The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-26
Orators Voice the Com
mon Spirit Of
Hawaii.
Impressive Exercises on the Scene
of Many Notable Events
of the Past.

n ALTERING without invitation.
" speaking without preparation and
cheering the patriotic and heart
felt sentiments without limitation, an
audience which filled the seating capac-
lty of the Drill Shed, was moved to dis
play it's grief and sympathy last even
ing.
Profound oratory there was none, but
there was always that full presentation
1f the feelings which animated the
many speakers who stood before their
elbow citizens TO give expression to the
sentiments which were uppermost in the
sreasts of all true Americans within the
sound of the voices of the speakers.
There was not a note of partisanship,
~t a suggestion OF party or creed, of
acton or race, but with one accord the
sontaneous outpourings of the heart.
Eere offered as tribute to the great
ness of the President, the worth of the
statesman and the loveableness of the
nan.
1t was an audience truly cosmopolitan
as becomes the city. In 1t were men
Df the oldest families and raen who
had Just arrived in the islands. Men
VI professions and men Of business,
public officials and officers of the Army
and Navy. representatives OF the bar
and the clergy, the artisan and the
clerk, all were represented in the throng
which numbered in the hundreds.
The Drill Shed was not generally
decorated but the platform had been
set for the occasion. The desk was
draped in an American flag, and beside
it stood an easel bearing a portrait of
the late president, draped heavily in
black, above 1t being a stand of furled
colors in the same funeral windings.
On either side of the stage were stacks
of arms wound about with crepe, and
The accoutrements were also covered
with the badges of grief.
The Territorial band was placed on
The platform and began the exercises
f the evening by playing number of
4 Sacred selections the last of these being
Nearer my God to Thee When this
1 vas completed Col. j. w. Jones asked
j hat any Grand Army men in the hall
aome to the stage, and this invitation
4 vas answered by the gathering there of
half dozen members of the local Post,
y others remaining in the body of the hall.
After some consultation w. L. Eaton,
Il ne Post Commander, called the meet
q ng to order, and was soon after chosen
IA iTFg0sa raf f1,r lob ~ no
vas elected secretary, and the chairman
aled upon +. NJ. Hatch, to open the
q Meeting.
81 AF. Hatch said that Hawaii owed a
a E2eat debt to the late President McKin-
a sy and had a peculiar interest in his
a 'lFninistration. 1t was through him
n nat anuexation was brought about.
q me stands had asked to be annexed
EIore but they had been spurned. The
Fypie Of the future he said would ap-
"A Vstlate more than do those of the pres
.a' the debt which was owed to Nc
Aniey who found the islands in the sea
state craft a derelict, and brought
a.em into the safe harbor of the Union.
.. ~. Hatch then offered the following as
= .s'Ag calculated to give effectiveness to
e purposes of the meeting:
"eso!yed, That a general committee,
~ aiming representatives from the peo-
1 w at large and from all organizations,
-! ar as possible, be appointed by the
,rtnan and announced through the
- 70 act with other committees. or
,...ependentiy. in commemorating the
% 1h OF President Mckinley, and that
Ghairman and secretary be ex-off1cio
xX '0ers Of this committee.
: NJ Vivas was called to the platform
~ said that though a new citizen he
-siaered it his place to voice the SEN
t OF his people. He eulogized the
~, resident and spoke of the grief
oy all citizens of the nation.
IS -, = McCants Stewart was called for
|. re- '4a "a said in part:
-. az :. seemed to me yesterday afternoon
=, hrst l heard the news, that
4 a, 'u'S great loss which the nations OF
"srld have sustained thai we are