Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-08-06
reported in shorthand by Mr.. Tay


mornings Advertiser there is a
letter from man who l am
sure has very long ears, who
says that we ought all to be ar ..
rested for conspiracy. Now
that Is as stupid as ridiculous,
and only q fool would talk that
way, BUT IF THEY WANT TO
ARREST US LET THEM BRING
THEIR POLICEMEN AND SOL
DIERS TO ARREST THE
THOUSAND MEN WHOM I SEE
BEFORE ME TONIGHT. AND
A PRETTY TINE THEY WILL
HAVE TO DO IT."
Mr.. Negoro admitted that some
thing of the kind was said, and stat
ed that Mr.. Taylor of the Advertiser
was present and was taking down
Mr.. Lightfoot's remarks in short
hand. 1t is understood that Mr..
Taylor expressly and emphatically
confirms the correctness of the very
words used by Mr.. Lightfoot, as
above quoted. Mr.. Negoro being
questioned as to another public meet
ing of japanese, held in May last, at
which Mr.. Lightfoot was also a
speaker, virtually conceded the cor
rectness of the following statement
in Mr.. Lightfoot's speech, as trans
lated from the Nippu Jill: ,
IF the planters try to force
the laborers out OF their home,
the laborers must fight, even re-
sorting to violence to protect
their families. japanese must
manifest the same spirit Of uni
ty and determination in the
present struggle as their fell
low countrymen have shown In
their war with Russia"
Mr.. Negoro testified that the ref
erence to the Russian war came on
later and did not Immediately fol-
low the reference to eviction and
resistance thereto. There is no
room to doubt the substantial cor
rectness of these reports OF Mr..
Lightfoot's speeches.
We do not believe many people
can be found who would claim that
II was within the scope OF Mr..
Lightfoots employment as an attor'
ney for the strikers to take the plat
form in behalf of the strike move
I.ment, even II he gave conservative
and prudent advice.
He was acting on these occasions
purely as an officious volunteer, 81
far as his position of attorney was
concerned, and when one goes fur.
ther and considers what kind of tall
he put up to these ignorant people
speaking to them with the prestige
Of an attorney. an officer of the
court, It will be hard to find Ian
guage sufficiently to the point Il
characterize such conduct.
His hearers naturally believed
that he was taking no reckless posi-
ton and uttered. no dangerous ad
vice; they were justified in believing
that in following the counsels> o
their attorney they would surely b
well within their rights.
I 1t must be borne in mind also tina
these men In May, when the mas
meetings were held, had been worl;
ed up to dangerous pitch of OK
element and animosity. The dali
incendiary campaign of the Jill ha
been on at that time since Decembe
Of the preceding year, and no on
knew better than Mr.. Lightfoot whe
he deliberately sowed In the mind
of these people the thought OF r.
sistance to the police In case ares
were to be made.
What did Mr.. Lightfoot mea
by suggesting that the police an
even the soldiers would have
pretty time OF II" making the al
rests he referred to?
In what spirit did he say to tn,
: audience LET them try II on?"
The promiscuous advice to resi-
evictions from the plantation qua
. ters with force and violence, eve
II II was good law, was uncalled 10
A prudent lawyer. right-minds
man, would not have referred
the remedy of force and violence
: public meetings. And when or
, considers that, according to the owe
whelming opinion of the Bar, Il
advice was not only mischievous. b,
3 thoroughly and utterly bad law, h
. offense seems the more inexcusabl
: Under the circumstances. II
Bulletin feels that 1t would |
not only well within its rights. b.
well within its Dublic duty. I'm cha