The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-08-08
WHAT WILL HAPPEN ?

The question of the hour is, What
will happen when the flag goes up?"
The reply is. that so far as the daily
life of the average citizen is concerned,
nothing will happen.
Custom House entries and clearances
will continue to be made.
The same licenses win hav~to taken
out and paid for.
The water carts Will still defy pro-
test and common sense and drench the
streets into impossible muck and mas
tiness.
The police viii still keep open house
for the benefit OF the citizen who sees
two electric lights on each corner and
cannot remember whether he lives at
Palama or PunahoU.
Brother Paine's skinny mules viii
still YEARLY drag the grimy cars along
at the usual lightning speed
The tax assessor will be as devoid of
compassion as ever and remorselessly
do business at the old stand.
The Advertiser will continue to daily
cheer the lives of the widow and the
orphan and give business pointers to
the capitalist, while Liliuokalani and
Mr.. Dole will continue to subscribe, be-
cause they cannot do without it.
By the terms of the annexation reso-
luton all Hawaiian laws not in con
fict with the United States Constitu-
tion are to continue in full force, which
covers nearly all of them.
The main change that is possible is
in the personnel of the Government
officers. President Mckinley has the
power to remove every officer from
Presidentto Pound Keeper, and appoint
whom he pIeases, and will continue tC
have this power until Congress other
wise provides.
This power is however a Theoretical
one only, and is lodged in the Presi
dent simply because it must be some
where There is not the remOtes
probability, however that the Presi
dent will exercise this power except il
the most general way. He Will prob
ably begin by confirming all officer!
now in office, requiring each to take
the oath Of allegiance to the United
States. AS vacancies from time to time
occur. they will doubtless be filled b!
the heads of local departments anC
other officers in accordance with the
terms OF Hawaiian laws on the sub
1ect; all appointees continuing to hold
office. subject to removal by the Presi
dent.
A safe rule for every Government
officer who is in doubt as to what ht
ought to do, is, to do just what he
would have done if annexation had no
taken place. until he gets contrary or
ders from his superior officer.
A safe rule for the citizen to act upoT
is, that until Congress passes specia,
laws on the subject, all laws and
methods affecting business will con
tinue unchanged. The Hawaiian and
not the American customs, postal anC
revenue laws viii continue in force.
AS Congress does not meet until De
cember and viii not probably act unit
January or February, the business
community has practically six months
in which to prepare for the new rate
of duty and other changes.
What Congress will do is a matte
of prophecy which is an uncertain
science; but there is no reason to be
ieve that there will be any more dis
elimination against Hawaii, than Their
is against any other portion of tn
United States.
The essence of Americanism is ''Fat
PLAY" and we will get it.
TERMS OF PEACE.