Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 280, 15 September 1891 — Page 4

KA LEO O KA LAHUI.

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

 

KA LEO

John E. Bush.

Luna Hooponopono a me Puuku.

 

TUESDAY, SEPT. 15, 1891

The Bulletin’s Inconsistencies.

 

NEW SERIES.

 

Now about that Kohala Chinese racket. The Bulletin first started to give, on this event, some unfortunate account “which made it look as if the Chinese immigrants had a real grievance against Mr. Aseu,” their employer. This was done under the spur of the moment; but, after reflection, the Bulletin’s little minds were so horrified to find that, for once, they had “apparently” taken up the cause of some poor deluded laborers against their employers, viz . The patrons of the Queen Street sheet- that in a wild spirit of penance for such a misdeed, they quickly “solicited” and published Aseu’s own version of the matter….how kind….but is it not queer that the “orb” should suddenly grow so very solicituous of “common fairness” and “simple justice?” and this, only when something happens that might injure its wealthy patrons?...would it have been so considerate and cautious had the situation been reversed, and a mechanic slurred by a false report? However, the Bulletin evidently gloats on the fact that Aseu’s interested version intends to show that the Chinamen had no real grievance against their employers. Can laborer ever have “real grievances” in the “orb’s” estimate? …But where the comic note comes in, is when the orb gets angry at the LEO’s hint about that paper undertaking Aseu’s defence. Now, the Bulletin’s policy is sufficiently established by the facts of its going voluntarily to the trouble of “soliciting” Aseu’s version, not waiting for him or the man who writes behind him to offer a vindication. Your defence, poor Dan, is entirely too thin, and the Advertiser , by publishing its latest impartial correspondence from Kohala, in the face of Aseu’s denials, shows more independence, more true journalistic spirit, and more consistency of character than the Bulletin ever did. Dan, don’t seize every opportunity of showing how devoid of common sense you are!

No! Beloved Bulletin ! The Chinamen at Kohala had no “real grievance” against their employers, and nothing to complain about their happy situation, except that the Pactolus has never been so far from them, as since that derisively named bark has landed them on the shore of their present flourishing situation. Would you not feel happy and satisfied yourself, like them, jovial little Dan, if you had agreed to work like a slave for $15 a month, and then suddenly discover that $3.75 are deducted from it for a return trip, and $1.25 for the passage from China, leaving net $10 a month to live on? But man of the unfortunates of Kohala, -who you were so scared to “apparently” defend,- have with them women and children, for whose proportion of passage money they also have to pay, so that quite a number really get even less than $8 a month, to feed themselves and family. Think of it! $8 a month, when you know of so many poor laborers who cannot live for $8 a week! And, to this, add to that rice, their only food, is 8 cents a pound in Kohala, and there is not even a blade of grass around, for the miserable wretches to mix up with what little rice can be procured on less than $2 a week!! Do you think that box or two of crackers accidentally distributed on a veranda to hundreds of famishing souls, can remedy the evil? And don’t you think that the Jesuitical excuse of not attending to the complaints because it happened to be Sunday, is worthy of the Bulletin’s idiosyncracies? Go to, you false friend of the poor, you false lover of justice! Your utterances are treated for what they are worth, by the public who refuses to believe any more in you, and to be led by you!

            (To be continued, as long as the Bulletin furnishes text.)

 

“KA LEO’S” COMPLIMENTS TO THE HILO RECORD

            In spite of the asthmatic and invidious sneer we congratulate the editors of the Record on the acumen and intelligent perceptions displayed in their article on “the political situation” reproduced in the Advertiser of September 8. The Record has but echoes the changes of which KA LEO has been ringing upon the situation for some months past. Its general denunciations of the cabinet accurately express the feelings that exist also in Honolulu. We join hands, “in affectionate cares,” with the Record in saying “we want men sent there this next year who will correct the faults of the past two years’ cabinet; we have had a most competent cabinet for the work we demand of them,” and “what we need in a cabinet is, push, energy, honesty and work.” That is about exactly where the National Party stands, and what we hope to accomplish. And since the Record displays a liberal spirit in announcing that a National man who will go ahead and do something is just as good as one of the opposite party, we can assure the editors of the Record that by assisting the National Party at the next elections, there is a reasonable certainly of securing a cabinet of intelligent progressive and representative men, who will more nearly realize the ideal that the Hilo journal has set up, and will be more likely to have more popular support, than any men the so-called missionary-reform party are likely to advance. If our brother scribes in Hilo will read the LEO attentively they will find many object lessons in political government, and cannot but fall in line with the sensible ideas and honest purposes that are animating the National Party. The Record excepts the Minister of Finance from its scoring of the Cabinet. We admit the propriety of the exception for the minister has not been long enough in office to become responsible for the waywardness of his colleagues. But KA LEO while giving proper respect and consideration to the gentleman’s private character has objected to his entry into the cabinet, for we considered it an insult to the intelligence, of this community to insinuate that no one could be found in the Hawaiian Kingdom fit for the position, that had to be offered to a visitor from Boston. Mr. Smith has been so many years away from here that he is practically a stranger to our local political conditions. The Record also errs somewhat in saying that “good officers have been turned out without good reason.” That might have applied to the former Cabinet but under this cabinet there have been but two important dismissals. Marshal Hopkins was dismissed without cause, simply to make place for Mr. Wilson; the Cabinet in justice should certainly have given Mr. Hopkins some other position equally as good. The second dismissal was that of P.M. General Wundenberg and this is the only creditable thing the Cabinet has done. Had the Hilo journalists read the legislative committee reports of his arbitrary and profane administration of his office and did they know of the high handed injustice with which he treated his subordinates, and the general unpopularity of the individual in Honolulu, the cause of his dismissal would be plain to see. KA LEO has clamored for other dismissals of other men equally as objectionable, but none have been made. New appointments have been made however as the Record remarks of mediocre pets of the Ministers. Au revoir.

