Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-06-27

w NN'r'lNN. v lU'I'lNlff IIhf w 10
liberty herewith Of taking issue with
Mr. ". y Smith upon the adyisabllity
~ calling a special election that is.
assuming that he was correctly report.
cd In the Advertiser.
The theory which clothes executive
officers with the power Of calling spc-
clal sessions Of legislative bodies Is
based upon the necessity for lepisla-
tive measures to avert public calamity
or measures Immediately beneficial to
all the people Of the commonwealth.
The excuse given In this case for the
calling Of a costly special election
namely 20 extend the fire limits AMI
to effect the immediate settlement Of
the fire claims cannot he regarded a.
necessary 10 avert public disaster or
as even beneficial to the people at
large. The immediate settlement Of
| these questions could only effect bono.
fcially few individual property own
ors In the city Of Honolulu. and. as the
government has the right to refuse to
issue building certificates, for good
and sufficient cause the matter Of eN-
tending the fire limits Is wholly within
government control until the regular
| Legislature meets. This brings the
benefits accruing as the result Of .
special session down to dozen or more
individuals of the Territory. The outer
districts cannot be benefited in the
least by the immediate settlement OF
these questions. Even the city Of Ho-
nolulu as a whole can have no special
| interest in the matter. The prosper
| ity of the city or the Territory can in
no wise he delayed or jeopardized nv
waiting three or four months. There
fore. what right has Governor Dole to
lend himself and the executive func-
lions conferred upon him by Congress
to a few influential individuals to filch
the treasury Of large sum Of money
to carry on costly election for their
sole benefit?
Thus. II Is manifest that the alleged
reasons given out for the calling of q
special legislature are merely excuses
to cover an Interior purpose and Mr..
w. o. Smith in his last extremity has
admitted to the gaze of the public tn"
niger he has heretofore hidden in the
woodpile The most vicious thing Mr.
Smith says Is:
IF the native Hawaiians are to fol-
low unsafe leaders and elect dangerous
men may II not be better for the COM
munity of these Islands to know this
before the time for the regular election,
which Is to hold for two years? Ari
may II not be better for Congress 20
know IT."
| Could more eXquisitely worded in
suit be hurled at the intelligence of
the Hawaiian people?
The Hawaiians have already exhibit
ed by speech and action that they mean
| to be conservative; that they realize
the responsibility placed upon them by
Congress; that in the spirit of comprom-
ise they are willing to meet, those by
whom they consider themselves wrong
ed, more than half way, that they are
willing to consider advice and sugges-
lions, from whatever source, and they
do not intend to abuse the power given
them. What more can any people do
Hawaiians have pride and are on their
honor, placed there by Congress, Ia
govern with such wisdom as they pos
shortsighted as to call a special session
Of the Legislature. upon the iiimsy eN-
Cuses offered, It would be considered IN
administration political trick having
for its object the disintegratiOn of the
Home Rule or Independent party move.
ment. Instead of completing this OBJ
ject the result would be disastrous
The Home Rule party would be ce'
mented forever, not in wisdom, but In
slowly healing would be reopened in q
short campaign. The heat of the same
acrimonious campaign would be car
ried forward into the regular election
and thereafter Hawaii need never ex-
pect to be at peace.
In his inauguration address Governor
Dole expressed an earnest desire that
bygones would be forgotten and 1t Is
conceivable that he should be so In
consistent. in a few weeks thereafte.'
to throw bombshell into the inflam
mable political arena that would ignite
more intensely than ever, the acrimon
les of the past seven years. The Ha
waiians ere in no mood to brook tn,
official or party lash and the attemp
will bring disaster to the Territory fol
the next ten years.
FRANKLIN AUSTIN.