The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-01-15
A Voice From the Living.

Mr.. EDITOR: I have read with in
terest your editorial of the 18th inst
in which you point out the worse
than suicidal policy of the Reform
party, or should say of the recog-
nized leaders, who, I think recent
events will justify me in saying, have
without even so much as consulting
their constituents or getting some
sort of expression, deliberately COM
promised the party by pledging its
support to the Mechanics Union and
Hui Kalaiaina, provided they would
put forward in nomination names
that would in a measure and under
the circumstances be acceptable to
the party. Had this in the slightest
degree been carried out; had the party
who are now being whipped into line
and ordered to vote the ticket of their
late political adversaries been recog-
nized to the extent of a nomination of
a single member of their party, they
might have been led to believe that
the Overtures were mutual, that the
hatchet was to be buried and, joining
issues against common enemy,
work hand in hand for the best in
terests of the country. But instead
of this, how have they been treated?
Not only have they been denied re-
presentation, but subjected to the fur
ther indignity of seeing the bloody
shirt of the National Reform party
Haunted in their faces. The COM
promise was supposed to have been
with the Mechanics Union and the
Hui Kalaiaina, instead of which it
now appears to be with the National
Reform party.
Can anything baser be imagined
thar to ask men who in 1887 were
willing to sacrifice their all, even
their lives for principle, and who in
1889 proved their sincerity at the
mouths of WilcoX's guns.
1t is hard for some of them TO for
get the 3Oth of July, 1889, and what
they had there to undergo in the in
terests of law and order. Not that
they regret the trials and Ordeals of
that day, but it is also hard to forget
that they were denounced and con-
demned by the very men they are
now asked to vote for, and that
within a few months of the above
events we were compelled to witness
the disgraceful spectacle of men from
whom we had q right to expect better
things, forming coalition with Will
cox for the purpose of undoing the
work for which they had risked so
much. What great impending cal
amity was there that rendered such a
coalition necessary, was it the pros
pect of q closer treaty with the United
States with bounty clause? Or was
it because that naughty Thurston
called somebody names?
It is only fair to suggest that men
who were willing to sacrifice their
all for principle in 1887 and 1889 are
rather apt to have bitter respect
for it yet, and while they may
be willing to bury all personal
| feelings for the common good.
It is asking too much of them to sup
port a party who have not only ruined
the main industry of the country by
defeating the proposed treaty with
| the United States, whereby we may
have secured the benefits of the
bounty, but were perfectly willing to
! ally themselves with Wilcox in 1890
in order to defeat the Reform party,
! for none other than personal motives.
[ 1t cannot be said that this alliance
was necessary to prevent any great
! impending evil; there were respon-
sible, able and representative men at
| the head of affairs-men whose ability
has not been questioned. Why, then,
this alliance with Wilcox? If he is
now considered such a bloodthirsty
revolutionist, pirate, etc, who must
be defeated at any cost, why was he
good enough in 1890 to be shaken by
| the hand and stand on the same plat