Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-07-05
THE SALOONS.

world of our unstinted hospitality
to the Boys in Blue" and that
we We'd with each other in honor
ing them, and of eagerness in
righteous zeal for the cause Of
humanity. We even tried to anti
cipate every possible thing that
would conserve the interests OF
the soldiers en- route to the battle
field of Manila. In view of the
above, l say, is it not just and
right that the public should
be Informed of matter
that concerns the soldiers
in very vital manner and that it,
as oue of the things we did not do
for their welfare, be made known,
and If possible remedied before
the next and larger portion of the
army arrives.
Whether or no the report can
be substantiated that several of
the soldiers were left behind be-
cause, entrapped by human weak
ness in the snares of drunken
debauch or that instead of being
g'anted shore liberty they had to
be herded in squads like sheep,
1t is known that to the written re-
quest of one high in command of
the troops, that the saloons be
closed, the reply had to be blushing.
ly given that it could not be done.
Now is this to be repeated when
the next transports arrivep Are
the hands of the officers of the
public peace 50 tied that they can
not move in this matter, which Is
of fist importance to both COM
manders and men? LIE 80 let us
know it, and know the degree
OF our bondage to this taskmas-
ter.
When the cholera siege was
upon us we compelled the saloons
to close their doors because the
public interest demanded it. Is
it any less imperative that similar
action be taken to preserve order
aud discipline among thousands
of men in transit to do duty in
the highest and hottest service we
know, and especially when it is at
the request of the commander of
these men, all of them our guests
too? Shame that it should be SO!
Shame that our hands should be
80 palsied by the ramifications of
this intolerable traffic, that We
cannot or will not so regulate it
that the soldiers can have the
freedom of the city while here
after long sea voyage devoid of
comfort of any kind. Moreover,
have We not right to expect some
permanent advancement along the
line of reform in this most vital
matter, instead of the retrogres
sive move now contemplated by
our Legislature =?
When Queen Liliuokalani gave
her royal favor to the lottery and
opium bills we thought it an
almost sufficient cause for the
forfeiture of her crown, and when
she laid the next straw on the
camel's back, it broke, and we
wrested the scepter from her for
ever, because we thought her unfit
to rule. Are we doing as much
better as might reasonably have
been expected of us? With the
present light wine and beer" bill
pending in the Legislative balance
with every prospect of its passage
and the consequent opening of
perhaps dozens more of these
gatewsys to perdition-thrown
wide open to the unsophisticated
native, are We dealing fairly with
him? Have we proved our raison
d. etre as government?
With the basic character of
civilized government in Hawaii
we find the names of Dole and
Judd, Frear, Smith, Damou,
Tburstou, Baldwin, Castle, Alex
ander, Cooke, Chamberlain and
others inseparably connected. In
tue last few years these honored
names have been included in the
personnel of the ruling power and
the judiciary and executive coun-
ellis aud we believe permanent
advancement has been realized.
May We not expect that hence
forward every step taken-here,
on this sod hallowed forever by
the heroic sacrifices of those who
bore these names before them,
will he one of nronrass tnmnrd 1Ln