The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-01
1T WILL BE CALM.

1t is strange, but it is a fact, that
there is always much speculation, when
a sovereign dies as to what may be the
result One would think that expert
ence would have shown that however
great a sovereign may have been how
ever strong the influence, in constitu-
tionally governed countries the progress
of the nation is not changed by a
change of titular rulers. In constitu-
tional countries parties rule, not men.
Men may impress themselves upon the
party, but they can disappear and the
party goes on. Occasionally a party
may make a mistake in it's leader, and
thus ALLEVIATE people who would other
wise work with it, but the mistake can
be remedied and the party marches
along TO progress. And what is true
of parties, which as such acknowledged
exist only in constitutionally governed
countries, is true of sovereigns or pre-
sidents or whatever appelation may be
given to those who are put into or ac-
quire the representative position Of a
nation.
Let as for a moment consider modern
history, much of which has passed un-
der the eyes of those who read these
words. Lincoln was a great man, one
of the greatest men of his age. He was
emphatically the embodiment of the
advancing thought of his time and he
showed the most excellent judgment in
guiding that thought. 1t is needless to
write words of praise over the work
and to the memory of a man who was
above all praise. Lincoln was cut off,
untimely. But did that death stay the
advancement of the cause or causes to
which Lincoln had devoted his life?
Most cmphatically it did not. The man
died, but the spirit lived
1t was not so many years ago that
Bismarck seemed the embodiment of
Germany When Bismarck was gone,
what would happen? The Deluge? But
Bismarck retired, died and Germany
still progresses, still forces forward her
great commercial policy, and is still
successful. Bismarck, the man, as
Lincoln, the man, did his duty for his
time, but because the hand was lifted
from the tiller it was not to be sup
posed that there We're no other hands
ready to grasp the lines and guide as
well as ever guidance had been given
before.
There have been cases where every
thing has dropped to pieces when the
end came, but that has been when all
power and every detail has been CEN
tered upon one man or woman. No
better instance of this could be cited
than the Empire of Napoleon 1t was
magnificent. 1t was grOnd. But it
was built, not upon the nation but upon
a personality, and it disintegrated. Had
the battle of Waterloo never been
fought, or even had it resulted in a de-
feat of Wellington, the personal en-
pire had gone. The king pin was
broken.
Go back into history and the same
thing is displayed. Alexander of Mace
don conquered an empire wider than
any one has dreamed of before or since
He seemed for a brief space of time
the arbiter of the then known world
But power was centered in himself and
when he died, chaos ensued. The vast
fabric he had built up became dis
integrated, and from the fragments
other personal governments were CON
structed, which went the way of all
personal governments, past, present
and future.
These thoughts naturally occur at the
present time, when there has been a
change of monarchs in Great Britain
and Ireland, and an Emperor, not an
Empress rules over India. The policy
of the country remains the same
whether Edward VII or Victoria were
on the throne. The policy Of the coun-
try is the policy of the majority of the
people. As a fact the general policy
of the United Kingdom will be less
changed by the accession of Edward
VII, than would have been the policy
of the United States had Bryan to be
inaugurated on March 4 of this year in
stead of Mckinley.
There is much speculation as to the
results of the policy of the new King
of England AS a fact there need not
be- Kings in the United Kingdom are
not supreme. There may be pomp and
circumstance about the lives there may
be Difference paid to them, but the po-
Icy Of the country is guided by the
voters for good or i'll. Whoever may be
king, in title, the voter is King in
reality, and it is just on this account
that there will be no momentous
change in British policy, and both those
who fear and hope, may rest in peace.