The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-18
DAY Of REFORM ELEMENT.
PROGRESSIVE CHINESE OBSERVE
NEW YEARS.
Reception and Speeches at Hall of Bow
Wong Wui-Members and Friends are
Well Entertained.

With the Reform element of the Chi
nese colonies the world over, Chinese .
New Year began at IL o'clock last night
and is now in full blast wherever an
admirer of His Majesty, Emperor Kong
Sui, resides. In Honolulu the New
Year was heralded by the blasts of 4
whistles and the booming of tons of |
pyroteChnics. From every Reform We
randa (and that means nearly all of .
them) long strings of fire crackers were /
suspended and the rattle and bang of
these things reminded one of the din |.
at Christmas or the Fourth of July.
Never before has the advent of New
Year been so deliberately observed, and
never before has this observance been
carried on during the day with the
same persistence and earnestness. This
is due of course, to the division of senti-
ment among Chinese as to the powers
that be and the powers that should be.
Chinatown is today closed as tight as
drum, Only a few houses have a side
door open. notable exception Is the
store of Goo Kim, the vice consul for
China, on Nuuanu street He is Keep
ing his place open, not as an expression
of his beliefs or feelings, but because,
officially, tomorrow will be the begin
ming of New Year, and he is an official.
In other Words he could not do other
wise, no matter what his feelings might
be.
This, then, has been distinctly Bow
Wong, or Reform, day. Every explo-
sion, every fire cracker, every lusty
cheer from a Chinese throat every
speech every toast and every bumper
| turned off has had but one and the
same meaning, and that is: That China
Will be made a country like unto and
coequal of western nations in enlight-
eminent and progress.
The first reception of the day was at
| the hall of the Bow Wong Wui at the
corner of Kukui street and College lane.
At that place were assembled one of the
most intelligent Chinese audiences in
this city, and probably one of the most
| intelligent that has assembled any
where in the world today. Nearly all
of them had their hair cut in American
| style and very few wore their Chinese
garb The hall was tastefully decorat-
ed for the occasion. Around the
speakers desk was q wealth of ferns
and other potted plants. In front was
a table filled with edibles and at one
side was a refreshment table. Ice
cream and cake were served during the
three hours of the reception. Above
the speakers table were large portraits
of the Emperor, of Kwang Yu Wei and
OF Leung Chi-tso, the latter two being
the great Reform leaders and the EN-
peror being the embodiment of the
principles represented by them These
paintings were prettily decorated with
MALE and carnation leis. On the walls
were pictures of the officers of Re-
form societies in all parts of the world,
including the local society.
Speechmaking began shortly after
the crowd had gathered and was kept
up to the end of the reception. All of
the talks We're eXtemporaneous the
speakers being called upon by the vice
president at random. Among the num-
| rPGnnn1
Leong, of the society, Yin Shen Chow
g. T. Akana, DR.. Ii Khai Fai, Vice.
President Choy Wan, Charles w All
F'ook, Tang Yuen Yick and others. The
central thought in the speeches was
that the new century would give to
China what was desired. China had
for centuries been cropping in the dark
During the last century all western ma.
tions had gone ahead, but China had
stood still. 1t was proposed to apply
western methods to China, the object
of the Bong Wong Wui, and make the
Empire the equal of any other progress
| sive country.
/ There was no uncertainty about thu
earnestness of the speakers or the de
termination of the audience. They
wanted the Empress Dowager -
down and the Emperor, their idol res
tored to power, and they said so plain
ly. They said the Emperor was pro
gressiVe and the Empress was not
Every speaker urged that every Bow
Wong put his shoulder to the wheel an,
work day and night for the grand OBJ
jects in view. Cheer after cheer wa
given for the Emperor, for Wwang "
Wei and for Leung Chi-tso.
Charles All Fook made a stronj
! speech in English being unable to de
liver an address in Chinese. He wa
born in the Islands and educated in En-
glish schools. A feature of the talk wa
hnf Ia III
as talks in their own language, show
ing that they have prepared themselve
for reform by learning the English Ian
guage.
: During the hours of the reception
number of white friends came in. The
We're cordially received by the recep
- ton committee and entertained. Thi
committee WAS composed of c. Yaknar
Lau Tang, c. X. All and Wong Shi
King.
Probably no place in the city show
, the effects of the Chinese New Yea
celebration more than the fish market
The place is practically deserted Onl
two or three stands kept by natives an
Japanese are running. The proprietor
of The rest have closed their places an
> gone up town to join the rest of thei
, countrymen and have good time.
There We're only three fish stand
running this morning, one of these wa
kept open for few hours before moo
but the usual working hours were no
observed. The Japanese fishermen rea
lied how matters would be and yer,
few boats returned last night and thi
morning with fish. The few who di,
, come brought a small amount of fist
and the Chinese prOprietors of tn
stands sold out the supply as soon a
possible.
big fleet of japanese fishing boat
put out to sea yesterday and it is ~rob
able they will remain outside severa
days until the eXuberence of the Chi
nese will have subsidized and work cal
be resumed. In the meanwhile the pub
lie will have to go without fish and II
many instances do without vegetable
and fruits unless the white stores ar
patrOnized. None of the market frui
stores opened today.
THE WEATHER.
! XNaa