The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-11-12

now
With the aid Of the Liberals, the
reform party is now in power, with
four Ministers Of their own choice.
Lit Is to be hoped, for the sake OF sta
blllty and the quicker solution OF our
political problems, that these Minis
tiers may retain Office and prove com
potent to deal with the several i'm
portant and delicate questions which
the nation must face. It must be
remarked, however, that the Cabinet
has every element of weakness. DIR.
Thurston and his following contend
that they were struggling for con-
stitutional principle, viz: Majority
rule" and that this principle has
been established by the accession Of
straight Reform Cabinet into power.
This POSITION is false, for there has
been no principle established. Before
toying with constitutional principles
Mr.. Thurston Should familiariZe
himself with its logic, history and
practice in other countries where 1T
has been evolved, and be would learn
that wherever the principle of major
ity rule, or the rule of the people, Is
recognized it distinctly means that
those in power must represent ma
jority of the people to be governed,
and must have received the support
of the people. No combination
formed by coquetry, bribery or cor
ruption that does not represent the
electorate can claim to hold power by
the will of the people, or the majority.
The Reform party being in minor
ity acquire power through the assist
ance of the Liberal party. 1t was,
therefore, only in just accord with
the principle of majority rule that
the people represented by the Lib
erals should have had at least seat
in the Cabinet; but they have been
ignored, and are naturally indignant.
Again, the principle of majority rule
or representative government is ut
terly ignored by the appointment OF
Mr.. Robinson and Mr.. Brown into
the Cabinet-two men who were
badly defeated by the people in the
last elections. Such appointments
would be impossible in England,
whose Constitutional precedents we
are supposed to follow. I fear that
the constitutional principles that
Mr.. Thurston and his partizan fol
lowing have contended for and claim
to have established is entirely too
original, and will scarcely have the
merit of being quoted as precedent
in other countries where more ma
ture minds and more clear discern
ment prevails. The only principle
that has been established here in the
last few weeks is that the Reform
party are determined to have power
either by money, by hook or by
crook, and this they have got by
either one or all three Of these
means.
But since the Reform party are
now in power, and the personnel
of the Cabinet is all that could be de-
sired in integrity, intelligence and
ability, L, as a Liberal and for the
sake of peace, hope that they will be
continued in Office till the next ses-
sion of the Legislature at least, when
the elections will have determined
more clearly which party the people
prefer to trust with the administra-
ton. And since the reformers have
valued Liberal votes, they may also
find some of the Liberal politics
acceptable.
MIR. Marques has advanced some
points that are we'll worthy of close
consideration. The chief disability
Of the Government at the present
time is the want of funds necessary
for public improvements and for de
veloping the internal resources Of the
country. Mr.. Marques suggestion
to refund the national debt at lower
rate of interest, and to obtain fur
Their loan, is not chimerical, but alb
solutely practicable. The Liberia
leaders had influential friends here
and abroad, and it was discovered
that with the proper men to handle
it a new Hawaiian loan could be
easily foated abroad, especially IL
France, where money is as abundant
as in England and seeking safe IN
vestment.
I cannot trespass much further up
on your space to dilate upon this
topic, but will state briefly the points
in its favor. Refunding the debt a
Al or per cent. would effect large
saving in interest. A new loan of on
or two millions, if wisely applied
would enable the country to start oil
new career of prosperity. 1t woul(
be better to have our bonds held il
France than anywhere else, for tina
country is one of the Treaty power
that guarantees our independence
She is very friendly to us, has NJ
aggressive tendencies in the Pacific
and the operations Of her tinancier
in other parts of the world has a
ways been honorable and creditablt
. in contradistinction to England
whose bondholders usually furnish
stepping stone to the political as
grandizement of the Government
The recent activity of England i
the South Seas and on the Pacifi
Coast ought to be warning to L
before we become her debtor, for sh
fosters too belligerent intimacy bt
tween her bonds and her guns.
: 1t certainly is humiliating col
! . dition of government that gives OF
I local money brokers such power
the formation of Cabinets, and it
y imperative that the GovernmeI
J sh6uId he lndependept of such inf