Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-05
The Daily Press and Its Political
Affiliations.
PREJUDICE AGAINST MISSIONARIES
The Character Of the Opposition to
the Republic.
P = r ITA n INFLU NOE



HONOLULU, August 20 1896.
For more than a year past opposition to
the repahl!:: has been declining. AT the
present time such opposition has few influ
entail supporters. The white and business
community may be said to be practically
unanimous In support of the republic.
Whatever disposition fingers to return to
monarchy IS mainly confined to the ma
tiyes, whose influence politically is of small
weight. OF such general unanimity, the
best evidence Is afforded by the attitude
OF our three Caily papers which possess
character and ability, the Advertiser, Bull
letin and Star. all OF which decidedly sup
port the republic. There is fourth daily
the Independent, which is violently hostile
TO the government and the republic. This
paper contains about one-fourth the read
ing matter and one-fifth of the advertise
mentS of the other papers. II cannot be
said to possess much semblance of decency.
Until about one year ago the Bulletin was
outspokenly hostile to the present regime
while maintaining fair sembance of
truth and propriety. 1t has gradually
worked round into tone of complacency
toward the republic, and of modified friend
illness toward the government, abstaining
from carplnS criticism. 1t would, in fact
be difficult ordinarily to find in it any in
dlcatlons or opposition to the admin!stra-
leagues. This attitude of the Bulletin may
be taken to represent a changed attitude of
d large class of more respectable whites,
especially OF Britishers, who had been
decided part1Sans of royalty, but for
year past have been coming to feel that
monarchy is thoroughly lost cause. They
now quite cheerfully acquiesce in the ex-
sting regime. and accept republican gov
eminent under this constitution as suitable
and desirable. although most of them are
probably opposed to annexation to the
tniied States, desiring British influence to
be ascendant.
The Nntivist Organ.
This paper. the Evening Bulletin, has
been for twelve years owned and run by
men who were allies Of the practically
heather party of Kalakaua and Lliuo-
kalani. as opposed to the reform or mis-
s!onary party of honest and progressive
government. among the active leaders of
which were Castle. Dole, Thurston and W.
~ smith. The fact is therefore a sig
nificant one that it has at last swung
around into line as friendly to the gov
eminent. 1t evinces a Widespread and gen
erai Improvement of sentiment in the hos
tile party.
The oldest of our three leading dailies is
the Pacltc Commercial Advertiser Of some
twenty-five years standing Ii became a
daily paper about seven wears ago Durino
most OF its existence it has been the prin-
cipai champion of the reform partv The
exception was during few Years when
kaIahaua notorious premier Walter NJ
Gibson. secured control OF the paper Up
ON his fall. in the revolution of 1857, the
Advertiser reverted to reform control AL
though IN no sense an organ of the govern
ment. 1t is so owned and directed largely
by the Castle connection. that it generally
represents the views and opinions of gov
crnment circles.
Such is somewhat less the case with the
Hawaiian Star, which was started in
March. 1S!E3. at the time of the expected
arrival of Mr.. Cleveland's commissioner
James II. Blount. 1t was then supposed
that Col. Blounts mission was to invest;-
gate the subject of annexation, and it was
deemed that strenuous newspaper advocacy
would assist the cause. 1t proved how
ever. that Mr.. BlOunt's errand was purely
to establish the truth of the royalist asser-
ton that the queen had been dethroned by
the menace oe the United States forces
from the Boston, under the iniuuitous con-
nlvance of Minister Stevens and Captain
Wiltse. The original aim Of the Stars ex-
istence was thus subverted 1t has, how
ever, successfully continued its existence
and is fairly prosperous. The steady
growth of Honolulu proves to Justify the
existence of three daily papers. Each of
them prints eight pages of medium size.
The Advertiser and Star employ linotype
machines.