The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-03-21
THE OPPOSITION.

From the start the advice of the
''hoodlums"-as Minister Stevens
was kind enough to denominate the
leaders of the party of dissent from
the late revolution-to the Hawai-
ian people and all their sympathizers
was to quietly abide the decision of
the United States after both sides of
the case had been submitted to that
nation. This advice has been we'll
observed. Beginning with the ma
tives' mass meeting the day before
the revolution eliminated, and TAX
ing all the assemblies of different
organizations in behalf of both ma
tional independence and fair deal
in case of annexation, there has not
been an utterance reported which
was calculated in the slightest de-
gree to foment disturbance or resist
ance to the authority of the Provi-
sional Government after it came
into control of affairs. This sub
missiveness, this quiescence, has
really been the greatest obstacle to
the rushing through of the schemes
of the revolutionary party, without
taking time for investigation of all
the phases of the question, and for
statesmanlike adjustment of the
rights of persons and property most
concerned. A violent attitude of
opposition, or even a sullen assump-
tion of indifference-that might be
taken for a lying-low position to
seize the first opportunity for a
ounter-revolution-would have fit
ted much better into the plans of
the existing powers. These needed
positive and strenuous opposition to
enable them to keep their sup
porters in needed discipline. With
out such opposition elements within
their own camp soon made their
baneful influence felt, and the
necessity for protectorate of the
United States was the earliest pub
lie result. The active opposition to
details OF administration in this
paper and elsewhere, although at
first it elected an extreme sensitive
ness on the part of the Provisional
Government, has in reality tended
j to strengthen the hands of that
! body. 1t would have been we'll for
the Government and the country, in
| this transition period, had such op-
, position been more needed than has
) been the case. Apart from the salu-
tary effects of criticism on any ruling
body, it was greatly to the benefit OF
the Government, as we'll as eminent
ly in the public interest, to have
r a vigorous protest entered against
allowing the civil service to be made
the prey of spoilsmen who, under
. the false guise of supporters and
> promoters of better political or
der, went into the revolution solely
, for what they could get out of the
= wreck of the old institutions. The
5 greatest mistake the Government
t has made, mark the words for future
3 reference, has been its departure
: from a strictly "provisional' role
/, Its running off into new and un,
3 necessary legislation, opposed from
the beginning by this journal, has
been admitted by it's self-constituted
: organ to have been a wrong course
: Its giving way to the pressure fol-
e place, while its own tenure is con
y ceded to be only temporary, is the
b chief blunder of all. When all the
), officers in the list are apportioneC
!. among the clamorous crowd only I
t small proportion of its constituent
9 will have been satisfied. Besides, il
+ any hasty deal Of the kind, the de
Q gree of importunacy, conjoined will
I the amount of "pull" at command
e is bound to be more ayailing thar
S the provable competency of candi
o dates. Then what will become OF th'
p public interests to be served by |
civil service corps Of raw recruit