Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-09-19
HIL0S RAW RECRUIT.

FOUND raw recruit In the town OF
llilo. a voice is'faised by the Trib-
une warning the people to look out,
| Tor the Bogey is sure to catch them.
and the Tribune is glad of It.
| The reasons for the Tribune's joy
ARE interesting. II says that Govern
mcnt by Commission will be the first
real blown-in-the-bottle American
government the Islands have ever
seen. II forecasts commission of
Americans appointed from the main
land and an end of the "poly-racial"
politics of the present period.
The Tribune thinks that would be
American government and thanks the
Lord that II is so.
When you encounter q man whose
American balance Is so thoroughly
twisted as the Tribune's head-piece
must be, the easiest way out of II Is
to extend sympathy to which all re-
dictionaries are entitled.
There is no doubt that the "cussed
nonsense" of government by the peo-
pie pals on the narrow souls of some
of our people. 1t has been ever thus
since the world began. Particularly
so in Hawaii.
hut the history Of our common
country has especially proved that
the individuals who have strained
every nerve to check the progress OF
popular government have had occa-
sion to know when the steam roller
hit them.
II Is rich, rare, and racy to recall
with what horror present supporters
lof Government by Commission view
ed the prospect of allowing Ameri-
leans fresh from the mainland to have
Iany possible chance of being appoint
ed to Office in Hawaii when the Ter
lritory was organized. The sugges-
ton of such "A probability stirred up
the most ill-smelling and unpatriotic
lmire to be bestowed upon the low
lived American carpetbagger" that
could be imagined. The worst unre-
constructed State in the South diu
the North than did these men vitu-
perate for the benefit of the Ameri-
can official from the mainland.
| Then. they apparently thought
they could keep the old oligarchcal
form of government in full swing. II
was sad awakening, however, when
they found opposition to the develop
ment of local County governments of
no avail. ts
Now. they are ready to fly to any
port, so II bears a semblance of de-
stroying the foundation American
principle of the people governing
themselves. levying their own taxes,
spending their own money, and con-
Quoting their private affairs to suit
themselves within the limits OF aver
age patriotism, common decency, and
the law.
What glorious outpost of Ameri-
can liberty this would be with It's
government in the hands of three or
thirteen men appointed by the Presi-
dent, and to whom the residents of
the island prison must scrape and
bow!
| Would II not be merry crucible
of Americanism through which to
run the 'uncivilized" citizen of the
Orient who looks to this liberty-lov-
ing and Christian nation to lead tie
world by successful examples of how
government may promote self-reli-
ance and an independent, vigorous
citizenship?
Would II not be Great American
ism" to have the twenty-three thou
sand school children of these Islands
grow up under the teaching in
school books-of American liberty, |
only to find when they came to years
of understanding that In this section
of the world. over which flies the
Flag of the free. conditions are diff
ferent--that theory doesn't work
here?
| The whole scheme of the Govern
ment by Commission is so eternally
selfish, so utterly wrong, so intensely
the last resort of the oligarch, the
monarchist. and the feudalist who
would rule by might and 'inhooence"
rather than by right principle and
honesty, so peculiarly the final haven
~ =