Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-05-02

The Hawaiian people desire this
legislation. My confidence in this
statement comes OF actual contact
with audiences and individuals In
every part of the group. The Ha-
waiians are great people for publis
meetings. They love to listen, to
sing. and TO speak. The custom,
fixed In early missionary days. of
holding great gatherings for religi-
Gus exercises, still obtains. Each
year.a great meeting lasting several
days Is held for each island, and one
still greater for the whole group.
To these meetings the people, young
and old, flock from every quarter.
One who addresses all of these meet
ings practically speaks to the entire
better element of the native popula-
ton. have addressed them all on
this subject and conferred In private
with the leading citizens. When the
body OF men with whom | am con-
nected decided 10 support the John
son bill. It happened to ha the sea
son for holding these grea, annual
meetings. The bill had been printed
Ia the newspapers and widely read
and discussed. All the Hawaiians
can read, and do read. In prepara-
tioI for the conventions, we made a
leafet OF the bill and presented it
with full explanation and discussion
as a prominent feature OF every
meeting. II met with instant ana
enthusiastic approval. Every meet
ing passed a unanimous formal re-
solution In support of It: but the
people did not stop at that. A re-
marknble campaign OF CORRESPOND
ence was begun. This letter-writing
avalanche Of public sentiment be.
gan after | left the Islands. The
desks of Members of Congress are
the best witnesses of how earnestly
and thoroughly the people worked.
In many cases the writer's did not
walt to get TRANSACTIONS of their let
ters, but sent them along In Tie ua-
age OF the bill | happen TO know OF
one small parish In Honolulu that
sent over LOO letters. and from
what Members OF the Senate and the
House have told me. ! judge that
other churches produced crops OF let
tiers In the same tropical abundance.
] do not hesitate TO say that prac-
tically every native minister hopes
and works and prays for favorable
action on the part of Congress. Ev-
cry white minister OF Congregation
al. Methodist. Christian. Adventist,
Mormon, and Independent churches,
as well as the Salvation Army, takes
the same position. Every Chinese
and Japanese Caristian - minister,
layman. teacher, and mission work
er--is for II. Every social-settlement
leader and every conductor of res.
cue missions Is for II. IL there Is an
exception. l have not heard of II.
Every Christian native woman
and nearly all the women are Chris
tIsnsT77as well as every Christian
Chinaman and japanese and Kore-
an Is for this bill.
] have, with the permission OF the
department OF public instruction, al.
dressed practically all the schools In
the Territory, and ! found teachers
and pupils alike alert and intelligent
ON the subject OF the evil and the peril
Of drink.
II II be objected that this shows the
present movement to be missionary
rather than popular. answer that
literally everything In Hawaii that
pakes for culture and for character In
the native Ii missionary. The Ha.
waiian race, so far is shows civiliza-
ton, Is n trophy OF missionary labor
Ignorant and malicious men are accus.
toned to say that the missionaries and
their children got the lands of the ma.
tiyes and got rich WrOngfully Exactly