Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 83, 10 April 1894 Edition 02 — GORRESP0NDENCE [ARTICLE]

GORRESP0NDENCE

aot holi oar»lTes Tespcaafbl* tf ifa* opia. : oos or tbe stter3Lac«s of oor i correspoadejja.j % * EDITOB H0LOJfTA: Poetic license is a right recognized by all. In orv!er to more lncidly expre3s a sentiment in verse the coinage of new troi\ls. erer, is allowahle. Pronnuciation may be twisted wbere necessary to retain rhyme and still nse certain word> to express a g:ven thonght. But a line mnst be drawn soraewhere. The law, althongh especial!y indnlgent to poets, liraits the •snggestiveness' tbey may indulge in. In the S(ar pioem, all kinds of morality and deccacy are over step}>ed. It is as gro«s an outmge as ever was perpetrated on a civilize l eommnnity. The poem. on its face. is religions. To one who is not aware of the depths of defamity to whieh the editor of the Star ean descend, the poem pablished in its cnlumns last nigbt appears to be the siucere prayer of an e irnest aonl striving for Ligher religions attaimnents. L.ke Cleopatra’s usp, LiJden in a poekel of lascious fruit, tbe obseene tendencies of the Stare editor are resonnded by words of reverenca an worship. Nothing. apparently is so sacred but that his pen ean defile it. Ihe Star has boen allowed to impose the maudlin ravings of its I imheeile editor on the Honolulu puhlie for somo ti f ne past wilhout rebuke. People have s:tid: •‘Lot him gi on; at least, he is j amusing.’ ’ ]t is well understood that his argumentative qualities are his chief pride, and it is comraonly bolievod thut were anyonc to discard the truth and assert that be was a gentlemen, be would disputo the qnestion to the bitter end. His egotism is overpower- | ing and his toast hasbeen —“The I Star is representative of progres- ' sive journalism.” If the obscene ; poetry is progressive journalism theu tbe Star is its wonuy ex- ! ponent. jThe poem, published as “written for the Slar last evening is the saiue one tbe S. F. ( Examiner had a costly expcrience with some six ycars ago, and Mr. Smith ean hardly plead of that sensational occurrence, as he was engaged in jourualisra on the Coast at that time. The natural deduction, therefore, is thut the presump- ! tive editor of the Star, relying, | in case of detection. on the for- ! ; bearance so ofteu displayed in ■ regard to his writings, boldly 1 stole tbat poem from the Exam- | iner, credited it as “written for tlie Star,” and then proposed to be as surprised as anyone else at the discovery of its double meaning. lt is not a niee mat . I ter to discnss its self-respec J l demands thut notice be tuken of the unexampled etfrontery of S the arrogant aad eallona reproI bate who pollutes Honolulu’s air.,byhis mere presence,inorder that the attention of the proper autliorities may be his crirainal act. JoHN Smtth %