 

A NEW WAR PARTY

            The Advertiser has surprised both friend and foe the past week by arousing from its Silurian slumbers and unmasking a battery of small shot with telling effect. Some plumed knight of the nineteenth century has evidently come to their hitherto drowsy cave. First the police are bombarded with a rattling good discharge of condemnation; then an air ship was conducted hither from Hilo and a torpedo dropped right over Alliolani Hale, in most reckless disregard of the assurances of certain sugar barons that the cabinet would be defended from assault; then they sent a sky rocket and a search light into Emma Square to hunt for Berger and his “new” programme of music that was to delight the hundreds assembled there; and we are sure we heard the Advertiser men whistling the marsellaise instead of Hawaii Ponoi . Lastly they pumped a scorching hot volley out of a gatling right into the Privy Council. KA LEO and its political battalions, erected their fortifications, and planted their standard some time ago, and have become veterans in a continued battery of power and shot, but gee-whiz, the Advertiser arsenal have put us on the qui vive with the lotting off of their explosives. Our officers are on the ramparts trying to scan the manoeuvres in the Advertiser camp; they report that as yet their guns are pointed in the same direction as KA LEO’S. But as they fly no colors we cannot yet tell whether they will be allies or a hostile faction that will have to be annihilated.

 

Another Sample.

            It was claimed by the missionary and ministerial organs, when that antiquated remnant, J. Mott-hyphen-Smith, was resurrected from the graveyard of political “stiffs”-located in the Back Bay District of holy Boston, that his appointment to the office of Minister of Finance in the Cabinet of a (to him) foreign country, was a distinctively generous dispensation of the political Providence, and that the natives and denizens of these tropic Isles should celebrate the happy event with thanksgivings, self-gratulations and praise. The claims referred to were, or professed to have been, based upon the great and glorious deeds said therefore to have been performed by the little non-resident, hyphenated Yankee, for the benefit of the Hawaiians. If any part of the lofty panegyric lavished upon that ex-resident of the political limbo had been deserved, we might have repeated some evidence of his alleged regard for the Hawaiian upon, or since his advent to office. But what has our very little politician done in fulfillment of such expectations?

            We find that about the time of his official advent, (our readers will remember the time from the fact that the earth rocked and swayed upon its axis, and the opposition in the political scale kicked the beam when the prodigy from holy Boston took his seat), there was a vacancy in clerkship in the Finance Office. The public may not be aware, but such is the fact, that the vacant place was sought by a very worthy and competent foreign-born resident,- a man who has resided here a score or more of years,- has an Hawaiian wife and family, and enjoys the respect and confidence of the community. It might have been expected from any one but a Bostonese Yankee that such claims and qualifications as those of the applicant here referred to would be appointed over or in preference to such a man, except one possessing equal or greater claims to recognition and political preferment.

            But we find that, in the face of all the theories of justice and policy applicable to the case, the man of family, who pays taxes, and is dependent upon obtaining employment, as a means of feeding, clothing and educating the Hawaiian wife and children who look to him for support, -was ignored and passed by; and in favor of whom, do you suppose? Unfair and impolitic as it may appear, and actually is, -the candidate in whose favor the worthy citizen referred to was denied an opportunity of serving the public for his own and his children’s bread, -turned out to be  a mere “kid.” –a boy in his early “teens,”-just out of school, and but lately released from the restraint of diapers;-the son of the most highly-paid official in the government, except Supreme Court Judges and Cabinet officers;-a youngster who, in a political sense, or any other, had no more claim upon that office and salary, than had any other school boy in the land.

            And this is merely another of many current samples of the way in which the present alleged administration flaunt their insolence in the face of a disgusted electorate,-another instance of the “family compact” disposition and tendencies of present ministers. The poor and unfortunate, though thoroughly competent heads and supporters of Hawaiian (or foreign) families may go to school, so far as ministers care,-while the pampered pets of officialdons are hoisted to luxury and importance over the heads of the more needy and deserving. It may not have occurred to the wooden heads of the appointing power, that this preferred child will not have a vote for several years to come,-while he who was rejected, and his sympathizers, will have votes enough to bury the incompetents who now draw high salaries, in return for their maladministration of affairs. It should not be forgotten, however, that same kinds of ministers may think they see the policy of getting and keeping “solid” with auditor general. We will look with interest to the next biennal report of the later officer, to observe whether he shall indulge in as much and furious “kicking” against present ministers, as against fermeroues who placed no public salaries at the disposal of his filial striplings.