Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 211, 9 June 1891 — Page 4

KA LEO O KA LAHUI.

"E Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono."

 

KA LEO.

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1891.

 

NOTICE.

            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.

 

OUR RELATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT.

            No one can accuse us of courting or receiving the favor of the present government.  Still we believe that they are largely indebted to Ka Leo not only for the positions they occupy, but for their continuance in office.  It was because the people expected popular reforms in the government that the accession of Liliuokalani was hailed with delight by her oppressed people.  The voice of the people condemning the Cummins cabinet and the decision of the Supreme Court gave her the fair opportunity to come before her people as their deliverer from an odious oligarchy.  Whether she meant well or whether she was frightened by the hydraheaded “Influence,” we cannot definitely say:  It is certain that the cabinet of Her Majesty has continued the reign of the organized and confederated criminals who have controlled our country.  We are glad to learn that Her Majesty was well received by the people of the other islands.  But with a gagged press, the outside districts have very little chance of knowing the true inwardness of our political life.

            Then the money of officials and sugar planters combined with the curiosity of the populace might produce a fair imitation of popularity to deceive the Queen as to the feeling of her people.  Her Majesty is not so stupid as not to perceive that the devotion of her people has sadly waned since her cabinet showed its allegance to the commercial-missionary mafia that the people have voted out of office, but with no other result than a change of ministry.  The mafia still holds the country in its octupus clasp by intimidation and bribery.

            It has been our pleasant duty to tell the Queen and people this, to cry aloud the warning that might save our Queen and country.  We expect no reward but hate and persecution.  Reward are for those who fawn and flatter, conspire and intrigue.

            Recently we began to hear rumors of new conspiracies.  At first we gave them no credence but as reports thickened we thought it our duty to sound the warning.  The people were aroused and timely precautions taken and the league found themselves considerably embarrassed in their plans.  Of course respectable conspirators can not be punished nor any steps taken to prevent the repetition of the performance, but those who sounded the alarm who interfered with their treasonous schemes are to be prosecuted as criminals.  We are not the offendors, but those who spoke out in a time when the throne was in danger.  We claim no credit for this; but we hope that Her Majesty and her ministers will cease to give aid and comfort to the traitors who once resorted to arms to overthrow the King and government and who only wait a favorable opportunity to repeat the performance with the Queen.  Turn them out of the government offices where they are fattening and deprive them of the power of giving their plots a show of legality and authority.  If the Queen and cabinet make themselves tools they can expect to be cast aside as soon as the enemy is through with them.  The Bush-Wilcox party have always been the friends of the Queen.  They never conspired, but for her and the people’s benefit.  That party never turned state’s evidence, nor made any damaging statements to Thurston; never played detective; never was on both sides.  That party has never sought to flatter or leave the people’s cause to obtain personal advancement.  The Bush-Wilcox part have deserved well of the Queen and country.  But the criminal league say they will not stand to have Bush or Wilcox or Nawahi in the cabinet.  The reason they cannot stand it is, that they know that party can neither be bribed nor intimidated.  Of course a corrupt ring could not stand long under such an administration of affairs.  But their threats of force are idle.  The U.S. war vessel would hardly help them to break the peace and personally their following is utterly insignificant.  The false cry of reform no longer carries a following of riflemen, they are rather on the other side.  So there is no good reason why we should longer tolerate the oligarchy, except lack of back-bone.  Do right, then let the heavens fall.

 

A FREE PRESS.

            It has often been said abroad that the Honolulu press is gagged.  The Supreme Court especially have always held that it was a very wicked and criminal thing to be too free with their proceedings or doings.  It has seemed desirable to some gentlemen to protect the dignity and reputation of our administration of law, abroad by preventing public comment on the course of justice as administered here.

            Then we have the most unjust and oppressive libel law that ever disgraced a statute book.  Now, let us here correct a mistake in the reader’s mind and expound one of the most important maxims of the libel law.  “The greater the truth, the greater the libel” is the law established by generations of tyrannous magistrates away back in the dark ages.  In the United States it is enacted that the truth shall be a complete defense to any action for libel; but; in Hawaii, the greater the truth the greater the libel.  There are many who say “can’t you prove it?”  But it must be proved to the court and a jury selected by the court that it was published for justifiable motives, and courts and juries take queer and unexpected views of what is justifiable.

