The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-03-13
Letter from Mr.. TheO. II. Davies.

MR.. EDITOR: 1t was my fortune
to arrive here recently during lull
between two political storms-the
election and the legislative session.
As am too late to exert either vote
or argument in respect of the cleo
ton, I would gladly remain silent on
the political questions that have be-
come rife here. I feel, however, that
the present crisis is of such impor
lance, that every man should let his
opinions be known, and use his
influence, be it much or little. in the
public interest.
In the first place, I have been and
am in favor of the present Cabinet
remaining in Office; not because
there are not as good, or possibly
better men outside the Cabinet, but
because I believe these gentlemen
fairly represent the interests, and
have at heart the welfare of the COM
munity, and because there is not
sufficient reason for a change, to
compensate for the grave disadvan-
tage of unsettled government.
The present Cabinet have had
many most perplexing questions to
deal with, and some of their methods
have been clearly open to the criti
cisms which have been bestowed
with an undoubtedly liberal hand.
The state paper issued by the Cab
met upon the Chinese question, and
which was first brought to my notice
by colonial statesman is, l venture
to think, a most creditabie example
of the ability, industry, and sim
cerity with which the government
have sought to meet a problem
which is embarrassing the leading
statesmen of the day.
But I read with surprise and re-
greet portions of the reply of the
Cabinet October 4, 1889 and of
the letter of the Minister of the In
terror to the Hilo Convention de-
cember II, 1889. I refer to those
parts which come under the head of
''political relations with the United
States" The Ministers do not, and
we cannot, lay too much stress on the
value to this country of the friend
ship of the United States. That
friendship political, commercial,
and religious-has been shown to
Hawaii with an unstinted hand for
all these years; and [ believe we are
bound in interest as we'll as in graft
tude, to maintain that friendship by
any means in our power, that are
consistent with the declaration made
by the Foreign Minister October
4th, as follows: "The Cabinet are
of the opinion that the best interests
of this county will be best served
by the continuance of it's present in
dependent state, free from any pro-
tectorate or control on the part of
any foreign government"
Icannot take any exception to that
platform, and I am bound to say /
honor the Ministers for so plainly
stating it.
But I am unable to bring my judg.
ment to admit that the measures re-
commended by the Cabinet will be
successful in accomplishing the OBJ
ject they have thus plainly laid
down. The Minister of the Interior
states to the Hilo Convention, that it
will be the constant endeavor of the
Government 8 to thoroughly secure
the autonomy and independence of
the kingdom by treaty with the
| United States, whereby that power
shall guarantee such independence
against the encroachment by itself
or any foreign power whatsoever"
The Minister for Foreign Affairs
states that the Hawaiian Govern
ment propose to "agree not to nego-
tiate treaties with other nations with
out the knowledge of the United
States Government"
Now, Article % Of the Hawaiian
Constitution says: " The King has
the power to make treaties" and
Article Al makes the Cabinet respon-
si5le for the use of that power.
Is it consistent with 6 the present
independent state of this kingdom,
free from any control on the part of
any foreign government" that the
King and Cabinet shall lose the
power to make treaties
| Again, assuming (what 1 do not
for a moment believe) that the
United States Government would
consent to guarantee our independ-
ence against encroachment by itself
on any other foreign power" could