Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-08-25
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION NOT FOR HAWAII

The periodical cry Of Government
by Commission for Hawaii has been
renewed. With what purpose, on the
part of its local advocates. is obvious.
To what effect. the integrity Of
American principles and the patriot
ism of American people will deter
mine.
The assertion is made that the
Schroeder Board in sizing up the flu
ture of the defense of this Island and
Pearl Harbor has declared that in q
very short time the controlling vote
OF. the Territory will be in the hands
of the Japanese-Americans also that
the voting power of the Territory is
now in the hands of the least respon-
sible element. Therefore, it is not
likely to be safe to leave the govern
ment OF the Territory of Hawaii in
the hands of its people; therefore
government of, by, and for the people
should perish from that portion of
the earth designated as the Territory
of Hawaii
That reads like letter from home
to criminal reactionaries represented
by the morning paper. which has
done its utmost from the outset, to
defeat popular government in the
Islands and discredit, defame. and
traduce the voting population, rather
than attempt to develop self-respect-
ing manhood and fair play in govern
ment
Against this alleged declaration of
the Schroeder Board we have that of
the Governor of the Territory, made
during one of his trips abroad, that
Hawaii has no japanese problem.
Opposed to it is the excellent rec
ord of the Territory. so far as the
legislative bodies elected by the peo-
pie are concerned-a record that will
compare favorably with any State or
Territory of the Union and far sur
passes that of any American Terri
tory of equal years under the Flag.
Arrayed in opposition to this false
idea of American government is the
experience of the Nation that 1t can
and has made lirst-Class Americans Of
every race and people on the face of
the earth, after having put them
through the American common
schools and developed them under the
bcneficent influence of American en-
vironmcnt.
Government by Commission might
nj hp ~ Ian ria httt
Colonlalism, pure and simple, without
a single redeeming quality so far as
saving America from the alleged
danger from the Japanese and Japan
cse-American population is concern
ed.
Government by Commission would
put rapid quietus to the project of
populating the Islands with Amerl-
cans from the mainland.
You don't find Americans leaving
self-governing, independent, self-re-
speeding communities to take up their
abode under worse than, monarchi-
cal form of government--not unless
they see a fortune in 1t and a pros
pect of leeching the place and maxi
ing speedy getaway. Some one
will say. They live in Washington,
don't they?" forgetting that the
Washington, D. c.. resident has the
privilege of going to his native State
to vote.
Government by Commission means
an end of the industrial protection
Hawaii enjoys in consequence of its
equality with all other Territories of
the country, as distinguished from
possessions.
Government by Commission as out
as near to military oligarchy as any
thing can--an insult to the citizen
population of the Islands; and not
the slightest gain to safety of the
National interests.
For the present, however, waving
the Goyernment-by-Com ban
ner before the people serves the same
purpose as the threadbare threat of
taking the franchise from the Hawai-
ians unless they behave and vote as
they are told to vote. Blatherskites
grasp any bludgeon that comes han
dy when they are hard-pressed.
There h no doubt that the studied
Misrepresentation to which the Isl
ands and their citizen population
have been subjected by the enemies
OF American government in Hawaii
has had something to do with deyel-