The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-12
PAUL NEUMANN'S BRIEF.
He Wants to Have An Aboriginal
Plebiscite.

Hon. S. b. Dole-DEAR SIR The
situation in the Hawaiian Islands is
unsatisfactory and complaints are loud
on all sides. To the present uncer.
tainty are attributed hard times, Ian
gushing trade, and the wearing strain
upon the mind and patience of the
people anyhow, it is thought that re.
moving the existing uncertainty Of our
condition will abolish those evils
The people of the Islands have re-
manned in conservative expectancy
Even those who are not widely en-.
thusiastic in favor of annexation will.
ingly credit to the party at whose head
you stand an honest purpose to benefit
all the people of this country by Their
policy. Why, however, this delay in
positive action.
This letter is addressed to you, firstly,
because you have assumed all response
bility by assuming the leadership OF
your party; secondly, because number
Of people, though not content with the
state Of affairs, yet give tacit support
to the Provisional Government because
they have confidence in your character,
disposition, integrity and ability.
But their faith in your strength and
in your courage to do what is just and
right is waverng.
Leaving aside certain Objectionable
acts of your party-objectonable be.
cause they were certainly unnecessary
and presumably mpolltic--such as the
childish interference with the band, the
absurd military bill and others-the
people acquiesced in your leadership
and in the direction of public business
by your colleagues and by the Advisory
Council Because the people conhde
in your honesty nothing has been done
to impede your course of action or to
thwart your policy. Is, however, the
present condition to continue in
definitely
Do you, do your colleagues, does
the Council, and do your partisans be
lieve that a government established
under the circumstances under which
this Government was created-a gov
eminent existing without, will not say
against, the consent of the Hawaiian
people can be permanently mantained1
This, you know, is not probable-it is
not possible. An attempt to shape
your action to accord with such
belief may be fraught with very serious,
perhaps dangerous results.
1t is not necessary to advance the
proposition that annexation is entirely
impossible; it is undeniably impossible
without an expression of the will of the
Hawaiian people. The United States
would not, without such an expression,
annex this country in any form or under
any conditions.
1t is obvious that neither the pre-
vious "elan" which inspired the Annex
ationists last February, nor the propa
ganda which the small portion of the
American press and the stereotyped
sermon of ex-Minister Stevens may
make will induce the American people
to garrote the Hawaiian and steal the
Islands
1t is strange that men of such in
telligence and political experience as
some members and partisans of the
Provisional Government are could not
forsee the fact that the American nation
are not filibusters, and that instead of
attempting to gain annexation by legiti-
mate efforts in the Islands, you tried
by foreign and unlawful assistance to
knock Mr.. Stevens ripe pear off the
Hawaiian tree. 1t was a misdirected
blow. The United States did not
spread the bag to receive the pear, it is
hanging there yet, and nobody was
struck unless our respected friend Mr..
Stevens, as one may fairly judge from
the groans of pain which he emitted in
San Francisco before the Chamber of
Commerce. In the end not even the
resolutions of the San Francisco Cham.
Der of Commerce will help to annex
the Islands.
The point is what can, what should
be done and what is your duty at this
timer All possible propositions lead
to but one conclusion, and a very
cogent conclusion. A plebiscitum
must be held Why wait until this
necessity is pointed out by the Am.
erican Congress, to whom very prob
ably the President will submit the Ha-
waiian question: Does anyone believe
that the indecency heretofore attempted
through false reports sent to Mr..
Harrison and Mr.. Foster can be re-
peated, and that the Hawaiian people
will be robbed of their independence
against their expressed consent, or will
have the benefits of annexation con-
ferred upon them without their ex
pressed wish2 Whoever believes that
does not know the United States of
America.
Ifthe qualified voters of the Hawaiian
Islands ratify the actions Of the COM
mittee of safety and of the Provisional
Government, you will need no army to
strike terror into the hearts of the NAL
contents If they do not endorse you,
what right have you to usurp the func-
tons of government
If the people ratify those acts and
approve your political existence as
rulers, every decent, intelligent and
well-meaning resident, though no ad-