The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-12-28
THAT EXTRA SESSION.

1t is almost pitiful to see the efforts
which are being made towards getting
an extra session. The lean and hungry
look of the Legislator who has been
hanging round Honolulu for the past
months, hoping against hope that some
one would reent, keeping a political
hand in by attending political meet
ings, would touch the heart of the most
callous. To think that not so long ago
each of these noble Home Rulers got
his share of the $4,000 that was cap
tured from the Treasury. And all that
had to be done for it was to fail TO pass
laws, and vituperate the Governor the
Territorial Secretary and any person
who differed from their view.
Then again there is a small army
of retainers who are all hungry, trans
lators, proof readers, printing offices,
secretaries and a perfect camp follow
ing Of nondescripts who all are eager
for more, and like the we'll known
daughters of the horse leech are for
ever crying out give give" They all
look back with longing upon those days
of fairness, for the money then acquir-
ed 50 easily is all spent The houses
that We're put up need repainting, the
new furniture then bought is getting
shabby, the fine broad cloth coats are
getting rusty, the silk hats are only of
last years vintage. and have not the
delicate curl which is de rgeur since
the New York Horse show, the dinners
have been eaten and the champagne
has been drunk. Even that villain Of
a tax collector, a creature made by the
Legislature, has been hunting up the
incomes and demanded a tax. Yes, I'M
doubtedly things have gone wrong and
an extra session is needed.
1t seemed such an easy thing to be
able to force the extra session. All that
had to be done was to withhold sources
Of monetary supply. That there should
be a loan bill, and that expenditures
should be made under it, every mem
Der of the Home Rule party was aware,
but there was no hurry about such a
thing. 1t was peasant to sit under the
trees in the grounds of the Capitol and |
dream what could be done. 1t was such |
a dolce far nente kind of life. But
the issue was met, the extra session /
was not called and now the Legislators |
of the Home Rule party and their !.
parasites big and little are raving to .
get what it is hopeless for them to at |
tempt to get. The subject hardly needs |
argument. After the exhibition made |
by the Legislators in the last two ses-
siOns, after the exhibition which has |
been going on evening after evening |
the Home Rulers since the Leg |
islature closed, is there any possible
guarantee that anything better will |
take place should an extra session be
called, than took place before. There |
is no such guarantee and there cannot |
be.
The Legislature of 10000 proved it.
self utterly incapable. 1t was heralded |
by its partsans as one of the harbin-
gers of glorious times to the tiller of |
the soil and the capitalist. 1t was go
ing to bring on a sort of political mil
lenium, and it proved itself to be no |
better than "tinkling brass and a |
sounding cymbal." Indeed there could |
probably be no better description of it |
than that translation Of the old He
brew words. 1t gave forth nothing but
sound, and if it were called together |
again it would again give forth nothing |
but sound.
The great anxiety of a number of the
present members Of the Legislature to |
be called together is very plain. They |
know that there chances for reelection |
are small. They can see that the voters
think differently now from what they |
did thirteen months ago, and they have |
a pretty accurate idea that in eleven |
months from now the majority Of |
voters will be on the side against them.
The lesson learned by the voters is
plain. The Legislature wasted over
four months Of actual working time, |
not counting Sundays and holidays,
and utterly failed to provide for the