The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-04-02

The political side Of the objection
comes from the fact that the bill or it's
essential ideas were not made part
of any political platform. and the peo-
pie had not the opportunity of express
ing their opinion upon the question by
their votes at the election, 1t is true
that Home people argue that a party
expresses but it's general policy at or
before the election, and that the de-
tails appear during the session. But
this is not a detail measure 1t is a
radical measure. II is measure upon
which many political party has found
itself hopelessly split To spring such
a measure after election is not either
honest or honorable, and it is not sur
prising that its sponsor finds it hard
to get the following of the whole party
for getting the bill thorough savors too
much of the autocratic.
The social side of the objection comes
from the Hawaiians themselves. For
several decades there was a legislative
struggle to throw the saloons open to
Hawaiians. They always felt that it
was an injustice refusing to serve
them, when people of any other race
could be served. Hawaiians of mixed
blood, no matter what their social
standing might go to a saloon for re-
freshment and would be refused. A
South Sea Islander, uncouth, unedu-
Gated, a mere "hewer of wood and
l.. trfp
ton put upon him. Rightly or wrong
ly the Hawaiian felt the restriction
keenly. 1t has been made a factor in
setting him against the so-called mis-
sionary party. Having gained his point
he is very loath to part with it prac-
tically to go back to the bottle system.
For though Hawaiians were restricted
from having liquor sold to them in the
saloons, they used to obtain liquor by
the bottle. There were plenty of beach
combers who, for the sake of a drink
out of a bottle, would purchase all the
liquor the Hawaiian needed.
1t is quite a question whether throw
ing the saloons open to the Hawaiians
did not act in favor OF sobriety rather
than against it. Statistics on this
point would be impossible to obtain,
because the policy of the police during
the past twenty years has varied very
much in arresting for drunkenness.
But it may safely be said that the ar
rests for drunkenness in the saloons
have been far less in number, than
the arrests for drunkenness caused by
drinking home made .swipes. Under
the dispensary act the maxim" of
swipes would increase very consider
ably.
Some support is gained by the dis
pensary act through the promise or
suggestion that liquor will be cheaper
One question whether this is a bait
which is justihable. 1t practically
says you have been drinkir~ good
deal, but drink my way and you shall
have more for your money than you
had formerly. This does not look as
if it were a very good temperance
measure, though it may be. That a
man can only get one package of
| liquor a day from a dispensary can be
got round as easily as the prohibition
of liquor to Hawaiians was got round
1t is only asking three or four friends
to each get the largest package OBJ
tainable and the elements of several
4 first class jags could be stored up.
The more one looks at the dispensary
act, the more difficult does it seem to
bring it in now. Though dispensary
act may be good, yet it seems an un-
perance to rush it on at present. Give
the voters chance to vote on it, and
give people time to realize it's full
effects.