The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-08-12
A Distressed Journal.
COMMUNICATED.

If the pen is mightier than the
sword our little regiment of guards
will have but poor chance against
the Advertiser. Destruction shall
fall upon sometimes, however,
the unexpected happens, and who
knows but that the soldiers will
come out of this bloodless fray with
colors flying after all. Joking aside,
however, does it not occur to the
Advertiser that possibly the major
ity of the house is righJ, and the
minority wrong2 May not there be
reasons for maintaining small
nucleus of military establishment,
as cogent here as in the United
States2 BY anybody not entirely
convinced of the truth of his own
position, these reasons may be found
to be of considerable weight.
The Advertiser says that in the
United States the army is merely a
nucleus to be increased in time of
war. This is positively untrue, if by
war we are to understand foreign
war; but if civil war be contem-
plated the raison d'etre of nucleus
exists as clearly in Hawaii as in
America, and more so.
In America there are large army
corps of volunteers. Each State
equips and maintains an army of
citizen soldiers Only the other day
at Homestead the entire force of
militia was called out by the Cover
nor of the State to suppress the
movement of the strikers. Now
here the thing is different. We have
no militia. The law forbids the
organization of volunteer corps.
On the other hand we are even
more at the mercy of our Monaghan
and japanese population, should it
become unruly, than is any State in
the Union at the mercy of malcon-
tent strikers. SO far we have es-
capped. But who knows, as times
grow harder, as wages decrease, and
laborers are imported at cheaper
rates, whether the thousands and
the tens of thousands of our semi.
barbarous labOrers may not show q
disposition to revolt? All things &c
by comparison. In America with &C
millions, an army of 80 thousand
will be found amply sufficient tc
maintain order and put down rioting
In Hawaii with a population of sc
thousand, 80 men well drilled and
armed will be a source of strength
in times of danger.
1t is perfectly certain that the
preparations made by the guard on
recent occasion had most salu-
tary cooling effect upon the excited
minds of our heroic revolutionists
1t is all very we'll to sheer when tn,
danger is averted, the misgivins
which existed as to the nature o
the reception to be expected at 10
lani Palace without doubt demora
lied and overthrow what woul'
have proved dangerous and fata
conspiracy. This is the reason VIII.
sensible people wish to have guarc
of our own. They are pleased t.
know that there is an element o
safety and security in our mids
ready and able to cope successful,
with any attempt likely to be mad
upon the peace and security of TIN
inhabitants of Honolulu. 1t is I'm
fair to say that the object of tn
troops is merely to mount guard a
the Palace gates, or to fire saluteS
1t is far wider than this. 1t is t.
reassure the residents of this cit
that in spite of the sneers and sar
casms of those who ought to know
better, the government means t.
maintain force, small indeed, bu
sufficient to put down anything Xix
lawlessness. We hope the guard
will be maintained in numbers, i
excellence of drill and in efiicienc,
We recommend the Advertiser, if
be so bitterly opposed to Royalt
and existing things in Hawaii to r,
tire to Johnston Island where eve
policeman would be unnecessar,
and whore its eyes would never |
offended by the sight of a to
soldier
think of Me at Home"