Hawaii holomua = Progress. [volume] (Honolulu) 1893-1895, 1894-05-29
The Freedom Of the Floor

sItions made by the p. z supper
tiers. the latest one embodied in
Club resolution takes the prize.
The Annexation Club doesn'
wish to nominate ThurstOn for a
seat in the Council. as it refused
to nominate him as a delegate
but to head off the poss bility
that Mr.. Dole and his seventeen
gallant followers may insist in
having the snowy" ambassador
in their midst. they tender Mr..
Thurston the freedom Of tie floor
and asks him to assist in framing
the new Constitutlon-already
framed. printed, sealed and ready
for delivery.
The constitutional convention
Is called in obedience to an Act
or decree issued by the Councils
1t provides that the convention
shall consist Of the nineteen
members of the Executive and
Adv sorry Councils besides
eighteen elected delegates. These
81 men are supposed to make a
Constitution. That is all the
decree authorizes them to do.
The decree does not give them
right or power to increase their
number III any arbitrary manner
and they can no more add Mr..
Thurston 20 their number than
they can decrease the authorized
membership.
And the humiliation implied
in such action Is it possible that
these 81 men, who we have been
constantly told possess all the
wealth. all the Intelligence, and
the very incarnation OF all
virtues are willing to admit that
they are incompetent to perform
the work which they unbidden
have assumedl Do all these
brilliant men like w. O. Smith,
Mendonca, Iosepa or Baldwin
stand ready to say that the
presence of Thurston ION the
floor is necessary or no constitu-
ton can be madel A more idiotic,
a more stupendous idea has never
emauated from any body of men
holding in their hands, although
temporarily, the dignity of a
nation the prosperity of a coun-
try.
III Mr.. Thurston is supposed to
have peculiar qualifcati ons for
framing constitutions why can he
not be seen in private by the
heads of the government and
communicate to them his alleged
excellent ideas or clever tricksl
Surely some of the Ministers
must possess ability enough to
repeat Mr.. Thurston's dogmas as
a school boy does his lesson. If
they cannot even do the parrot
act, they certainly are lncompet-
ent to frame constitutions, but
then they should have the modes
ty and good sense TO give the
freedom of the floor" to 81 other
men who would have ability, know
ledge and intelligence enough to
act without being prompted by
His Excel enev L. A. Thurston or
placing him on the floor like IA talk
ing machine between a janitor and
a Spittoon. Before the convention
is over the members will have
learned that they have talking
machines enough among them
without hiring any extras. Just
wait to the sluices of the Dam
of lao are opened.
The most serious part of the
business is though that the tax
payers are called upon to pay to
Mr. Thurston $500 month while
be is loafing around here. For
nearly year and a half has he
been the BENEFICIARY of the p. 9. !
government to that amount. And /
who wall dare to say that he has /
earned it. He has neglected his
official business m a most shame
iul manner He has deserted his
post, when it is claimed. his pre-
'ence was mostly needed. He
has devoted his time to attend to
lis private business and he has
been extremely prompt aud
regular in drawing his fat salary
rom the Hawaiian treasury. 1t
became necessary TO send other
men as commissioners or secre-
aries or whatever ou-please'
o assist Mr.. Thurston in his