Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 309, 26 October 1891 — Page 4

KA LEO O KA LAHUI.

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

 

KA LEO O KA LAHUI.

 

John E. Bush.

 

Luna Hooponopono a me Puuku.

 

MONDAY, OCT. 26, 1891

 

A Voice From the People.

 

We publish in the Hawaiian, this issue, a communication from the native Hawaiians living in the district of Koolaupoko, on the Land called Kaalaea. The communication shows that Hon. Cecil Brown, has been looked upon as friendly to the Hawaiians, but complains that his action in opposing them in the purchase of the aforesaid land of Kaalaea, was unfriendly and @rary  to his profession of aloha @ native. It appears, that the ahupuaa of Kaalaea, was put up for sale by the administrators of the estate of Lunalilo; the natives living on Kuleanas on the land, and their neighbors formed a corporation, and undertook the purchase of this property, bidding over $ 17,000. Mr. Brown appeared as competitor and the land was sold to him, the poor natives withdrawing from the sale on being told, that he would go as high as $20,000 - in fact, he would buy it against them at any price.       This action on the part of their professing friend has nettled the people of Koolau, and has called forth a communication upbraiding him for deceiving them. We feel sure that it will also destroy his influence as a candidate for future Legislative honors in the districts of Koolau.       We are sorry that the necessities of business and business connections with which Mr. Brown is attached to, places him in the position that precludes him from serving two masters as in this instance. However, his is not the only or the first case of the kind. It is an old custom, in which the Hawaiian has always been unfortunate. His great misfortune being his too easy disposition, too willing to lend an ear, for a trifling favor, to the siren voice of other races, whose national inborn characteristics are to help self first: whose religion is myself first and the devil take the hindmost. There was a time, when friendship was an honored name. We have read the fable of two men, a Damon and Pythias, who were friends, but that class of people has become extinct - and such friendship is only known now as a name. The poor natives, however, have only begun to find this out, when it is almost too late.        The discovery of the deception practiced upon the generous and trusting natives of the country, has brought out a natural intensified feeling of distrust for their moneyed friends. This feeling, we regret to say, is due to the chicanery practiced upon the poor kanaka, but, although a hard lesson to bear it is one of the best that can happen to him, to educate him to that standard, that has already been attained by others by the same hard experience. Gratitude and friendship are only names; greed and selfishness have taken their places.         

 

Strike of Japanese Laborers at Makaweli, Kauai.

 

There is a current of discontent among the Japanese laborers on Makaweli Plantation, which found vent on Thursday last, when about 270 out of the lot of shipped men, struck work. During the year and a half that Mr. Walsh was manager only 4 or 5 laborers were sent to Waimea for trial; while his successor presents the Waimea court with a daily and weekly record of batches of prisoners, thus keeping the local Deputy Sheriff and his meager force of four men busy all the time with Makaweli prisoners. The force ought to be increased here by at least two constables to meet the increased strain.        The immediate cause of the strike was the arrest of sick men and forcing them to tramp to Waimea there to be interpreted by a plantation interpreter who always places the prisoners at a disadvantage by representing that he pleads guilty, when the prisoner intend merely to confess inability to labor. Just now there is a laborer sick in Waimea, who was a victim to outrageous cruelty. It was perhaps fortunate for him in one respect that he was dragged to Waimea as he is now under the care of our skilfull and duly qualified humane physician Dr. Campbell, who will not certify to a sick man being able to labor in the field, as is said to be the case with one or more of the whole of semi-charlantans passing as "doctors" of the sid Plantations.  On Thursday about 270 were find each a dollar and costs and ordered to return to work, but the matter ought to be thoroughly investigated by a competent board of impartial men. The Japs have no confidence in their own local physician who keeps a store and is said to deal in boots and backsheesh and to make it hot for non-customers and others who may not in the Jap style "pony-up". The Japanese official also who comes to investigate - they say - loses his hear when he gets into the planter phaeton and dining-room, and it is rare to find the laborer get his case properly sifted and justice done.   More anon.

 

Foreign NOTES.

 

Russia manifests no disposition to let the Eastern question rest. The Czar has just gained a step in Pamir, a table land of Central Asia, often called the "roof of the world", and which is the central node from whence the mountains of Asia radiate. Russia has also a strong influence in Persia. Afghanistan, and indeed all the Khanates of Central Asia. Thus in Asia the Russian boundary line is continually expanding in the direction of India. In Europe the importance of the free navigation of the Dardanelles is well known. Russia is also massing a force of 100,000 men in Bessarabia a province adjoining Roumania; and she is neither poor nor friendless, but is backed by French influence and a large loan. It can readily be seen that Russia, under these circumstances sustains her reputation as the troubler of Europe. When it was known that the Dardanelles had been opened to Russian war vessels, a body of troops from the British fleet in Mediterranean were landed at Sigri, a harbor of Mytilene conveniently near the Dardanelles. In an instant Europe was in a blaze of excitement; but Johnny Bull quietly explained that the men merely went ashore for gun practice. A very harmless act but it taught an important object lesson. It is nothing new for the Eastern question to be discussed with the sword; but such an armed rehearsal is unique. - Ex.

