The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-05-26
THE SENATE.

HE SENATE.
A message from the Governor on the
trouble at Lahaina was read immedi-
ately after the opening of the Senate
yesterday morning. 1t was as fol-
lows:
A message to the Legislature of the
Territory of Hawaii:
A disturbance of the public peace has
occurred ON the Island of Maui of
serious character. The local police force
was entirely inadequate to cope with
the large number of men involved. The
Sheriff of Maui used his authority un.
der the civil law, and swore in as large
number of deputy sheriffs as was
possible, but even then he found him
self unable to maintain law and order,
and protect property from destruction
by the thousand or more strikers at
Lahaina. The Sheriff called on the
Captain of Company / of the Terri
torial Militia, stationed at Wailuku,
for assistance. Captain Bal very prop
erly referred him to his superior officer,
at Honolulu, and evidently suggested
that in a possibility the Sheriff might
still be able to meet the situation with
the extra deputies he had sworn in.
Further trouble occurring, the Sheriff
again appealed for assistance, on the
ground that, with the extra deputies,
he was unable to handle the situation.
On the theory that prevention was bet
ter than cure, Captain Bal finally,
sometime after midnight, concluded to
call out the troops. Orders were is
sued at l a. M, and two and one-half
hon Lot 20, A.n l.fN ra.l ,,1r. q.
Lahaina, arriving there about seven
in the morning, Captain Bal sending
the following wireless message:
"Col. j. w. Jones, Com. LIST Reg, N.
G. H., Honolulu:
"Riot occurring among Japanese la.
borers Lahaina plantation. At request
of Sheriff Baldwin, / brought Company
/ to Lahaina. Will await instructions
from you as to course of action to be
pursued. Wire answer as soon as pos
sible.
"CAPT. w. f. BAL,
"Com. Co. J., list Reg, N. G. H."
To which Col. Jones sent the follow
ing reply:
"Capt. VIM. Bal, Lahaina:
Remain at Lahaina until further
orders from me or>Sheriff Baldwin. Do
nothing, except upon request in writ
ing from Sheriff Baldwin. Upon re-
ceiving such request, render all assist
ance which your reason and good judg-
ment dictates. Be extremely careful
that none of your men go further than
is required by the request of the Sher-
iff, and see that they do not them
selves commit any act which would
tend to provoke overt acts on the part
of the strikers -
Captain Balls report shows that on
ugly mood, put that they soon realized
the militia was there to prevent fur
ther mischie., and Immediately broke
up into small groups, and had main
tanned a sullen, though peaceful atti-
tude throughout the day. At the. time
of reporting-6 p. m. Saturday, May
20th-he hoped there would be no fur
Their violence.
On Sunday morning it is evident the
strikers attacked the house occupied by
a japanese contractor, and the police
authorities, in attempting to protect
either the property or the contractor,
were fred on by the strikers, and in
returning the fire killed one striker,
and wounded two.
During the morning Of the 21st, a
request for further assistance from
Honolulu was made by the Sheriff. Re-
turn messages were sent, inquiring in
to the details, and the necessity for
the same, in response to which came
the information as to the actual clash
of forces and loss of life. Thereupon,
at the request of the High Sheriff, /
ordered that company of the local
militia be detailed to accompany the
High Sheriff and such police officers as
he could gather together to be taken
at once to Lahaina. The steamer XII
nau left Honolulu at p. IN. with Com
pany F, the High Sheriff, and such pc.
lice officers as he was able to collect,
and representatives of the plantations.
This incident brings the community
to realization of the need of Ter
ritorial militia. Organized mobs can
only be met by trained and drilled
militia. The quick response and good
Judgment shown by the Waikiki mill
tia is the answer the National Guard
makes to those who scott at its USE
fulness and ridicule the uniform.
1 have already called your attention
to this matter in nv message, and let
me state that the National Guard, in
teaching its members the American
principle that their own property is
best protected and safest when the