The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-24

a&&4aAGAsSAssAAsss e 81 q <AsssaAAAA
must look for him in the galleries of
the Criminal CourD. anu by night, to
be ranting cIaptrap about the nobility
Of labor at some impromPtu open-air
meeting in the public parks. The pro-
fessional demagogue speedily attains To
the pinnacle Of his political aspirations
in these environments.
But their labor unions are splendidly
organized. No one who has watched
the parade in Melbourne on the ami
versary of the introduction of the
eight hour system inaugurated
over thirty years ago-a general
and close holiday mark you -
can have failed TO be impressed. 1t is
an imposing and significant spectacle,
the like Of which is 10 be seen nowhere
else in the Industrial world.
For many years the Labor Party
has practically controlled Australian
politics. and the secret of its success Is
very easy of explanation. The voting
power is distributed with lavish liber-
ality. In most of the Colonies. prior TO
their amalgamation. every white man,
irrespective of nationality could vote
for Parliament after six months resi-
dence. The alien had no need of IN
tention Papers or To take an oath Of
allegiance even. \ simple affirmation
that he had resided in the district for
that length of time entitled him TO eN-
ercise his elective franchise. Hence the
great power Of the masses, which would
seem to have been perpetuated under
the auspices of the newborn Common
wealth. To be sure capital is repre-
scented. They have Their plutocracy,
bless you; monied aristocracy, what
you Will, but il cannot stem the tide
against the Working Man. He is the
autocrat of all the Australias.
During the latter part OF the eighties
I had exceptional opportunities to
study the race problem on the sugar
plantations in North Queensland,
among the pearl fisheries in Torres
Straits. and in the great country at
the head of the Gulf OF Carpentaria.
During this time SIR Samuel Grifiiths,
the then Premier of the Colony. yield
ing to the pressure of the Labor party
on the hustinCs at the general paria-
mentary election pledged himself to in
troduce a bill for the abolition Of Ka-
naka labor for plantation purposes,
and on the strength Of that pledge he
was returned to power. The bill was
duly passed. to take effect from De-
cember 81. 1890. Three years sufIiced
~ Nfll-i.t III 2 I.ll NAlf painter - W nus
cane was left rotting on the fields, for
MI White Laborer failed to material
ize." Sir Samuel. however. came for
ward. openly admitted that he had
made Il mistake. and the obnoxious
measure was repealed. Later on. after
protracted and grave deliberations
Queensland Joined the new Common
wealth. And now the troubles Of the
sugar planters have begun all over
again.
Mr.. Barton. the first Federal Premier
is bent upon the passage by the general
parliament of Il bin of his own, the
salient features of which measure are
that no Pacific Island laborer shall en-
ter Australia on or after March 81,
1904 and providing for the deportation
of those now in the country.
The Planters. with their costly eX-
pcrience OF the past. have naturally Ia
ken the alarm. and the situation has
reached crisis. Or. Maxwell, former
~ of this city. is now in Melbourne.
assisting a committee appointed 10 try
to get favorable result on the bill in
the Senate Says the Queenslander
tBrisban") of November %. editorially:
SHOULD WE HAVE FEDERATEDo
Under the diSappoiutmeuts that have
Federal Legislature. We are becoming IA
miliarized with the assertion that feder-
alton was a mistake II is not only that
the ,rcwhile opponents of federation SEE
their prophecies fulfilled. and glory III
their reiterated Il told YOU so" with
every new indication of Federal folly or
tyranny hut that the friends of fedora
ton themselves publicly avow their re-
peulance. They bitterly regret they say,
thar they voted i'm favor OF federation,
and declare plainly that If the question
were reopeneI they would he found ON
the other side. Nor can there be the
slightest doubt. looking To- the actual
vote for federation and 10 the subsequent
disappointment that If they had the OPP
portuuity the majority would he found
uU the other side. That Is very Sc
riouS thing to say. but il is beyond dis
uute: and il affords grave matter for re-
Election for the Federal PARLIAMENT
Think of tine Indictment involved In the
fact that the Federal Parliament should,
during its first session. ALLEVIATE the 10y
atty of a State covering nearly two
thirds OF the eastern territory Of the
But whcn We have said
his W. have 10y no means settled the
question of the duty OR wisdom Of feder-
ltiun. That We should be- disappointed
Do the results of federation. that we
should unexpectedly suffer from IT. that
or-e OF US should repent of il and wish
g uuGaue. IS no proof that we did wrong
% accepting it, or that it would not Zoe
,ur place To accept il again if We We're
allied upon anew 10 make the choice.
ror after all We cannot divest this
question of the element Of moral obl:sa-
ion. and that is an element which takes
.o account of consequences. Right and
.obleurss claim U- though the heavens
an We Go NOT know any more imperi-
ms necessity i'm our present circum-
iauces than TO hold our ideas clear Of =
DE confusion which ascrihes misfortune I
% an action in itself iniiSputably right q
ma noble. instead Of the foliies and self /