The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-08-10
Grievance Because Of No Big Flag
Demonstration.
NO CHANCE FOR ENTHUSIASM
Committee Doing Nothing - Fire
Holiday on Friday.

| About all of the Annexation Club of
| ficers and a good many of the common
| peopie about town feel that they have a
| grievance in that there is to be no pop
uiar feature or demonstration in the Flag
Raising on Friday. Said one of the Club
officials last evening: I'VE have been led
10 believe that the rank and file would
be given an opportunity to assist in some
way in the consummation of the act we
have been to some degree instrumental in
bringing about. Now we learn at the last
minutes that it is all to be solemn and
straightIaced as a Scotch prayer meeting
and that it's to be red tape only and
stingy measure of that from beginning to
end. There is no use having a holiday.
The affair Will be a touch and go matter
of ten minutes. We may be sentimental
and it may be that in five years and a
half we have absorbed too much enthus-
asm with the Idea that we would be al
lowed to explode on the great day. But
it's to be strictly quiet and like a high
church wedding.
Now, we held out from the Fourth of
July a couple of tons of fireworks. There
will be no chance to set them off Friday
night. The State reception and ball are
scheduled for s o'clock and it wouldn't
be nice for US to set up a counter attrac-
ton. Why didn't they set the ball for g.?
I think the common people viii just watch
the raising from afar. They will be afraid
that if they get too close they might
cheer and jar some nerves.
The Annexation Club officers, who hap
pened to be the Citizens Committee for
the occasion of proposed "side" or ac-
companying or unofficial ceremonies, held
a meeting yesterday afternoon and did
nothing There was no decision because
some of them We're so mad that the 9th
ers secured adjournment to avoid any
hasty action that might later appear un-
seemly or bring about unpleasant results.
There were proposals for an afternoon
celebration on Friday, but it was consid-
cred that there was not time enough forI
preparation. Then a general holiday for
Saturday was suggested. This was talked
down as being like a wake after a fun
eral There was adjournment without
any vote at all except on the motion toI
adjourn.
Last evening some of the officers of the
Annexation Club held consultation. Att
first ii was the sense of the assembly that
the fireworks should be used in the after
noon and during the evening. There was
serious objection to this the ground /
mentioned above and for the further rea-
son that use of the only available place, |
Union Square would cause the carriage
and kill some people.
1t may be that today, or even later than
today, the Annexation Club officers will (
decide that something shall be done. They !
feel that good sized sign of some sort
should be made 1--WE want to be joy
full said one of the officials now. how
can do it There was no serious
answer. This speaker continued: THE
Flag Raising Will be written up for d
good many papers in the States. If we
are not permitted to evince enthusiasm
or approval in the genuine American style
the correspondents win say that the Gov
arnment has no following and that the
Stars and Stripes were received in suIlen
silence, or something of that sort
A delegate is to be sent to Minister
sewaH this morning, but it is extremely
doubtful if there can be effected any
change of program. The die is cast, as
Toral said at Santiago de Cuba.
The Hawaiian officials merely say that
the ceremonies are to be simple and
formal and that no one can know what
they are till the performance is pau and
that there was only tentative acquiesc-
ence in down town arrangements.
An official of the Republic who knows
for a certainty just what will be done on
Friday Salu to an Advertiser reporter:
I'D like to tell you for publication, be
cause I think the people should be in
formed and because / fail to understand [
why Minister Sewall imposes such strict
secrecy. 1t all really doesn't amount to
shuclIs- You know il without being told.
[ have seen something of official business
in my lifetime. but 1 never have before
encountered just such peculiar secret
as the American Minister so dearly cher
isheS."
From this it may be concluded that the
program Will be precisely as it has been
given in the Advertiser half dozen times.
1t has been printed in some of the papers
here that President Dole will make a
speech. of course he viii not. for this
will be a formal and ceremonial occasion.
He viii thus address Minister SewaH at
the correct moment.
There has been no proclamation of a
holiday, and unless there is a radical
change in the program there will not be
much of a holiday. The turnout of the
Citizens Guard viii probably not be so
d tai II u