The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-05-27
ABOUT GOOD
CITIZENSHIP
Hon. Mr.. LittIefieId of
Maine at Central
Union Church.

A large audience assembled yesterday
evening to hear the thoughtful AM
eloquent address of the Hon. C. e. Lit
tlefield, Representative from Maine, or
| 1.-The Good Citizen It was one that
should have been heard by every citi-
zen of the Territory, dealing, as it did
in the vital principles of good govern
ment in which they are personally and
deeply interested.
| The beautiful and artistic decorations
of the pulpit were in keeping with the
! spirit of the address. The railing of the
organ loft was draped with handsome
| flags, that of Hawaii occupying the
| center of the space, with the American
colors on either side. There were vases
of white arum lilies, with scarlet lilies,
amongst mass of palms, ferns and
other tropical plants.
Pews had been reserved at the right
and left of the pulpit for the boys of
the Kamehameha Schools, who filed
into their places in soldier fashion, and
the entire evening.
The order of service emphasized the
subject of the evening, the hymn 1.-THE
Son of God Goes Forth to War; being
followed by the Scripture lesson, from
Hebrews, XII chapter which was read
by DR.. Scudder. He also offered prayer,
in which thanks were rendered for the
mercies accorded the Nation, with a pc
tition for strength and grace that each
might be ready to suffer and die, If
need be, for the cause of liberty that
had cost so dearly, and that we might
be allied with the cause of righteous
ness and justice and our wills be moved
always to do the right.
THE INTRODUCTION.
DR.. Arthur f. Grif1ths presided and
introduced the speaker in a few
brief and well-chosen words as man
who, in his own private life and in his
public career, had always been the
best exemplification of the good citizen.
Mr.. Littlefield's address. while extern
poraneous. was admirably lucid and
we'll arranged. His definitions were
clear and logical, appealing to the un-
derstanding of the older members of
his audience and yet not beyond the
ready comprehension of the boys and
girls of the various schools, many of
whom were present. His manner was
not only through the force of
what he says, but also by the manner
of its presentation. It was wholly de- |
void of sectional arrogance on one hand, |
and of over-commendation on the |
Il e.
they had presented themselves to his
notice, with a desire to deal fairly by |
all.
He defined good citizenship as the
will of the government to conserve the
welfare, happiness and prosperity for
the highest good of the Nation. He had
heard an admira BILE definition of good
by pupil of the public
schools during his recent visit to the
island of Maui: a man was a good cit
zen who made law and obeyed law.
rhe definition might seem narrow, su-
oerficially considered, but bearing in
mind the underlying principle it was
1road and accurate.
What he had to present would be
neither a sermon nor a lecture, but an
The government of the United
States, of which he emphasized the :
act that Hawaii was now part-not
/ possession nor a dependency--Was
in character and repubH-
an in form. There did not exist any
where within it's limits such thing as
'ure democracy. 1t was not, in reality,
government of all the people, for all
he people, by all the people, but the
minority actually legislated for the ma
ority. the government of S5, 600 peo-
lie being placed in the hands of a mi
ority. This system was based upon no
bsolute right, but was an outgrowth Of
he common law which invested every
1ale citizen over twenty-one years of
ge with the responsibilities of citizen |
hip.
RESPONSIBILITY.
It was in reality an arbitrary :
that the electorate
Mould be vested in bat one out :.
{ every four, who thus acquired
gal entity which for others had
0 existence But the elector so con- y
.ituted assumed heavy burden of re-
There was no reason Why
omen should not have precisely the Y
sme right and privilege, why they or
nv other class should be governed
ithout their consent, except that the o
lstom had always prevailed. He cited Ct
lie government of a small New@Eng- ci
nd village as an example of the
lrest democracy. There the voters
ct previously to an election, conferred
BON matters of common interest and 9
lst their votes in accordance with
eir decisions. AS the village grew,
finite municipal government became
,cessary. In this proposition the po-
ical development of this Territory Of
red a parallel. %
There were certain legal and political
ndftions that differentiated the people
Hawaii and the mainland, but its
Continued on Page Four)