerous
vote" and this fact was amply illus
trated at the late elections. If the |
foregoing remarks are based on |
false impressions that may have |
been made on the mind of the writer |
he is ready and willing to have |
them corrected. -