Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 197, 20 May 1891 — Page 4
| This text was transcribed by: | Naomi Ajello |
| This work is dedicated to: | to my Hawaii Hamachi Ohana |
KA LEO O KA LAHUI.
"E Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono."
KA LEO.
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1891.
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NOTICE.
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Copies of the Ka Leo o ka Lahui can be found every morning at both the News Agencies in town. Price 5 cents a copy.
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THE QUEEN.
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We are glad to hear by the Malulani that Her Majesty has enjoyed good health during her trip among the people on Hawaii, and that she will remain in Kona, until the return trip of the Malulani. The Queen has been fairly received in most places she had been to, and enthusiastically in others. We hope her intercourse will arouse in her a kinder and more attentive regard of their duties to the people than she has unfortunately shown so far.
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We hear with sorrow of the sudden death of Mr. Henry N. Greenwell, last Monday morning. The deceased was on his way to Honolulu, by the steamer Malulani, and had just took his seat at the table for breakfast, when death without a struggle came upon him. He was a resident of Kona for over thirty years. He leaves a wife and grown up children, who mourn the loss of a kind protector and father.
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HOW TO AVERT THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS IN SALARIES.
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The various dangers, as outlined in yesterday’s Leo, which threaten this country, through a social crisis resulting from a general reduction of wages by the sugar planters, make it all the more imperative on our leading politicians, to study the possibilities of new markets for our staple product, sugar, as already hinted at by the Leo. This is a question which cannot be dallied or trifled with, and if the present Cabinet wish to do their duty to the people, they ought to take the matter in hand without losing another single moment. We have already pointed out that it is within the domain of our department of Foreign Affairs, to see whether, with a little diplomacy, the markets of Canada, New Zealand and Australia could not be opened to our sugars so as to obtain for them better prices than what can now be expected from the United States. Of course, this matter ruffles the American element and the American interests of our community. But this cannot be helped. For the planters, as well as for the laboring classes, it is a matter of vital importance. The Government ought therefore to send, without delay, come creditable and reliable agents to study that matter of new markets and of possible new treaties connected with these, so that if the thing is obtainable, no further tyime may be wasted in waiting for and unknown future and perhaps unexpected hazard to ameliorate the American market. Action is what the country needs, and if nothing is done at present, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will have assumed a terrible responsibility before our non American planters and before the whole mass of our plantation laborers. Friend Parker, beware of your American advisors!!
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OUR MARSHAL.
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A certain sworn statement by C. B. Wilson to L. A. Thurston made in January, 1888, has been placed in our possession which Marshal Wilson claims to exonerate him from the imputation made in the Legislature in a speech by his Ex. C. W. Ashford and other from which we made the allusion to him in an editorial in our yesterday’s issue, in regard to his having betrayed the original Wilcox conspiracy.
We are glad that our remarks have given the gentleman an opportunity, and we will give him all possible chance to place himself correctly before the public.
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The Bulletin and the Campaign.
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The Bulletin grows quite pathetic in protesting that the campaign is not yet open. It implies that certain parties is carrying on a political warfare entirely out of season. We are pleased to see that sheet acknowledge its purpose. It is to be nothing until the election campaign sets in then it becomes “pledged” to some party and “establishes itself for all.”
We are sorry to see the Bulletin without either its political orders and pointers. It must be very embarrassing to be in a conflict and not know which part to take. It is probably hired to refrain from criticism of the present administration or its secret springs, and while thus engaged it looks with uneasiness on any movement calculated to disturb the equipoise of public opinion.
We cannot see the country going to the dogs without raising a warring voice, and it we are crying in the wilderness, it is our duty to cry so much the louder.
The Bulletin is one of those kind of organs that will look on placidly while the country fills up with Asiatics at the rate of thousands a month and never open its subsidized mouth; but when the campaign comes, the season for catching votes, it will declare that the voters are called on to save the country from coolie labor by supporting it and its party.
We do not have different principles or doctrines for election times. We hope to educate the people, and it is our determination not to let pass uncensored any betrayal of the people’s interests.
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WHY THE MILLENNIUM SHOULD BEGIN IN HAWAII NEI.
