The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-07-07
4 NATIVE POLITICIAN.

The native politician is what
Mark Twain would call queer
bird. He cannot be depended
upop. because he cannot depend
unon himself. There is scarcely
native politician in Hawaii VINO
has not, within the past few years.
been upon both sides of every pub
lie question which has arisen.
1t is not surprising then to find
the average native politician easily
passing from one side to the other
of the annexation question at the
present time. He is just as liable
to shift again and again during the
next few months before the issue is
finally settled. He is as unstable
as water and his political prlncl-
ples and national ideas float like
corks with every change of the tide.
It is this trait of unstableness IN
the average native which makes
him the political tool instead OF
the national leader. 1t is the evil
dent unreliableness of his character
which brings him within the con-
tempt of the haole and wins Tor
him the tickle support and adher-
ence of the natives, who are like
master, like man" in politics, and
in everything else where sturdy.
manhood is the first and last
requisite.
These remarks have been prompt
ed by a perusal of a typical letter
written about month ago to that
other political scapegrace, Celso
Caesar Moreno, by Robert w. Will
cox of Honolulu Mr.. Wilcox is a
typical Hawaiian politician. A
few months ago he claimed to be
in favor of annexation, but nobody
believed him then, or believes him
now, when he claims to be thor
ough-paced royalist. There are
half dozen more native politicians
in Honolulu in about the same I'M
enviable position as Mr.. Wilcox.
Consistency is an unknown term
in the political methods of the ma
tive politician, and hence the fact
that Mr.. Wilcox, in his letter to
that other queer political bird, Gel
SO Cesar Moreno, says just the OPP
posite of what he said a short time
ago, is of little moment and of less
weight. In January last Mr.. Will
cox claimed, with a smirk and a
giggle, to be an annexationist-
for all there was believed to be in
it at that time. With such I'M
stable leaders, there is little hope
for any cause which they may see
fit to temporarily espouse. If the
annexation cause, like the royalist,
was dependent upon such hackers
and leaders, it would be already in
a state of collapse, like that of the
ex-queen. Fortunately, Anglo
Saxon politics and politicians are
made of different stuff, and have a
habit of clinging to cause until
success is assured, and all obsta-
cles are finally overcome.
It is such considerations as these
which make the political winnings
of Mr.. Wilcox to his "dear friend
Moreno" extremely characteristic,
and at the same time utterly con-
temptible. As far as Robert w.
Wilcox, the native politician, is
concerned, he is hardly worthy Of
notice in connection with such a
grave question as the annexation
of these islands to the United
States. Here at home neither his
political friendship nor enmity are
of any weight, either with natives
or foreigners, for none trust him.
Abroad, however, where his politi-
cal character and methods are I'M
known, the correction may be
judiciously made.