            That free speech should be considered a crime punishable by fine and imprisonment is a curious comment on our civilization.  If we see Smith or Brown or Jones stealing from the public treasury, and dare to mention it in public, we must go to jail at the instance of the theives who continue to drive through he streets in their gilded equipages before the eyes of an awed public.

            The Americans who come here in the guise of missionaries left their love of liberty and fair play in their native land and imported every device of mediaval tyranny to shield their reputations from the blackness of their own iniquity.

            We have given the people the first example of a free press ever known in Hawaii.  We are appreciated and patronized by the people.  But can we stand out against the attacks of an organized attempt to crush us by people who have the wealth of the country and most of the machinery of government in their hands and the cloak of law and piety to conceal their shrivelbe, avaricious, spiteful souls.

            There are some honest independent men in this country, but will they take a stand for a free press?  Are things to be told, spoken, proclaimed, or is all to be hushed, whispered stilly.  Are we men? Then let us speak out like men, or else betake ourselves to God’s country where men may freely speak and speak and write their sentiments.

            If the people again support the Bush-Wilcox crowd in the next election we will wipe from the statue books the “criminal” libel law.  Then we will buy  a ten-cent bottle of ink and take our pen in hand and write every thief and traitor, sneak and intriguer out of public office, and every sham and humbug, every pull and job out of public affairs.

HUNTSMAN’S EXPERIENCE.

            The resent attempt to incarcerate the writers of Ka Leo was not the only time that Mr. Huntsman has seen the inside of a Hawaiian Jail for words spoken in contempt of missionary families.

            Once when he was teaching school at a lovely country place called Papaikou, where the mud is four feet deep, and the spirit of mortals is about as vile as the devil could wish, a remote Hitchcock cousin had a half-Portuguese boy in that school and wanted to run it and its teacher.  He called frequently for that purpose.  The teacher appealed to the authorities, but in vain.  Huntsman then informed the cousin that the next time he appeared in the school room he would be used to mop the floor with.  He was a small man with a good deal of hair and clothes and seemed just suited for that purpose.

            For this he was arrested and when he arrived in Hilo found that the whole family had gone up to their ranch above the timer line, so there was no one in town to take bail, and the policeman had orders to lodge his prisoner in jail to wait the return of the reigning family.  The policeman was persuaded to wait at the Station House till near night expecting the return of some Hitchcock to take bail.  At last Huntsman insisted on going to the police justice’s house, though he was told that Judge Hapai was not at home.  The judge was found eating his dinner.  He said he could not take any bond that was Hitchcock’s business.  But at last he was prevailed upon to take deposit of gold coin.  “I suppose Hitchcock very mad tomorrow; too much huhu” he said as he put the money away.  And the prediction was fulfilled.

           

            YOUNG PIGS FOR sale at Kapohulu Ranch on the road between Waikiki and Moiliili Church. 

 

ON DIT.

            That several needed charges between officials in the country districts will be the result of the royal and ministerial tour.

            That the Maui judges and police officials are full of spirits and fiery energy.

            That the Band without a Berger was quite lazy and played miserably during their trip with the Queen.

            That Sam is now one of the finest orators int he country competing successfully in delivery and sense with Noble Pua and Sir Ed. Lilikalani.

            That the debut of the government pet to look after opium smugglers at Kahului, was to borrow fifteen dollars from the notorious, celestial opium smuggler to enable him to join in a little game with a number of his heathen friends.

            That since the Ashfords left their weekneed friends of the 30 ^th June, there has remained none but “Jackals” as leaders to fill their places.

            That some Postmaster told a friend, that “By God,” if the Queen did not do as they wanted too, pretty damn soon they would make her, or else they would precipitate the annexation of the country to America.

            That the Queen was the guest of a very select party of the noble Marquis of Iao, who consequently was promoted, and in the future will cover his beardless cranium with a ducal crown and will be known hereafter under a new title.

            That the Cabinet is wrong in not appointing Governors for Hawaii, Maui and Kauai, as the law makes it compulsory on the Queen.  We suggest the appointment of the obstructionists of the Cabinet to the governorships of the islands.

