The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-04-05

our sovereign receives about $75,-
900 a year, or fifty per cent. more
than the President of the United
States, besides the use of $780,
600 palace. Considering the size
and resources Of the country such
an amount is preposterous, wicked,
and utterly indefensible. If we
add the cost of the household
troops, independent of the appro-
priation for band, flags and salutes,
which are things we would need
under any form of government, we
bring the amount up to consider
ably more than 100000 a year.
Economy should begin right here.
There is no place where it is more
needed.
Very funny indeed to those who
know anything of the matter is the
following: Again, [ do not think
it advisable to disband the small
but very efficient body of guards,
as it would leave the Government
at the mercy of the small number
of traitorous subjects who are, [
believe, only held in check by this
well-disciplined body" Every eff
cient body Of guards" is decidedly
rich. 1t would be interesting to
learn when, where and in what
way the household troops ever
demonstrated their efficiency. Less
than five years ago we had a sue
cessful revolution, accomplished
without bloodshed. There is no
record of this every efficient body"
having counted for anything on
that occasion. About two years
later there was q formidable insur-
rection, when a body of insurgents
with cannon and rifles took posses
sion of the Government building
and Palace yard and were finally
overcome after whole days siege.
On this memorable occasion, which
cost seven men aeir lives, the every
efficient body" aforesaid failed to
fire a single shot or take any &C
tive measures of any kind to main
tain the authority of the Govern
ment, but left the whole work of
suppressing the instruction to be
done by the police and a militia
assisted by civilian
volunteers, the actual fighting be-
ing mostly done by the latter.
This may be the "Royalist" idea of
efficiency, but it hardly commends
itself to common sense.
Then we are told that to disband
it (''the very efficient, etc"), would
leave the Government at the mercy
gifts "traitorous subjects" who are
as "small number" 1t
is generally understood at the pres
ent day that the safety and stabil-
ity of civilized governments, mon
included, lies mainly in the
confidence and respect of those who
live under them. That is the
on which the Hawaiian
throne used to rest, but 'Royalist"
proclaims to the world that such is
no longer the case. He solemnly
declares that a little body of hire
ling soldiery, limited by law to a
of sixty-fve officers and
privates, is all that stands between
the monarchy and perdition and
yet he declares the traitorous ele-
ment to be "small number"
Well, perhaps he is right; but even
if the Government has really fallen
as low as he says it has, I should
scarcely think the Queen would
thank him for calling attention to
the fact. If this three score of
soldier boys, of doubtful loyalty
and probable inefficiency, are all
she has to depend upon, the mon
archy is in a bad way, and the
Queen had better sell out on the
best attainable terms while she has
anything left to trade on.
EfTnnE