The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-02
MAkING HASTE SLOWLY.

First the blade, then the ear, then IN
full corn in the ear. That is the the
DRY upon which se.f-governmelt undo
the pending Act of political organiza
ton for Hawaii Will work GU. W
cannot think 1t is other than just ant
sensible; and it is essentially Ameri
can inasmuch as al Territories of IN
United States go through the sans
evolutionary process. The seed i
planted when the preliminary steps fol
the organization Of the new poIitica
entity are taken; the ear of corn be.
gins to form in ,ne exercise of the linn.
tied right of self-control which Ter
riJorial rule permits; the full corn il
the ear is Statehood Here is an evo-
luton which runs few risks and takes
no chances and By means OF which
! Hawaii is sure, in time, 10 realize its
best and highest aspirations. But il
we demand first the full corn in the
ear We invite the failure OF our nus
| bandry.
With due respect TO the native vote
we still contend>that it would be peril
Gus TO let that vote control the major
part of the administration of Island
affairs under the appointed Governor
as it could and would do if the plan
advocated by the Star were carried
out. Moreover the Governor would be
thereby reduced, save for his veto pow
er over enacted bills, to the merest lay
figure. We should have no very diff
ferent civil service than we had under
the monarchy and much of the same
personel. How would that cOmpOrt
with the ambition 10 Americaniza Ha-
he does to the most advanced of the
dark races" hardly claims for him
self the capacity. nor does he seek the
responsibility, of setting up and carry
ing on a distinctive American govern
ment here. That is a task for Amer
leans, not Polynesians. Left 10 them
selves. as the probable majority vote
OF these Islands. the Polynesians would
doubtless elect and ordain good ma
tive government as such governments
go. But there would be very liJtle
in it and we are not pre-
pared TO surrender that boon even TO
center an educational advantage on
the aboriginal inhabitants. 1t is bet
ter for Hawaii to have American rule
the Governor appointed by the Presi
dent will himself name the great Off
GERS of State. Deprive him OF that
right and confer it on the natives and
he becomes but little more than the |
chairman of a government |
which, in it's character, its methods OF |
business and its personnel will bear a !
'ateful resemblance to that which went |
put, with 4 general good radiance, in |
1893.
In due time, OF course, all officers, |
rom Governor down, will be elective.
But let us hope when that time comes,
he Americans or the affiliated white
aces of American sympathy will not
,nly be in the majority but that the ma
ives themselves will have become Am
.ricanized and ready, as they are not
'eady now, to follow cur national way
II doing things instinctively. They
will learn and unlearn fast after the
eed corn has been planted. Il will be
heir privilege to practice American
politics in the purely local field where
heir power to work mischief and exalt
Will be limited. Having |,
aimed fitness there the question of in
-esting them with higher responsible
les may then come up. Judging the
lative politician by his past we con-
end that. in no other than this eau
ious and evolutionary way, could Ha-
iaii be safely governed. And safe gov
rnment is the sine qua non OF pro-
ress and prosperity.