The Hawaiian gazette., 1896-06-16
a FARc1cAL FINALE

The members OF the Legislature who
have undergone such a wonderful
change in their opinions on the Regis
tration law viii 90 on record as the
most wonderful legislative eontortion-
lists that ever struck the law-making
stage Of Hawaii The members who
voted against the Registration law are
Of course amused and pleased to wit
ness the prediczment their brethren
have placed themselves in, and those
Who once had convictions but have in
the course Of six weeks lost them are
endeavoring to lay back on that rosy
bed. the opinion Of the masses" in
hopes that they will there find rest from
their woes and peaceful forgetfulness
OF all that has gone before.
Possibly this quiet rest viii be
found, but we douhht it. Already the
masses are beginning to point to the
lack Of legislative backbone and to
wonder how many more session laws
Of 1886 would be repealed if the Legis-
lature remained in session another ten
days 1t has been said that the passage
Of the Repeal Act will show the people
that the Legislature is careful body
and when it passes law that is OBJ
noxious, knows enough to repeal il
The Repeal Act will do nothing of the
kind. II will inspire nothing but lack
Of confidence in the ability of legisla.
tors to Iegslate according to their
convictions It is a direct proof to the
unthinking -massesS that they can
sway the legislative mind Just as they
please by simply making noise No
member OF the Legislature can deny
IL In the only question where a point
has been brought TO an issue the
Legislature has been routed horse.
foot and Dragon They have tumbled
over each other apparently in their
desire 10 let a disseminated few know
that they viii cave in on demand if the
calamity howIers talk loud enough
The Repeal Act viii probably pass
the third reading in the Senate on this
the last day Of the session What a
fareieal, horse-pIay bit of drama is the
finale Of the session II Anthony Hope
were in the country he would find in
il material for q book second only TO
his tale Of South American country.
In what blaze Of glory the legisla-
tors go home to their constituents.
The story viii be short one They
passed the Registration law and put in
an obnoxious thtmb-mark and one OF
two other things that were not needed
After the law went into effect some
one raised a rumpus about the objec-
tionabIe featuresHthat could easily be
eliminated Using this as a handle,
those in the Legislature who opposed
the law in the first place began to work
upon the legislative conviction, and
as result Senate and House caueusses
were held After this the Repeal Act
vas introduced, and with one or two
exceptions each member sat in his seat
and voted to wipe out Of existence
bill he had assisted in creating only
seven weeks previous Little or no ex-
PLANTATION was given fort sudden re-
version Of opinion, except that the bill /
seemed to be unpopular. Nearly every
member answered aye TO the muster
role threw his previous convictions to
the winds and Topped into line
This may be craftsmanship, it may
be . display Of unusual nerve and couF-
age. but it takes the mind Of man who
turned in his shoes and walked bark
wards to demonstrate the problem in
question along these lines As this IS
the last day Of the session, we Ecald
suggest that the Senate adjourn sine
die before the Repeal Act passes the
bird reading and thereby remove the
impending blot from the legislative e.
.utcheon-