The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-11-04

and Il. s. Norrie, Englishman and
Dane, were bright writer's and both
of them consistent opponents of the
new regime that began with so, and
they lost no chances to keep alive the
notion that the Hawaiian Islands had
been stolen or taken by force as con-
quered Territory. Wright had had
large experience in journalism and had
seen better days. There came a New
Years morning when he was found
dead in his editorial chair, a victim of
his own hand, and the paper was left
practically to Norrie.
= = =
Norrie was a consummate master of
the double entende, and a handler Of
very biting English 1t was his boast
that he had been thirteen times ar
rested for libel and never convicted.
Illness finally forced his retirement
and now he is rusticating on Hawaii,
free from the daily troubles of jour-
nalism F. j. Test, with more or less
assistance from retired journalists here
has been running the paper for many
months. It's tone has not been very
elevated, and it's downward course was
inevitable. The disputes of '93 have
long been dying out, and there was
nothing left for the Independent but
to bite and snarl at all in authority.
This it did with consistency and often
with wit and cleverness. "Thank
Cod" said a local official the morning
after the little daily announced it's own
death that BANKED old Independent
10.
perhaps as much for it's often improper
freedom of personality as for its more
legitimate independence in criticism.
1t was neither American nor wholly
Hawaiian in it's sympathies 1t at
tackled most things American and yet
assumed to be Democratic. Hence it's
utterances were a source of campaign
terror to the Democrats it was trying
to aid-they feared to stand for" it's
utterances in an American community.
Editor Tesla made a long and brave
struggle to keep the paper up. But
he was fighting against odds that
would have downed a better man than
he. The Independent had no news
and had to depend on it's criticisms to
keep up interest in it and these were
but a series of more or less clever
knocks" It's dingy little office, with
a press turned by a hand crank, is like
the city printing offices of long years
ago, or the backwoods plants of Anne
RIGA today.
= s = q
l was up in Palolo Valley the other
day and happened to meet the Editor
Of the Star. So l asked him how that
experiment the Bystander told about
was getting along, the one where a Gus
tard apple had been grated on to a
bread fruit tree i'm order to grow sponge
cake. He said that the Bystander had
got that a little mixed probably his
goose had told him about it. The facts
were, the editor said, that when he
decided to take up small farming he
had gone to Walter G.. Smith as the
greatest authority on small farming,
and had asked his advice about what
to plant. Walter G. Smith, among
other similar things, had advised this
custard apple breadfruit tree graft,
but as yet he had not undertaken it.
This is a beautiful country" re-
marked Attorney Frank Thompson,
discussing the departure of Lorrin An
drews. Everyone who comes here
becomes attached to the islands so that
they hate to leave. like the country
myself. Anyhow it isn't safe to leave.
AS soon as one gets away from here
someone opens up on him and shows
that he is a horse thief. shall never
leave the islands for l dassent."
= : 8 =
Even the Parker Ranch case, with
all its bitter recriminations developed
touch of humor during the week. A
few mornings ago the wall of Judge
Lindsay's courtroom, close by where
the Carter and Knight forces sit at a
table piled with transcripts of testi-
mony and other records, was decorat-
ed with colOred picture from the New
York Herald. 1t was a full page
Buster Brown" drawing 1t showed
little Buster having his picture taken
on the farm. The child stood in the
center of the picture and around him
were scores of animals. Cattle, sheep,
pigs, horses, mules, ducks, chickens,
pigeons, almost hid the barn. Mrs.
Knight who has been attending the
trial lately, seemed to be greatly anus
ed at the picture. "This is the minor"
she said, indicating Buster land this
is the way the Parker ranch ought to
look" The laughter communicated
itself across the courtroom to where
the enemy sat, and even the strenuous
ly working Magoon found time to drop
his case for a moment and laugh. OF
course the picture was taken down
when the judge entered and the days
| fight was resumed, but 1 am told that
the picture finally found its way to
/ i'm