The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-02-26
DISGUSTING ROT.

There IS no more gentle phrase that
properly characterlzes the position Of
the family organ in respect TO the i'm
modes; intrusion OF the Secretary OF
the Territory upon the floor of the
legislature. Here are a few sentences
from Mondays Advertiser:
The fact that President Mckinley S
appointee for Secretary OF the Terri
tory and his representative before the
Legislature here has been denied. not
only the privilege OF the legislative
floor. but the standing Of a spectator.
is bound to give the President and
Congress a low opinion OF our law
makers.
There can be but one opinion Of
such an impolitic act at Washington
and Il IS that the Legislature has
something TO conceal and does not
wish an official report Of it's proceed
ings. which II cannot doctor" to
reach the Federal authorities. We
hardly need to point out that the move
must be futile as well as reckless; for
a Legislature can no more hide away
by shutting its door behind an evinced
observer than can the ostrich by
smothering its head in the sand What
that body does VIII be known at Wash
ington despite the fact that the Presi-
dents agent has not been permitted to
see and hear.
The Presidents agent" None but
n fool or a knave would pen such a
description Of the Secretary of the
Territory The one who wrote ii must
wear one epithet or the other. There
is no middle ground.
1t is a direct insult to the President
to say that anybody is his representa-
tive before the legislature, or that
anyone is the Presidents agent" VINO
has not been permitted to see and
hear The President has no repre-
sentative before the Territorial legis-
lature. and no President ever had such
an officer A foreigner must perforce
obtain a lofty conception OF the dig
nifty of the head officer OF seventy-six
millions of people who must needs
have a Gown. an eavesdropper and a
spy In the legislature Of the youngest
Territory in the nation. The Presi-
dent himself would quickly feel the
insult OF such charges of degradation.
In trying to make a point to the dis
comfture Of the majority of the House,
the Advertiser demeans the President.
President Mckinley will obtain in
formation of the doings of the Hawaii
an legislature in the same way that
every other citizen on the mainland
will obtain it-from newspaper re-
por,s. from printed copies Of the pro-
ceedings as recorded and printed by
the Legislature. and from printed
copies of the laws. Il is a vile insult
to say that he wishes representa-
tive before the legislature" or that he
has an agent" who has not been per-
mitted TO see and hear"
Can it be that the mode in vogue
in Hawaii in the past on the part. IF
crowned and uncrowned despots has
prompted the idea that all who are
high in authority necessarily resort 10
the low cunning praotieed by a petty
monarch. or the arch conspirator OF
an oligarchy? All. there il is, From
force OF habit the family compact
seeks to continue the system of Is
pionage and oppression. and drags
down the high standing of the Presi-
dent in the effort to give the practice
some basis.
Yes. the President and Congress
will undoubtedly have "a low opinion
of some people in Hawaii. but it will
not be "of our lawmakers" SO far
as concerns the episode under con
sideration. The low opinion viii be OF
the men who degrade the Presiden,
by attributing to ham the mean quail
ties and despicable desires which
have for their only foundations the
yaporings of q disordered Grain. or the
foul Nominations inspired by wick
ed heart