The record-union., 1893-02-02
THE HAWAIIAN SITUATION.

Mr.. Evans, one of the Hawaiian
Queens officers, now in Chicago, says
that there is another side to the revolu-
ton In Hawaii, and as we have heard
but one side, and that from revolutionists,
it would be well to wait for news from
the other side
OF course there is another side; there
could be no revolution without two sides:
a revolt is necessarily against something,
and opposed by something. Mr.. Evans
admits that the other side is simply the
determination of the throne to restore the
constitution of the earlier rule.
That is quite enough. Since it is we'll
understood that that constitution was
retrogressive, in that it vested greater
power in the throne, and erected what
would be very nearly an absolute mon
archy in "a country that has for long time
been more and more nearly approaching
democratic system, and was daily being
more dominated by the thought of men
who believe in free institutions and the
right of the governed to name their gov
ernors, it is easy to understand the mo-
tive of the revolt, and it is natural that
the American people should sympathize
with it.
So much for that. The other facts are
that both the leading Hawaiian papers.
the Advertiser and the Gazette, confirm
the statements made by revolutionist
Commissioners. One of these statements
is specific complaint that the Queen
authorized the establishment of gigantic
lottery scheme, which was so detesta-
BILE, so wholly infamous and was so
abhorrent to decent people that no resort
was open to them except revolt, since
protest and warning had alike been
treated contemporary by the crown.
As the Gazette puts it-and it is, by the
way, not supporting the revolution, but
contending for maintenance of the pres
ent constitution, and objects to any change
in the form of Government:
The bill will make convict labor plentiful:
IL will diminish the wealth of the country. I'm rn
over it to gigantic corporations; interfere
with the freedom OF the franchise; corrupt the
police and the executive; call into full actiVit
all the clements OF political intrigue; interfere
with the freedom of legislative action; encour-
age bribery: overshadow the Government;
imperil. and in the last Instance destroy, the
independence OF the country.
If there were no other cemplaints-and
we quote from an anti-revolution journal
we submit that to sell out the Govern
ment of vest-pocket kingdom to an I'M
scrupulous gambling concern for price
fixed is quite enough to justify revolt
after all peaceable means to prevent the
disaster had failed.
The Gazette, struggling hopelessly for
preserving the Government as it is, re-
sisting both the Queen and the revolu-
tionists, declares that the Queens action
is revolutionary and adds:
The Queen, without authority or color of
law. attempted TO overthrow the Constitution
of the Hawaiian Kingdom aud to substitute
an instrument OF her own deVlSing in its place.
Her action was illegal and revolutionary, and
if the attempt Which she has made had been
made by a private citizen, he would have
been rebel and a revolulonist The obliga-
ton of the sovereign TO obey the laws is the
same that Of the Ineanest subject and acts
which would be rebellious ana revolutionary
in him are no less rebellious and revolutions
AIRY in her. High station does not condone a
trsinsgression against the laws. Wealth and
rank are not Justification of wrong doing
and the action OF her majesty must be viewed
exactly as that of anyone else would be- The
Queen is one of the guardians of the law
She has taken solemn oath 10 support the
Constitution. She is at the head of the State
and when she detieS il she not merely is
guilty OF an overt act of treason, but she VIC
lates her oath, and is treacherous to a solemn
obligation.
This reads very much as has many
another protest against royal aggression
by an oppressed people. There is
marked similarity between the following
words and many a record in history of
uprising by a people in defense of The
right:
Unlawful demands were made upon the
Ministers. and these demands were supported
by threats. The troops. were drawn UP with
their belts stuck full of cartridges, to intimi-
date the Cabinet, and If necessary TO Suppress
any resistance which might be made after the