The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-05-06

its whole history, not sending out nd
vertising matter about the Islands, try
ing TO get attention to them, but an
swering the letters Of sober, high class
men who seek delightful surroundings,
s where sweet, clean homes can be set up
uuspattered by the filth Of the saloon.
AT the same time, the loafer and adj
venturer will seek new fields, and strike
out of their cheap and nasty calendar
the word Hawaii - Instead of skilled
mechanics and small farmers leaving
for the mainland, we shall have an ex-
odus of barkeepers and gamblers AMI
d., pawnbrokerB.
My last word in this connection is
TO the Christian men, whose veins carry
missionary blood, and those whose lives
are set to missionary ideals. This is
the most dramatic point in missionary
history, and this election is the great
est opportunity this missionary field
has even known. would not affront
your intelligence by arguing that The
drink has been the undoing of the best
work of your fathers and your churches.
You know it is so. You know the case
is worse tonight than ever in the
ninety years Of Christian labor here. L
simply prophesy that an overwhelming
OF Christian faith and life in these Is
lands such as even the fathers never
dreamed of, for it will be revival
among intelligent, patriotic, indepen-
dent citizens, focused upon advanced
Eases of the great commandment,
"Thou shalt not steal.n The liquor
traffic is organized robbery. "Thou
shalt not kill The liquor traffic is
organized manslaughter. For God $
sake, stop doubling yourselves and
disparaging your converts and play
the man.
have heard of tho criticism that
congress has abandoned us to our own
legislature. Such criticism does not
bear the marks of careful thinking.
1t is utterly unfair to the territorial
house of representatives and carries a
suggestion OF popular impotency that
is unsupported by any facts that are
known to me. The congress has simply
submitted our case to ourselves, with an
order that we proceed to try it. It is
true that in the absence of an authori.
tative expression of the popular will
directly on the question, there was little
hope of securing a prohibitory law, be-
cause of the ability of the liquor inter
ests to control the senate. But it ia un-
! thinkable that the formal, solemn voice
of the people will be ignored by the
legislature, and I dare TO promise that,
if such a thing we're to happen, con-
gress would pass an equivalent of the
: Curtis bill at the next session
) I have heard also thu criticism that
} in the senate the joint resolution was
: amended so that the vote of the people
, might "request" the Legislature, in.
, stead of "direct" it. This verbal
; change was made to meet the objection
, of one senator, who feared that the use
5 Of the word "direct" would commit
l congress to the principle of the initia-
t tive and referendum. Wa were of the
: opinion, and were advised by members
: of the senate committee that the Hey.
s burn amendment in no wise weakened
: the joint resolution. The request of the
e sovereign is a command.
/, Unjust to Legislature.
}, Il has been predicted that the ter
g ritorial executives viii refuse or be un-
e able to enforce the law. The prediction
o does injustice to the officers and con
r fesses flabbiness of citizenship, that
3 does not exist. If we carry the Islands
t for prohibition by an emphatic major
,: ity, it will be an entirely new atmos
1 phere in which executive officers take
I up their duties. 1t is certainly true
+ that federal enforcement IS more thor
:, ough as a rule than state or territorial
y enforcement But the abrogation of
:, home rule, against the protest of the
I Prince would have given the liquor men
: splendid working pretext to deceive
Z and nflame the popular mind, ana
= make even federal enforcement difficult
= while greatly diminishing the educa-
y tional value of the law. If the voters
: wish this law, they will wish it en-
= forced, and it will be enforced-not
:, perfectly of course, any more than the
3 laws against larceny, and assault, ace
!. enforced. perfectly.
II Kuhio to Be Here.
) The date of the election has come in
y for criticism, on the ground that many
c of our friends will be absent. The
/ objection is valid in way But the
8 absentees will not be very many and
Q the number will include enemies as
y well as friends Of the measure. The
Il Prince and Princess will be here. The
e Hawaiian women will be here, not to
vote but to help. The Hawaiian men
3 will not go away for the summer. The
questiOn will be disposed of before the
II November election, and the moral
n effect of it will profoundly affect the
e personnel of the next legislature.
r Suffrage Question
y We have been censured, I am told, for
y not insisting on a vote for women in
g the plebiscite. l can only speak for
g myself as to that, although ] am quite
e sure the Prince and Mr.. Mcclellan fully
e coincide. / strongly desired and urged
/ a vote for women, but was emphatically
r warned by our friends in both houses
& Of congress that such a clause would
re imperil the joint resolution. We Sc
n riously considered a separate bill to
% follow the passage Of the resolution
e But there was no hope of getting it
y out of the way and the necessary regis
tration in pursuance of it in time. I
IS lay no claim to unusual knowledge of
b. the workings of a wOman's mind or
y will, but i reckon that we shall have
/. the best WOmanhOOd of Hawaii solidly