The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-03-03
MR.. DAVIES LAST LETTER.

AS to Mr. Davies letter, which we
publish this morning, we believe it is
best to thrash out these political sug-
gestions now. If there is wheat in
them, it will appear. If not, then the
chaff will fly.
We shall only touch on one aspect
of Mr.. Davies statements. We stand
on one underlying fact. That is, the
natives will take no stock in his kind
ly offers of guidance and friendship.
Already we hear it from many direc-
tons, Davies has deserted us. We
are done with him" But, if during the
next six months, should there be no
annexation, the natives show any dis
position to accept him as a guide and
friend, we shall know it and will can
didly admit it. He ought to be accepted
by them as guide. But obligations
are only ropes of sand.
In 1880, We had reason to carefully
study the influence of the missionaries
not sug planters-over the natives.
Tt was at a time when the mission
not come down." We saw that their
political influence had ended. We need
not now search for the reasons. We
state the fact, Mr. Davies will have no
better fortune than they. He cannot
deliver the goods" excepting on con-
ditions made by them, which he will
not accept. Why should he be more
successful than the missionaries?
AS to the native qualification for
good citizenship. Those who drink gin
to excess, those who use opium, those
who have no homes, and do not sup
port their families, will not make good
citizens. Even in the. United States,
one-third probably of the voters are
not good citizens. 1t is the majority,
not large, that maintain good govern
ment.
has lived here for forty years? He
loves the people. Will he point out
a single native that he has trained
and put in a place of responsibility in
his stores or on his plantations? He
falls back on sturdy young English
men, because they are good citizens,
and their blood is rich with good
government We can make no head
way with Mr. Davies until we agree on
fundamental facts.
If there is no annexation, the native
will vote, and when he does he will
vote as 10000 honest, industrious
rank and file of Tammany, the labor
ing men of New York city vote. They
follow their leaders. The leaders
here, as in New York, will not be good
men like Mr. Davies, but the men who
can handle" the voters. We have,
for thirty years, seen the good" men
of New York try to influence the Irish
and German vote They never succeed
ed The boys" got them every time,
just as they got them in the late cleo
ton in Greater New York. If these
10000 of intelligent mechanics and
laborers cannot be controlled by good
men, but follow the Boss, we do not
expect to see Mr.. Davies or any other
good man influence people vastly less
thrifty.
But, we must face the music, should
annexation fail. How? Well, a COM
munity acts like the average man. He
waits until he gets into a hole, and
then he contrives some way to get out
of it.
The British have an uncommon lot
of experience in these affairs. We wish
Mr.. Davies would tell us what they
do under like circumstances. Does he
despise British experience. Greater
Britain by Sir Charles Dix is inter
esting reading.