The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-05-02
THE mAY.oAY PARADE.

Standing on the steps OF the Capt
toI Building yesterday morning. some
hundreds Of the leading people Of this
city witnessed q sight. the Ike Of
which has never been seen in Homo
lulu. Four thousand school children,
trieked out in their best clothes and
decked with bright flowers and leis,
marched through the wide gates and
stepping along with the tread Of little
soldiers passed id review before their
elders
II was May Day
Il certainly was a marvellous object
lesson and one that could not help
carrying with it a measure OF pathos
as well as pride
The children were mostly native
Hawaiian. but there was a strong
sprinkllng OF little yellow.headed tod
dlers. in whose veins runs the blood
OF the best strains OF the white race.
There was also a pronounced Mongo-
Ian contingent
Down the broad avenue they came
keeping step to the lively music of
the band. at least the older boys and
girls kept step. but the little fellows
trotted along with their teachers and
seemed to enjoy the parade as much as
their parents. who stood with swelling
hearts and moist eyes as ley swung
past in review.
The manly fellows from the Kane
hameha school made fine showing,
as did the graceful white-clad girls
from the same institution. The dain-
" little Chinese girl. ROBBED in all the
barbaric splendor OF the Orient, seem
ed perfectly at home in the line OF
march with the curly headed grand
daughters of Britain and Germany
and surrounded by her little white
American sisters. she was as happy
as healthy childhood only can be.
At intervals in the long column
could be seen the battle flag of the
great Republic. 1t floated over all
of these. Its stars and stripes waved
for each of them and as they looked
up at the beautiful banner they all
could say: 1T is my flag. 1t is my
country"
But there is another thought
brought up by the parade of schoor
children. The showing was com
mendable It reelected great credit
on the fathers and mothers of the
community and gave evidence of the
fact that they are fully alive to the
advantages that an education viii
give their sons and daughters. They
watched the parade and pointed out
their own particular hopefuls and
laughed and cried some too. as tbs
little battalons passed.
Against the parents Of these chill
dren there has been concocted ,
scheme to take away their pride in
and ownership of that magnifcen
banner. To take from them theil
rights in participating in the govern
ment of themselves. under that ban
ner And the alleged reason for i
all is said TO be that the Hawaiian
is not of a sufficiently high grade o.
intelligence 70 have an equal voice
in the affairs Of this Territory witt
those who now have his lands an6
property and who through accident o.
birth are also possessed of whittier
skin.
Ever since the result of the late
election was made known. the meI
who are at the head OF the Territorial
COVER lpept have been unremittirl
in their efforts 10 accomplish the dis
Establishment q the Hawaiian Las
Novembe- the Hawaiian proved TO b
stronger than his opponents numeri
eally and won the day at the polls
Since then the present officials hsyi
come TO the conclusion that the onh
way that they can retain their hoi'
on the positions they now occupy /
to have a property qualification mad
a condition precedent TO the right Q
franchise
But there is no reason 10 fear tia
the miserable. under handed schem
win be effective. for the Fifteenth
Amendment to the Constitution Of tn
United States stands today as il di
during a critical period in the histor,
OF the United States. like wateh-doi
10 guard. untrammeled, the right o
the citizens OF the Republic TO voic