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The reverend pastor of the Fort Street Church preached a sermon on the above subject last Sunday evening. The reverend gentleman stated at the outset that he did not propose to speak of the obstacles in the way which might hinder or prevent the consummation of that bright promised millennium; but only to point out the favoring conditions; he did not propose to talk about the dark and discouraging features of the question. The dark and discouraging features being somewhat in our line we propose to suggest a few of them thus supplementing the pious view of the case.
But first we must give a glimpse of the sermon. The reverend orator based his arguments almost wholly on our climatic and geographical position. The climate was so salubrious that good men lived to a great age; the missionary fathers had all attained a ripe and vigorous old age, that was one of the conditions of the millennium, that all should have long life, “ a child shall die an hundred years old.” Then men had to work, but not too much; we had a climate where men’s faculties might reach their fullest development without being burnt out and consumed by the forced activities of more rigorous climatic conditions; then again the red and easy outdoor life begot a friendly freedom in social intercourse that bore a distinct resemblance to the happy life of the millennium; again there was the fact that there was very little of cast or race prejudice; the rich and the poor the light and dark-skinned mingled freely in social life. Peace, when the sword should be beaten into the plow-share, and the lion lie down with the lamb. We had always had and might always hope to have from our insolated position in the midst of the waters and our relations to the great powers. Then our population consisting of specimens of nearly every race and kingdom, Christianized and united in the bonds of sanctified love, might form a hew race of unknown vigor and virtue.
So the pious dreamer built the edifice of our future glory in the bright sunshine of his imagination. Only say “boo!” at it, and it vanishes.
First as to our climate: it is wonderfully efficacious in metamorphosis, ‘tis true. Opium changes itself into brick all spontaneously in the hands of a Christian official. Missionaries are changed in one short generation from devout men of God to money-lenders, usurers, oppressing the poor and working every sort of iniquity in the name of business, wearing their fathers’ religion as a cloak to hide their lust for gold and the pleasures of the flesh. In our climate even the chaste and modest maiden of away down east in puritan New England soon arrays herself in the flowing holoku and studies the mysteries of the hula. In our climate every sort of weed, vermin, disease, and vice imported from foreign lands takes root, spreads, runs wild, riots; rats, lantana, centipedes, mosquitoes, consumption, leprosy, prostitution, din, are notably foreign importations which, besides the missionary, are at home in this once idyllic paradise.
As to work and healthful exercise our position is lamentable. Labor is dishonored; to work is a disgrace. Honest labor is shunned as degrading. None of our young men think of earning their living by honorable toil; even foreigners who have worked all their lives feel the general sentiment of people that manual labor is disgraceful.
The cause of this is the fact that manual labor puts a man on a level with the Asiatic who is as the beast of the field. It is as if a self-respecting man was asked to put his neck under the collar, draw loads alongside the despised ass. Men will not so debase themselves. The consequence is that our society is divided into idlers and peons or serfs. We fail to see the dawn of the millennium in this condition of things.
About peace we are not so hopeful. The missionaries have introduced the rifle as an element in political strife and it can scarcely be anticipated that necessary reforms can be accomplished without overcoming the opposition of legalized piracy by force of arms. Already we have seen blood flow and the situation is becoming more critical. Foreign arms will not intimidate men so that they will unresistingly give up property, life and sacred honor.
That our Chinese and Asiatic coolie-slaves should be mentioned as elements of civilization and prosperity, conducive to the return of the golden age, can only be considered as a caustic kind of a joke.
We really do not think the rosy dawn of heaven on earth yet glows on the eastern horizon, though it may appear different to a minister of the gospel with a good salary, the luxuries of leisure and wealth, out of hearing of the clash and graces of the grim battle for existence that wages ceaselessly abound about us in our sun-lit green-girt archipelego.
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ON DIT.
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That Osiris was on the rampage.
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That there is a rumored change to take place in one of the editorial departments of one of our dailies—poor pussy.
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That a reconstruction will take place in Her Majesty’s Cabinet,--dropping out the existing obstructionists, when it is to ne hoped that competent and good men, and popular withal, will be appointed.
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That all the opium suspects are wearing a troubled and anxious look wandering about of evenings like gnomes hoping and praying for an opportunity to unsand the hidden treasure at the beach.
