The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-01-15
THE POLITICAL PARDON(
AN ARGUMENT FOR HARMONY IN
THE STATE.
The Minister of Finance Would Ex-
tend the Right Hand of Fellowship
-Ena and Robertson Speak.

For some little time past the Presi-
dent and his Cabinet have given
earnest consideration to the political
prisoners on parole. The proposition
of pardoning all providing oaths of
fealty would be forthcoming has met
with favor.
just before the convening of the
Council of State. yesterday afternoon,
Robert w. Wilcox, one of the leaders
of the 1895 revolution. who was SEN
fenced to imprisonment and II heavy
fine placed his application for pardon
in the hands of Attorney General
Smith. Wilcox asked for the restora-
ton of his citizenship rights and he
agreed to take an oath of allegiance
to the government. The Attorney Gen
eral stated that as the application had
not received the consideration of the
Cabinet he could not bring it before
the Council.
Councillor A. G.. NJ. Robertson ask
ed if the Ministry would object to
hearing the opinion of the Councillors
as to the political prisoners on parole
As for himself he was decidedly in
favor of pardoning all and remitting
the fines. Their oifense had passed
away and the prisoners were greatly
embarrassed in their business affairs
with fines hanging over their heads
which he understood would never he
collected.
Acting President Cooper announced
that the matter had been considered
by the Executive Council. The gov
ernment did not feel warranted in ta-
king the initiative in any of the cas-
es. Mr. Wilcox was the first man 10
apply for a pardon.
Minister of Finance S. VI. Damon
took the floor and made Il sincere APP
peal for the political prisoners, insist
ing that it was for the sake of har-
mony Il feel myself" said Minister
Damon, that the time has arrived
when we ought to hold out the right
hand of fellowship to anyone who has
been in opposition to us in the past,
and who shows "A desire, even as il has
been expressed at the very last mo-
ment, to recognize the Republic.
''It seems to me wise that we should
forget the past and look ahead to the
brighter future The most of these
men are Hawaiians, and now looking
at it in purely political spirit it
seems to me that it is our golden OPP
portunity to say to the Hawaiians:
You have been an opposition to us;
we respect your feelings: we respect
you more because you have seen fit
to come forward and recognize the Re
public and forget the past
1T has been no easy affair for the
Hawaiian, nor is not today for them,
to recognize the change in affairs For
eigners are accustomed to Il Republic,
but the Hawaiian has been brought up
for generations to look up to his
chief and his sovereign. And he
does feel Il dread of the power of tine
foreigner coming in here. He feels as
though he was to be brushed to one
side, and believe this is an oppor-
tunity for us now to say to him: The
door is open; we are ready to forget
the past
whether we are to be annexed to
the Great Republic in ii very short
time or in IA longer time, we should
be ready to welcome those who are IN
opposition to us. If we are not ready
now after II lapse of practically five
years, my opinion is that that time
enough to make up our minds wheth-
er we are going to call the past quits
and start in again. 1t seems to me
that the Republic is too well estab-
lished to harbor this. We want to go
ahead and progress in this country.
| This question of the voting pOpula-
tion being in the minority cannot hold
on forever. If we are Republic we
want to have Il common country ana
common ground to work upon: and
to say that part of this community
is to be kept outside the pale seems
to me a great mistake and | have al
ways urged this in the past
Every time we have taken an ad-
vance step and allowed those who are
ready to come in and join us we have
never lost ground, 1t has always been
help to us to take that step and /
maintain that it is the proper step for
us to take at this time"
At the conclusion of Minister Da-
mons informal remarks, Councillor
John Ena asked for recognition. 81
fully agree with the views expressed
by Minister Damon. | believe that the
time has arrived to wipe the past out.
TO wait until they petition the govern
ment might take years. 1t seems to
me that it would be an act of kindness
to extend the hand of fellowship TO
those people by the Executive Council
and the Council of State, and say to
them: You are free men. do as you
please | firmly believe that it would
add strength to the government to
adopt that policy. 1t would make
those people feel their obligation and
our Kindness, and lead them to act in
ac ord with us
Councillor Wilder stated that this
matter was new business and could
not be brought before the Council. He
hal hoped the Executive would bring
up the matter. Until il did he would
not express his opinion.
II is now quite probable that the
Executive will bring up the matter of
] ..In al hA nrisn