The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-07-05
INDEPENDENCE DAY.

This Is the hundred and twenty
eighth anniversary OF the Declaration
of Independence. 1t is the sixth oc-
currence OF the natal day of the United
States since the Hawaiian Islands be-
came an integral part of the American
Commonwealth, and the fourth on
which the star spangled banner has
floated over the group organized, by
Act OF Congress, under the Constitu-
ton as the Territory of Hawaii.
New as the holiday thus is in organic
relationship to Hawaii, 1t was observed
here by three generations of Americans
before the flag became to them more
than memento of their mother coun-
try. AS the destiny of the islands APP
preached its elimination, with in
creasing numbers and influence of the
American colony as well as immensely
enhanced identity of Hawaii's material
interests with the favor of the United
States. the day assumed an Importance
and elaborateness of observance which
made 1t surpass, both In gala features
and popular enjoyment of all national
tiles here, almost If not altogether any
of the public holidays of the country
that had no less than two independence
days of its own. Americans themselves
before annexation put more national
eclat and patriotic fire into Independ-
ence Day than they have since. There
is natural enough explanation for this
apparent anomaly, which is not the one
croaked on the corner by the calamity
talker. 1t is the old story of the dwin-
90 ,tfIn
crowns pursuit. Illustrations of this
psychic phenomenon are found in the
comparison between the devotion of the
lover and that of the husband which
humorists have rendered trite. and in
the defense the husband Is reported to
have offered when taxed for the SEEM
ing change. He cited the example of
n man resting at ease in a car that
he has put himself out of breath
to overtake. There was no need for
further eXertion when the object was
attained.
The explanation is, however, not an
excuse for allowing the Fourth of July
to lapse into perfunCtory observance.
There has been a change of viewpoint
for the older American residents. For
merly they saw the light in the window
far away. Now they are at home look
ing out of the window. While it is
natural enough that they should feel
like resting a little, they ought not to
succumb altogether to the most rest
full climate under the flag. The patri-
otto duty they owe to their country
should be a more lively impulse now
since their country has come to them
nf OF va oft
zenship. There is not n better medium
than Independence Day, If properly |
used, for extending the sway and pro-
noting the endurance of American |
principles. Such a service is most |
timely and appropriate now in the Ha-
waiian Islands, where American citi- |
zenship is n new-found privilege to a
majority of the voting people.
In former observances of the Fourth |
of July in Honolulu, good foundation |
was laid for a nationally educative uti- !
lization of the occasion now Probably |
somewhat owing to the friendly SYM
pathy of other nationalities, alien as |
we'll as native, in their national holt |
day keeping before annexation, there |
was a sparing degree of spreadeagle- |
ism in the celebration. The speeches |
took on more of a serious tone of dis
cussion of the principles set forth in |
the Declaration of Independence, rath-
er than working up feeling over the |
facts that gave rise to the document.
A continuance of this mode of discur-
sive patriotism is what the Territory
needs. The people need to be in
structed in minority rights as well as
rule They are to be told that
the cause of the weak is strong and
fated to triumph only as it is just, as
well as that unrighteous tyranny is to
be resisted without regard to the title
of it's author. The ward boss, the walk
ing delegate, the official boodler, the
political CRATER, the moneyed oligarch
anybody in short who schemes to
lord it over the people for his own
profit or glorifcation-will fit the places
in the Declaration where King George
is mentioned, and more than that mis-
guided English king will do orator and
audience good to utilize today as the
object of denunciation.