Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 270, 29 July 1893 — Untitled [ARTICLE]

Thebe are aome proapect« th«t the Councila will pa«s « new military act and it would be both of intereet «nd advantage to b«re it published in its preeent «mended form ao th«t thia imporUqt meaanre could be (ully diacueaed «nd ‘ ventilated. If we undersUud the

propo0iton ri?htly the miUUrr forcea of th« coantnr will be oomposed 8oIely of volunteerB «nd we heartiiy enaorse that idea. We do not believe that tbere are any reasons for having any anry at all. but tbat a well dniled and efficient poliee force should be sufficient to preserve the peaee in the counlry. The 9af<*guard of any governnaent ia the vo!untary supp*>rt of the people,and however mueh Mr. Dole or Mr. Smith may praise the system of an oligirchy. they ean re9t a99ured tbat such a form ofgovornraent eannol remain in power as long as it 9oiely depends on the supjH)rl of hireling soldiers who uio9tiy are iuiported needy adventurers with no interests ;\nd nothing at stake in the ountry whieli hire9 Ihem, and who h:ive pabl'cly objected to pay tax“9 therein. The main rea«on why the armies of thase e u itries vvhich use a gener.»l cooscription are superior to those araiies co:igtituted of hir-d uieii, is »imply lhat every citizen is a so!dier aud every soldier a citizen. The nohleman and the peasant, the ioillionaire and the pauper. stand next to e.ieh other in ihe ranks for the mulual purpose of defending and serving their country. and that is what forms the safeguard of the governrnents of Europe. The muiual cau«e makes every man put his shoulder to the wheel even if he ispoliticalIy opposedto the form of government orto the individua!s constituting that government, but it should he well remembered that that mutual cause is the independ enee and s:ifetv of their countrv — * J \ tbeir homes. In Hawaii to-day, the situation is rather d'ffrrent, because to day lhis government o.;«Ils for volunteer militiry ass:stance for the purpose of defending them individually, whilethey traitorously are trying tn rob the eountry of the independence, and its citizens of self-government. For such purposes ali milit.*rv forces will be in yain. If the new military bill simply means a temporary nieasure of economy, we ean heartily endorse it, but if it is tbe beginning of a continued era of a military oligarchy, let us lifl a warning voice and advise the government, first, to snbmit the question of their existence to the popular vote of the people, and abide by the decision of the peo{»ie before they take measures whieh will prove fatal to their scheme and theraselves.