The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-11-17
WHO SHALL VOTE 7"
Eprron BULLETIN

Sh'bAN iihFC bdlliCl CdliSu WV "ioNh
ION of the electorate to this scheme
of wholesale robbery of political
rights. 1t seems an anomalous con-
dllion where we see political parties
formed and plans of campaign ar
ranged specially on the question of
abolishing or retaining the diffefen-
tial mobiles franchise; when at The
same time such an unheard-of pro.
position as to rob two-tifths of the
electors for both Mobiles and Repre-
sentatives of all voice in the political
government of the country excites
no word of comment from any organ
lied political association, or from the
press. This latter fact has done
much to confirm the charge. 80 oft
repeated both at home and abroad,
that the Honolulu press is muzzled.
When the Philistines are so close
upon us silence cannot be justified
on any ground of political party
necessity. The hope of the Mission
ary- Reform party in the last Legls-
lature was that by taking their votes
from the white mechanics, clerks and
others who had received the fran
chise through the operation of the
Constitution of 1887 they could
control the native vote as easily
AS they did before Mr.. Gibson
stole in on their political pre-
serves. The DISTINGUISHING OF the
whites was not asked for and
is not wished for, by the native
Hawaiians: it is only the family
compact whites, who fear the compe-
tition of adventures" Gas they
denominate all whites whose fathers
were not deserving whalers or pro-
motors of the Connecticut Blue
Laws), who advocate this political
monstrosity, in hope of thereby re-
gaining over the native voters that
ascendancy which they had lost by
the introduction of new element
into Hawaiian politician element
imbued with the political doctrine of
equal rights for all, regardless of
the influence or pretenslons OF family
compact monopolists.
For the same reasons, neither can
silence be justified on the ground that
any particular party is responsible
for this act of political treachery:
nor by the fact that it was the result
of rascally coalition of the bosses
of both political parties. of the day
for the purpose of promoting the in
terests of the classes against the in
terests of the masses. To speak of
any feeling of justice, political mo
rality or patriotism actuating the
authors OF this attempted outrage
would be roaring farce to all who
know those small bore politicians;
but, aside from this. if they had The
brains which their legislative position
should (but does noD demand, they
would have realized that the deprlv
ing of large body of the electorate
of their established political rights is
not in the same political category
with an extension of or refusal to ex
tend the franchise. 1t is an act of
Revolution-though sought to be en-
forced under constitutional garb-
and should be met by the united
strength of the masses, in public
and private discussion and at the
polls, in order that the ballot may
lawfully preserve what it required
force to accomplish, and what the
proposed piracy would justify force,
if necessary, in assisting to maintain.
Ia an article under the above head
ing the Reform organ of the 18th in
slant denounces this scheme as being
scheme of the "BusL- Wilcox fac
tion"--a statement VIGOROUSLY un-
true. The official record of the
parliamentary proceedings shows
that the Missionary. Reform members
voted IS unit for the piracy: while
it was opposed, on division, by only
five members: and of these, one was
r. w. Wilcox, and the other four
were acknowledged followers of his.
But whatever the motive prompting
The Advertisers denunciation of a
political crime, we should like TO take
the fact as evidence of the indepen-
dence of that journal where great is
sues are involved; even its POLITICAL
enemies must acknowledge its oour-
age in throwing the gauntlet in the
faces of party bosses, irrespective of
the personnel of the authors of the
nefarlous scheme (who are of its
own political family, and not of the
"Bush Wilcox faction }, and re-
gardless of bald and abstract politi
cal theories.
AS the BULLETIN is 'pIedged to
neither sect nor party, but estab-
lished for the benefit of ALL we
would ask that silence be broken ON
this grave subject. And it is safe
to affirm that no act of treachery on
the part of political bosses will be
allowed to jeopardise the very exist
ence of political institutions here by
anything less than forcible depriva-
ton of well-estahHshed rights to men
whose establishing of such rights
has been contemporaneous with and
inter dependent upon the accomplish
ment of whatever political reforms
exist under the present Constitution.
BYSTANDER.