The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-01-07
The Opposition Platform

doctrine of measures, not men, has
been too prominently and prematurely |
urged by members of the Reform party, |
and in yesterdays issue too soon modi- |
fed by yourself. There are cases when |
men and not measures are and should be
the only issue. This is SO, Is it not,
where the platforms of two opposing sets
of candidates are practically the same
there can then be no other issue possible
but the personality of the ticket; the
only thing to do in that case suppose is
to pick out the nine best men. Where
.the men on both tickets are equally men
of acknowledged honor and standing
whose past political records are in accord
with present professions, but who are
Numerically opposed to each other in
the principles they advocate, the doctrine
OF measures and not men," can, sup
pose, be accepted unreservedly. In
other cases, and it seems to me to be the
case in this election, the issue will be
men and measures both. | hardly see
how the ADVERTISER can consider the
principles advanced by the opposition
party in Honolulu "good principles" as
it seems to admit in yesterdays issue, il
it considers the declaration of principles
advanced by the Reform party good
principles as we'll; for essentially hostile
and conflicting rs these two declarations
are, they cannot both be good or equally
good for the country. Perhaps by good
principles the ADVERTISER meant good
by contrast with the first declaration of
principles advanced by the Mechanics
Union which are now generally conceded
to have been beyond the pale of argu-
ment or reason.
What l wish to call attention to is the
essential difference between the Reform
| platform and that of the opposition now
before the public. In the first place, the
Reform party believes in no modification
of the property qualification of electors
| of Mobiles; the opposition believes in the
ton. Just what they mean by "liberal
B&aSd ay a we Of OF course 90 not know
posing planks on the same point raise an
important issue at once. A direct con-
fiict is thus opened and by the voluntary
choice OF the opposition, over the key
stone clause Of the new Constitution, a
conflict which in itself would be sufficient
to create two distinct parties, even if
there was no other essential difference
between the two platforms. Some say,
however, that men like MIR. H. A. Wide
man, Mr.. E. Muller, MIR. f. c.. Macfarlane
and Mr.. G. j. Mccarthy do not actually
intend to do anything serious in regard
to the property qualification. In other
words, do not mean what they say.
This, it seems to me, we have no right
to infer. Every inference is against the
proposition that such men would dis
honestly mislead the electors to catch
their votes with the intention of aban-
doning their professions after election
day. This is the second platform ad-
vanced by the opposition, and we must
believe that this time it has been care
fully, perhaps prayerfully considered be-
fore being launched, and that the candi-
| dates who have consented to run under
it and who have pledged their honor to
[ it will faithfully carry it out by all legiti-
| mate means within their power. If the
reply to criticism OF party platform is
| going to be that the protested platform
is not the actual platform, then of course
all criticism or argument is at an end
until the actual platform and purpose of
| IllC patty UcCOIuCS hllONH. We IuuSt
accept the opposition platform as gen.
uine and honestly meant.
| Another essential issue between the
closed 0y the two platforms is over our
treaty relations with the United States
| The Government advocates the indivi-
dual guarantee of Uncle Sam, (whose
guarantee is good enough for u.s. the
Opposition advocates joint guarantee
by combined powers; the Government
advocates perpetual and absolute free
trade with the United States, the Oppo-
sition does not, and only "counte-
nances" it says the limited tree trade
existing under the present reciprocity
| treaty and that with reservations. No
| man, woman or child in the kingdom
| need be told that these differences raise
a great issue directly affecting the des-
| tiny of this country forever. No one
| need be told that the Government plat
| form unreservedly commits the future
| of the country commercially to the great
| Republic and this for better or worse.
| On the other hand, no one needs to be
told that the platform OF the Opposition
on this subject proposes to Initiate a
fencing match with Uncle Sam, the out
come of which and its results to our
present treaty no one can possibly fore
tell, candidates OF the Opposition in
Guided.
Again, in Article 8 of the present
Opposition platform the revision of the
new constitution is proposed in addition
to specific amendments of the constitu-
ton elsewhere advocated this is of course
to be done they say in an atmosphere OF
"healthful and dispassionate calm"
Admitting as we must that this time the
Opposition party have said what they
meant and meant what they said, it
needs no comment OF ours to show that a
great and essential issue is here raised by
the Opposition which is opposed to the
platform OF the Reform party, for that
party advocates no revision but simply
one amendment of the constitution, and
that on one specific point, the Chinese
question, which is new issue outside
of any issues supposed to have been set
tied by the new constitution. The spe-
cfic amendment Of the constitution is
one thing and revision as an entirety is
another. How are the Opposition going
to accomplish this revision; the only
method known to us is either through a
. constitutional convention or by the