The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-08-20
SATURDAY, AUG. 20, 1898.
WILL THEY DO TIP

The San Francisco News Letter
tells the Commissioners to Hawaii
what they ought to do while here,
and what they ought not to do. 1t
warns the Commissioners against
accepting the hospitality Of private
individuals. If they are wise they
will follow the advice. When Mr..
and Mrs. Blount arrived here the
former refused all social intercourse
with private individuals, while Mrs.
Blount accepted certain triAing at.
tentions from the ladies connected
with the Dole clique. When Blount
hauled down the flag by order Of
Mr.. Cleveland and restored the pro-
per flag to the islands; and when his
report became known, Mr.. and Mrs.
Blount were abused verbally and in
print in most venomous manner.
One lady, whose letter was publish
ed in an American paper, complain.
ed loudly over Mr.. Blount's action,
in spite of "his wife having accepted
her homemade bread, fresh butter,
bananas and carriage rides"
The same fate will overtake the
Commissioners if they should pre-
sumo to recommend government
for Hawaii in the interest of the
people rather than in that of the
family compact. Beware, Messrs.
Commissioners The odor from 200
tons of onions is less of an inf1iction
than the anger of our "holy" crowd.
We advise them to shun "private"
hospitality and missionary "teas,"
and rather study the following sug-
gestions in the terse language of the
News Letter:
Little good or harm need be ex-
poCIou VI Cuo COLuuiooiou uoW ou ico
way to Hawaii. 1t is junketing
party, pure and simple. Its men,
bers started out attended and equip
ped to have a good time, and they
will have it. II, however, they will
steer clear Of the private hospitality
that awaits them, guard against it's
Influences, hold open sessions in
Honolulu, call independent wit
nesses from all parties, have them
shrewdly interrogated, with view
to elicit real information, and then
see that the testimony is officially
printed, they will do more to create
sound public opinion, in regard to
Hawaiian affairs, in this country
than all of their predecessors put
together have accomplished. Ii
they wish to be especially useful,
they will give prominence to these
three subjects: (D contract labor
and its continuance; (2) the future
basis of suffrage; (3) the equities
and moral obligations attaching to
the crown lands. We venture the
prediction that il they probe those
subjects thoroughly, they will find
that without cheap contract labor,
such as is expected from the Japa-
nese, the production Of sugar in Ha-
waii would cease, that il majority
rule be conceded, it will not be long
before Hawaii votes the re-esta olish-
ment of her own independence, and
that il contracts in Hawaii, like
those in the United States, are held
to be inviolable, the crown lands are
entitled to go to those to whom they
rightfully belong. If the commits
sioners want to gauge the kind of
patriots the planters are, let it be
suggested that the Presidents
tariff policy for Santiago is
equally applicable to Hawaii,
That is to say, if sugar from the one
possession is made dutiable, so
ought also that from the other. II
this were threatened, the hulahula
would be nothing TO the kind OF
dance the missionary planters