            That Marshal Wilson gave the Maui police a surprise party in having six persons arrested for illicit liquor selling and four for opium in possession during his short stay at Wailuku.  The Marshal used Honolulu police for his work, as he has been confirmed in the opinion of the quality of the Maui force as expressed in the columns of the Ka Leo.

            That pugilistic government officials are getting plentiful.  The Deputy Sheriff of Makawao showed his loyalty to the Queen by horse-whipping “a damned kanaka” during Her Majesty’s trip to Haiku.  –The damned kanaka has had the cheek to have the Deputy Sheriff hauled up.

            That for the first time the precaution was taken to have soldiers and loyal firemen with torches to escort the Queen to her Palace; the one to protect the Queen from the raging and disappointed former office holders, and the other to exposed the assassins if men could have been found as low as the hirers to do the dirty work.

            That more just grounds for a libel suit can be brought against the “P. C. Advertiser” by Bush and Wilcox than the crazy attempt against Bush and Huntsman.

            That the best evidence that there were rumors of an attempt to play the same little game of bluff that was done on the memorable bloodless Culloden, A.D. 1887, June 30, is the abortive leader of the “P. C. Advertiser,” trying to lull the Nation to sleep, by saying there were no grounds for fears of a revolution, and endeavoring to shield its friends, beforehand, by accusing Bush and Wilcox as the only ones capable of a revolution.

 

A ROMANCE.

THE PARADISE OF THE PACIFIC, OR THE DEVIL’S KULEANA.

(Continued.)

            Going up to the group she contemplated them at short range with a look very expressive of contempt, pity and disgust at last she addressed Faza,  “I think no dead; he want some water,” and she spoke to the boy, her brother, who scrambled back across the stream and disappeared in the direction of one of the houses.  In about ten minutes he came in sight with a tin bucket and dipper, which by his sister’s direction he filled at the stream a little higher up and brought across to them.  The native girl then told Faza to get up, who understood the sign if not the words.  Faza laid Nyama’s head carefully on the grass, and finding a handkerchief wet it in the water, but the girl pushed her away and taking a dipper full of the water poured it as a heavy stream on the fainting man’s nose, and then repeated the treatment.  The water ran in his nose and mouth and straightened out his tangle hair.  He began to choke, and Faza interfered to prevent more water from being poured down his lungs.

            After sputtering a little his eyelids twitched and opened and turned over and coughed out some of the water of his windpipe.

            So Nyama came to life again, and his wife could not kiss him often enough to express her joy and relief.  Thus the poor creatures had a gleam of pleasure to find themselves still alive and together again.

            After they had recovered somewhat they all followed the girl and the boy back to their home.  It was a neat white cottage with green blinds.  There was a board fence around the yard, and it was overflowing with flowers and fruits.  A magnificent mangoe tree shaded the front part, and a large lime tree overhung the veranda.  A row of ripening pine apples bordered the walk.  The house was a two storied, but the ground story was scarcely six feet high, a kind of basement.  A scant veranda extended over both stories.  Under the veranda on both sides of the door was a bench.  And the ground in front was littered with fishing tackle, mats, saddles large calabashes inside of monster gourd shells, and a circle of stones reddened by fire where the family cooking was done.  On the beach sat a man with a long, flowing, white beard.  He was dressed in a single tong garmend of pink calico, the universal wrapper.  Still he looked venerable and dignified and not a bit surprised at his strange visitors.  They stood in front of the porch while the girl explained.  Then she motioned them to sit down on the bench.

            They saw two women and a smaller girl sitting on the floor inside and braiding straw.  The room was bare of furniture except the matting on the floor and articles of dress and household use hanging on the walls.

            The Japanese sat outside on the bench a long time, and looked at the tropical luxuriance of the vegetation, beautifully fresh and vigorous, at the white incoming waves, and the great earth wall seeming to prop up the heavens.

            When they began to get over being tired, they began to feel fearfully hungry, and to discuss the prospect of getting something to eat.  The other two Japanese were sickly looking fellows, who said they had come to Bowowoe for their health.

(To be Continued.)