The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-11-27

oA"tOIy dllu IIFSU lessons IN
patriotism are associated with the
anniversary meetings of the New
England Society in the city of New
YORK, to which my father took me
Wnen L was a mere boy. My ears
StlII Jingle as L remember how I first
neard rich baritone voice sing that
forefathers' ode beginning "The
breaking waves dashed high on a
stern and rOck-bound coast.n NV
heart still thrills as [ remember the
sentiments [ first heard from Win
throp and from Hillard from Boston,
you know, who rang out in trumpet
tones, "a Church without Bishop;
State without King" " Liberty
with law is the fire on the altar;
liberty without law is the house on
ire" l do not exactly subscribe to
the sentiment that whoever is born in
Boston does not need to be born again,
but [ do pity anyone who has no pil.
grim ancestry to recount, nor any
New England memories to recall.
The Hawaiian kingdom, modelled
IN its political organization after Eng
lish precedents, though on American
principles, may be described as a
Democratic monarchy. The COM
munity has chosen, as it had a perfect
right to do, to make one person the
depository of it's sovereign power; but
i'll such fashion that it resembles an
armOry rather than fort. The real
power belongs to those who WELD the
weapons rather than to those who
simply hold them. When those
among us who have q different idea
of the relations of the monarchy to
the people din into our ears the text,
Honor the king" we quickly ask
them to put in practice the equally
authoritative scripture, "HOnOr all
men," We have been brought up in
the belief that there is no such thing
as the divine right of kings in contra
ventiOn of the will of the people. Nor
yet have we been taught to believe in
the natural right of all men to distri-
The right of suffrage, like the right of
property, is rule of law and equity
for the best good of the community.
1t is no such natural right as the right
of liberty of motion or to choice of
work The elective franchise is an
exercise of sovereignty and, for the
good of the community, is conferred,
withheld or limited as the commune
ity may deem best for the develop
ment of its organic life. Public office
is Il public trust"
Here in these islands, as the COM
munity has also a perfect right to do,
the franchise has been extended for
good and sufficient reasons to resi-
dents, coming from other countries to
make their home and to earn their
livelihood here. One important con-
10, I1of
to support the authority of the gov
eminent, and to carry out the prOvi-
siOns of the laws enacted for the COM
mon good of the community. To
base the right of suffrage simply on
the payment of taxes is too narrow a
basis, belittling the great concerns of
government to the one question of
commercial value. But dignity and
worth do not depend on the question,
does it pay? A person may realize
the full value of all taxes paid in the
enjoyment of that public order and
| security which guarantees him all
reasonable liberty in the pursuit and
enjoyment of wealth.
If one is entitled to vote on the
specific ground that he is the pos
| SCISSOR of certain income, how can
women be refused the right of suf-
frage? Or on the ground of the adj
mitted natural equality of the sexes?
| The ceaseless clamor for woman's
suffrage, as natural right, is de-
mand of political ignorance for the
| degradation, not the emancipation, of
woman. Her sphere of influence is
by physiological facts, as well as by
logical arguments, far above the
| lower plane in which men move,
where too often they find themselves
struggling to get out of what is most
appropriately called "the mire OF
| politics."
Purity of the ballot means purity
of morals of aims, and methods in the
voters. Institutions may mold men
but men give character and scope to
institutions. In the long run, how
ever opposed by bosses and cranks,
rings and deals, wire-pulling and
| pipe-laying, in spite of machine poll
tics and Venal constituencies, the
ideas and plans of the wisest and the
best will prevail. Such rule these
ought to have, for from this leader
ship, open to all, no one is excluded
who can rightfully claim participa
ton in it. Civil service reform has
not won any sweeping victories, as
| yet, III TIE OHlGou IOGdCcSJ hOI h!<1ue
any stupendous changes in the Ha'
waiian Islands. But this only proves
that the political Millennium has not
vet come. The clock of time has moi
yet struck the hour for the nOon-tide
glory of the sun of righteousness
But the night has passed; creation O.
darkness and decay have more anC
more that publicity, which is the
vital breath of all responsible anC
popular government.
49, While industry brings its ricf
rewards of thrift and wealth, it is no
the material resources of country
that constitute it's true glory. Gods
Word has, indeed, much to say, espe
cially in the Old Testament Scrip
lures, of outward and material goot
as gifts of Divine favor. So much IL
fact is said of these physical advant
ages that many careless readers an(
thinkers fail to notice the highe
ethical principles which control an(
guide Gods dispensation of earthly
blessings. It was to the Jewish eX
lies in Babylon that Jeremiah sen
the message of hope and cheer o
which the text is part. But no
simply an increase of numbers was T.
rejoice the hearts of Gods people
The royal city was to be rebuilt Will
more than former grandeur. The ten
life of their patriarchal ancestor Abra
ham had given place to the city life o
David; and David's palace was to b
rebuilt in still more, regal splendor
The family is the true basis o