Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-03-04

Address delivered by 7. Tapsan Tan
matt before the Six O'clock Club of the
Y. NJ. c. A., Honolulu, February 26th,
1903.
Gentlemen. Fellow Citizens: HAY
ing been requested by the Hon. Secre-
tary of this institution to address the
young men upon the subject Of Amer
icanism in Hawaii. can but touch up
on n few points in the short time al
lotted to me, as the subject is sufficient
~ broad on which to write volumes.
hope, however, to bring those few
points directly home to each one of us
and 1t may be give some thought wor-
thy of your careful consideration.
Having been born and raised in the
United States, and under conditions
which have taught me that upon the
loyalty to principle in our young men,
depends the strength of the Nation,
trust you will pardon me If | refer
with too much pride to those principles
OF our Republic, which | feel today
should not only control the actions OF
/ our young men, but should stand above
and beyond any business or local In
! terests which may present themselves.
| also feel. that in this new Territory
and among Christian people we should
develop a political system, modelled
after the Ideal of our President, and
should not allow party dishonesty to
corrupt our early days.
Politics and Men.
II we expect men Of high moral char
acter to take an active part in our po'
ltical affairs, we must make our polit'
. ical methods as nearly as possible, free
from questionable practices. AS young
men we should discourage the prac
tice so generally followed, which re
quires that the moment man enters
the political. areana he must expect L
have his character assailed In man
ner that II the accusations were true
4 he would not be a fit person in whicl
to place public confidence. We yOunl
men are the strongest levers the Ma
ton has. and on us largely depends
whether the affairs Of our country shaI
he controlled by degrading influences
or be elevated, so that every CitiZe
will esteem 1t the highest possible hon
or to be called upon to serve his cour
trymen in public affairs.
One who has lived his life in III
States, and removed to these island
looks, | believe, through differel
glasses at the existing condition
from one who has spent his life here
yet, can we not benefit one another !
comparing our views, and then sprcat
ing both in the light OF the establish'
principles of our country and possib
thereby better learn, what we can {
to harmonic conditions.
rree Speech.
To the young men, ! wish first
i state, that one of the first principl
II of our republic, ana one of its grea
II est safeguards, Is the recognized rig
II of free speech, thought, and public di
II Cussion. No man who Is an Americi
II citizen can claim himself truely sue
II who will for one moment submit to a
Il direct or indirect action which W
II tend to take away this right, or d
II prive his neighbor of such, Yet Il
Il will be done, not only on these islam
II but elsewhere. unless the young m
II stand as an unit, and demand thu
II right and insist upon 1t,
Size OF Hawaii.
II In reviewing the question under &C
II sideration, ! feel that ! cannot bet
II commence than by calling your att
II ton to a comparison Of relative 81
II in the United States proper. and
II Territory OF Hawaii feel that ma
II OF the questions which seem so hi
II to solve are made so through our Il
- ure to properly realize true conditio
- 1t makes a great difference throl
~ which end of the telescope we VI
~ them. Permit me TO call your att
ton to a few comparative figures:
in the United States We have an a
of 100000 square miles, in Haw
n 7455. A population in the states
(. over seventy-six million souls; in
vail $4,000, of which about One-l
ulu' are American citizens. Did it ever
cur to you that we could place the
tire group of the Hawaiian islal