The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-04-30
THE LEGISLATURE.

There was nothing in the way of the
Legislature when ii met, to keep 1t
from passing the bills that are essential
to the welfare of the Territory. Sixty
days were at its disposal. The Home
Rule party had a two-thirds majority
in the lower House; 1t had all but a
two thirds majority in the Senate. Its
program had been framed in n caucus
which was nearly continuous for six
weeks before the Legislature assembled.
The power and the opportunity was
with II to introduce and pass every
measure in which II now, at the elev-
enth hour, pretends to have an interest.
We say "pretends" because it's work
within the last few days, despite its
loud professions, has been as aimless
and incompetent as that which 1t tard-
lily essayed during the first half of the
session.
Why the Legislature acted as 1t did
and acts as 1t does, is chiefly a matter
which affects persons; and the respon-
ibility harks back to the rank and file
of the Home Rule party which sent
the very riffrafr of its race, with but
two or three exceptions, to the Legis-
lature. There were bright and honest
Hawaiians in politics at the time, but
they had Joined either the Republican
or Democratic party. What was left
we're chiefly the ignorant and vicious,
he two-bit demagogues, the "grafters"
and other scalawags; and these were
commissioned to make laws for an
American Territory, Some of them
knew more about breaking laws than
making them; none knew what Amer
icanism meant. A few OF these poor
creatures thought that they could re-
peal Federal statutes; others that they
could deprive the Governor of his pre-
negatives: and nearly all felt II to be
more to their advantage TO talk on the
floor than to work in the privacy of the
committee room where the real tasks
of legislation are achieved. To parade
up and down like the apes in Kinpling's
poem to strike attitudes before the
public; to talk, talk, talk, with endless
iteration and about the most trivial
hings; to dodge every chance OF hard
and useful work; to eschew evening
sessions until the very last, and to
shirk duty on Saturdays; to spend in
time Tuning over the Gov
ernor and In contrivinE simian tricks
10 annoy him; TO give a week to a dog
bin and hardly moment to the ques-
ton of Territorial revenues; C. squan-
der hour after hour In maXillary tumult
over the way in which the Governor
signed official communications; 10 |
drop all work for luau or a drink or |
or a secret and futile cabal with the |
inflated Humphreys-these things tell |
the story OF the expiring and unla-
nented Legislature precisely as II was /
made up from day to day and from
week 20 week.
when a Legislature OF this kind comes .
together. sixty days IN too much for II
Under another form OF government
such body would be dissolved, aud .
hose OF It's members that we're not !
held on suspicion NJ their honesty or
heir sanity would be- sent home forth. "
sith Under the government We have,
he Legislature had 30 be- endured Tor
,iaty days The cost has been 1900 /
or each member the result has boon |
m output ~ the TaWrst and cridest
iillsi the atmosphere has been one - /.
corruption, The sixty days therefore .
sefe much too long a zine 90 Hiye ths /
legislature Tor the GOOD ~ Hawaii 4
~ extension 90 ninety days would