Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-08-06

ABOUT THESE newspapers. III this
mornings Advertiser there is a
letter from man who ] 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 a fool would talk that
way. BUT If THEY WANT TO
ARREST US LET THEM BRING
THEIR POLICEMEN AND SOL
DIERS 10 ARREST THE
THOUSAND MEN WHOM I SEE
BEFORE ME TONIGHT, AND
A PRETTY TIME THEY WILL
HAVE TO DO IT."
f, 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. II is understood that Mr..
Taylor expressly and emphaticaRy
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 n
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 fel-
low countrymen have shown in
their war with Russia"
Mr.. Negoro testified that the ref
erence to the Russian war came or
later and did not Immediately fol
| low the reference to eviction ant
resistance thereto. There is M
room to doubt the substantial cor
rectness of these reports Of Mr.
Lightfoot's speeches.
We do not believe many peopl'
can be found who would claim tina
IL was within the scope OF Mr.
Lightfoot's employment as an attor
ney for the strikers to take the plat
form in behalf of the strike move
ment, even II he gave conservative
and prudent advice.
He was acting on these occasion
purely as an Ofiicious volunteer, 81
far as his position of attorney wa
concerned, and when one goes fur
Their and considers what kind of tall
he put up to these ignorant people
speaking to them with the prestig
of an attorney. an officer of tn
court, It will be hard to find Ian
guage sufficiently to the point I
characterize such conduct.
His hearers naturally believe
that he was taking no reckless pos
ton and uttered no dangerous ad
vice; they were justified In believin
that in following the cOunsels @
their attorney they would surely b
well within their rights.
1t must be borne In mind also tina
these men In May, when the mas
meetings were held, had been work
ed up to dangerous pitch of ea
element and animosity. The dali
incendiary campaign of the Jill ha
been on at that time since Decembt
of the preceding year, and no on
knew better than Mr.. Lightfoot whe
he deliberately sowed In the mint
of these people the thought of n
sistance to the police In case arres
were to be made.
What did Mr.. Lightfoot mea
by suggesting that the police an
even the soldiers would have
pretty time of It" making the a
rests he referred to?
. In what spirit did he say to thi
audience Let them try 1t on?"
g The promiscuous advice to resi-
1 eyictions from the plantation qua
=. ters with force and violence. eve
: II 1t was good law, was uncalled fc
A prudent lawyer, a right-mind'
4 man, would not have referred
e the remedy of force and violence
: public meetings. And when OF
e considers that, according to the owe
n whelming opinion of the Bar, Il
i advice was not only mischievous, b,
g thoroughly and utterly bad law, h
:. offense seems the more inexcusabl
: Under the circumstances, Il
4 Bulletin feels that 1t would
= | laat anlA, 1unn aI,llliia itr rio 70. : 1.