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That our townsman the Hon. Paul has returned from Hilo, and is looking hopefully to the future and a probable appointment on a mission abroad.
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That the great Waipio Mogul has bought Ford Island for a mere song, and the island is now being offered to the American Government for $50.000.
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That Deputy Marshal Wilder has been extremely wild since he has been away from his lynx-eyed superior, while rusticating as Crown Prosecutor at Hilo. Is the gin and other stores used out of the incidentals of the marshal’s office, or where? --- please tell us Mr. Guardian of the Peace.
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That the Merchants in lieu of pecuniary lass through the McKinley tariff bill, are willing to become confederated as a State in the Australian or the Canadian confederacy.
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That the “P.C.A.” has a scalp article against Minister Widemann, which has a real Thurstonian ring about it, while Zeke goes at the affair in a Smithsonian lamblike sort of way.
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That in a certain quiet nook, there was a certain combination of official and ex-officials seen, namely, the prosecuting Charlie and the prosecuted Tommy were in one corner, and an ex-Marshal and his ex-deputy was in another corner. That that cache was probably the subject of conversation in the latter instance, and how to avoid the future probabilities in the case of poor Tom, was the subject of sympathy between the other two.
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A ROMANCE.
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(Continued.)
Nyama had no right to come on shore. He will have to go to Bowowee Island and serve in the cane fields for five years. When I heard he was arrested I was sorry; but I cannot help him. I came at once to see you. I can save you from all trouble. You cannot to into the rough hard like on a plantation. I will give you a nice little cottage, furnish it beautifully for you, make it a lovely little nest for my pretty pet. I will come and see you every day so you will never get lonesome.
The supervisor had watched Faza closely during this speech, who when she heard that Nyama must go to another island covered her face with her hands and sobbed again. “I will go with my husband. Tell me where he is.” she said.
The supervisor went up to her and caught her wrists in his hands and pushing her hands away from her face and down behind her, lifted her in his arms. Faza struggled desperately and remonstrated so loudly that he was compelled to release her. “You are very foolish,” he said “but I will see you again,” and he left the room.
She thought now only of how to find Nyama. She wanted to go to him, and go with him wherever their evil star might lead. She did not know a word of English and it was already dark. She was afraid to go out. M She must wait till morning.
Having reached this conclusion, she applied some cold water to her face and bombed out her long hair, then she took off her shoes and then her dress.
She was unfastening her corset when a sharp knocking came at the door. Hastily thrusting the offending article into a drawer and pulling her dress up over her shoulders again, she opened the door. It was Moromoto of the steamship, looking fresh and dandified as usual.
“My goodness! he exclaimed, “what in the world is the matter?”
Faza explained not quite steady as to her voice, her hair lowing all around her. As she spoke the young officer looked with growing admiration. Her white fet showed under the white dress as she sat on the edge of the bed and the unbuttoned dress suggested how easily it might come off, and gave glimpses of white skin and scarcely concealed the plump, round breast. The thought flashed through the young man’s mind; the fire ran through his veins; every muscle and nerve began to neat and tingle. He felt the fierce glow, the imperative impulse of animal love, the desire of the wild beast to forcibly take possession of the object of its passion and to overcome opposition with tooth and claw. He thought, if Nyama were dead Faza would belong to him. The idea was fascinating. Perhaps he would never get out of Jail, and then—Faza stopped speaking. He had not heard the last of her story. He started.
“I know you will help us, sir Moromoto,” she concluded, “you have been so kind,” and she looked up at him appealingly and smiled a little. “It was maddening; he lifted his hands—and thrust them in his pockets. “Yes.” he said shortly, “I will see what can be done,” and left the room.
He was glad to get out into the cool air, out of the warm bedroom, and its strange temptation. He took a deep breath and wondered at his infatuation. But the vision of the beautiful girl, sitting in dishabille on the edge of her bed still followed him.
He felt ashamed of his treachery, resolved to do all in his power for his friend and if he was really gone—Faza. He went to the police station and did not find him there. He went to the Supervisor’s Office, it was closed. He went to the Japanese Consulate. The Consul was out, but the clerk directed him to his residence.
To be Continued.)