The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-02-24
"Civis'" Opinion Of the Annexa-
ton Club.
THE HAWAIIAN COMMONWEALTH.
A Letter That Fayors the Platform Of
the Union Party-The Fundamental
object of All Good Government
THE Lords OF the Soil"

seems to have come for a reorganiza.
ton OF the Provisional Government
would it not be well if there could be
sonie "open parliament" for public
discussion of the rights and princi
pies involved in such governmental
reconstruction The necessity for
such rehabilitation of executive and
legislative authority seems to be ac-
cepted with tacit unanimity, as was
of the Provisional Government by the
Committee of Public Safety. The
logic OF events carries more force with
it than all the pleadings of theorizers
or sentimentalists. There is but one
step to il. Never was there "a COM
munity, where so safely, so speedily,
so surely can conclusions be reached
and accepted so generally. But in
order to such general acceptance,
they must commend themselves TO
the average good sense and moral
standard of the community.
The Annexation Club has taken
the initiative iii issuing, with its en-
dorsement, the "Platform of the
Union Party" 1t seems desirable
that in some way free expression be
given for opinions and suggestions that
might aid in a wise solution of the
many difficult questions now before
the community. They are too i'm
portant to let them go by default, as
IS too often the case with measures
started in this community, and from
easy indifference not scrutiniZed nor
criticized by any one. Why not open
the columns of your paper for SYM
postum on these matters of public in
terest? 1t is discussion, open and fair,
that will lead to- a general consensus
of opinion, rather than the secret
caucus and the party whip to corral
the voters and force the issue. Such
discussion should be impersonal,
having only such force as the truth of
its statements, and the cogency of its
reasonings may give the opiuion
which is offered for consideration and
acceptance.
For one, i would like to second the
suggestion of the Star, that the name
to be adopted in place of Hawaiian
Kingdom" should be Hawaiian Com
monwealth-" L would prefer this to
"Free State" or "Republic," as more
correctly designating the fundamental
object, the true welfare of all classes
in the community. Glasses there
community conceivable or practicable,
whose basis shall be social or political
equalization on one dead level of uni
formity. Life is differentiation, but
not necessarily division. The aim
should be therefore to guard and pro-
mote the rights and interests of all
classes, whether laborers or capitalists,
child or guardian, Asiatic or Europe
an, native or foreigner, wife or hus-
band.
i am heartily in favor of the phrase
oIogy of the first article of the "Plat-
form of the Union Party" advocating
''the intension of popular representa-
tion.U That is the true expression
for the true aim, limitations of the
delegated power of tie community in
the exercise of governmental authOri-
ty on the principle of broadening
rather than minimizing that power.
But as L regard the duties and privi-
leges of citizenship, / would not give
the franchise to women, not that /
or depreciate the value of
woman's help in affairs of public in
terest, as in the official position ac-
corded to women by the new law in
regard to the organization of the
Board of Education; but because par
ticipatiou in the privileges of the
franchise involves parClclpa-
ton in other duties, which L would
not care TO impose upon the gentler
sex.
1T is in view of the fundament-
al object of all good government, to
which / have alluded, that L would
like to see one word added TO the ter
anthology of the second article, so that
Il Il 1nr-4 hn N
Union Party to be "the mainte-
nance of an honest, stable, and
equitable Government. y Gov
eminent official may be "honest"
in the fuIfilIment of his trust, taking
no more than is fair and right; but
ought not there to be a broader pur-
pose as well, to giUe to everyone what
is Just and honorable?
relieving that the lords of the
soil" are the real rulers in any coun-
try, / would not only make "the
public lands" available for small !
holdings, but / would urge the neces- /
sity and feasibility of simplifying and |
tenure of all land by the !
adoption in the Public Registry OF the !
New Zealand system, and by "a cumu-
Iatiye taxation of large landed estates, |
so that transfer of landed property !
shall be easy, and other forms OF pro |
ductive investment sought rather than |
in the rise of real estate |
from an unearned increment, or such /
of land as prevent the |
fullest and freest development of the |
of the country.
AS to "citiZens; rights" there is an |
in the word citizen that |
would seem to require an equally |
definite, yet more comprehensive,
term. Why not say every inhabitant,
every resident? Has not everyone in
the community, who has not forfeited
his liberties by his crimes, rights be-
lore our courts of law simply from the
fact of existence, living here among
us? Is the jurisdiction of this country
only for it's :'citizens2" Are Hawaiians
or 4 states to be excluded from citizen
ship in our commonwealth? III we can
not have manhood suffrage, "one man,