 

The Missionary Review of the World for August says the population of Europe may be set down in round numbers as 350,000,000, and is divided religiously about as follows: Roman Catholics, 165,000,000; Protestants, 90,000,000; member of old Oriental churches, 85,000,000, and about 5,000,000 each of Jews and Mohammedans. Italy with 31,000,000 as well as Spain and Portugal with 26,000,000 are almost wholly Catholic. Belgium with 6,000,000 is papal about twelve to one. In France out of 39,000,000 less than a million Protestants. Austria contains some 37,000,000 inhabitants, of whom 12,000,000 are non-Catholic. In Switzerland nearly twothirds of the 3,000,000 accept the Reformed faith. The German Empire holds 30,250,000 Protestants in a total of 48,000,000. Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands, with a combined population of 13,500,000 are almost solid against papacy, the latter being overwhelmingly Presbyterian, and the other Lutheran. Great Britain and Ireland are Protestant by 29,620,000 against 5,640,000. Of the Catholics 1,370,000 are found in England and Wales, and but 330,000 in Scotland. In Ireland are found 1,155,000 Protestants and about 4,000,000 Catholics. Russia and Greece have a population of 100,000,000 of which two-third belong to the Greek Church. Mohammedans comprise about onehalf of Turkey´s 5,000,000. - Ex.

 

            ITEMS.

 

A prominent Baptist minister in Russia has been sentenced to four years in Siberia, because he disregarded a warning to abstain from preaching. This is the second time he has been sent to Siberia.   According to an official estimate made in the United States, the world´s supply of breadstuffs this season is in consequence of failure of the Russian harvest, deficient by 200,000,000 bushels.    In thirteen provinces of Russia, the harvest has been a total failure. The distress throughout the empire is terrible. Brigandage, murder, and other shocking outrages are committed, parents even eating their own children.

 

ON DIT.

 

That A Honolulu business man complains of the tax office balooning his return papers after being duly sworn to.                        That bald-headed deacons and dudes will be glad to know that a female Tonsorial artist is soon to open a Barber Shop in Honolulu. Side-whiskers must go !                That Canadian editors do not keep (sound) in the tropics. From eternal snow to eternal h@ works great hav@e. Flopology @ common ill amongst them. The climate may be. That the Pensacola boys Hunt their daily beer.         That the chinese intend to petition the next Legislature to stop the importation of haole whiskey and beer.                That a cold-water-cure rlanter say: Kanakas are just as good as coolies, only there is not enough of them to cheapen cheap labor.               That the good haole are dying off through over indulgence. A number one cook-man says: bye and bye, no more good mesee; too muchee chow-chow beer, mahope make.                That over two hundred uncontracted immigrants arrived by the bark Irmgard from San Francisco, some black and others white, this hoggist lot, by the way, may suit some of our swinish cheap labor men.            That a Hong Kong painted newspaper states that chinaman or others in foreign countries can have their orders for wives filled with promptness and quick dispatch prices ranging from fifty to five hundred dollars each. Good look facee.

 

Platform of Principle OF THE HAWAIIAN NATIONAL LIBERAL PARTY.

 

PRINCIPLE OF GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION.

 

1. We deem that all Government should be founded on the principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity; we hold that all men are born free and equal before the law and are endowed with inalienable rights to life, to liberty, to property, to the pursuit of happiness and to self-protection against arbitrary concentration of power, irresponsible wealth, and unfair competition. We believe that just government exists only by the consent of the People, and that, when it becomes necessary for the public welfare, they may abolish existing forms and establish more advantageous and equitable system; and, as the present Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom never has had the approval of the People, but was established by intimidation and fraud for the benefit of a certain class, therefore we favor the adoption of a new and more liberal Constitution, to truly secure a Government of the People, by the People and for the People.

 

INDEPENDENCE OF THE COUNTRY

 

2. Out of consideration for the inherent rights and present opinions of the native population, we desire to retain the independence of the Country and defend its autonomy, under a liberal and popular form of government; but our Treaties with Foreign Powers, and especially with the United States of America, should be revised, so as to better meet present necessities and to obtain more equitable advantages in exchange of those granted by us.

 

JUDICIARY REFORMS

 

3. Our Judiciary system and Code of Procedure must be submitted to a thorough revision, so as to secure a cheap and prompt administration of justice, free of all sectarian or patisan spirit, and to render the Judges more directly responsible to the People; and we are in favor of a more liberal interpretation of Constitutional guarantees of the freedom of speech and the press.

 

TAXATION

 

4. A more just and perfect system of Taxation must be inaugurated, to abolish the present inequalities, by which the property of the poor is excessively taxed, while much of the rich man´s goods are under-valued for assessment or entirely escape taxation; we shall therefore demand the passage of laws that will more effectually subject the property of corporation and rich citizens to their just proportion of public @ (6 lines unreadable).  which should be in prop@ to the fertility of the soil. We shall also favor the establishment of a graduated income tax, and thus expect to obtain ample funds for conducting the government and attending to all necessary public improvements without any further calls on the masses.

 

MONOPOLIES

 

5. We shall use our efforts to obtain laws by which all favoritism in the government and all monopolies, trusts and privileges to special classes shall be rendered impossible, by full, definite and mandatory statutes.                         6. Better laws should regulate the Civil Service. The principle of the election of officers of the government by the people should be established, and no man should be allowed to hold more than one office of profit, whilst salaries should be adaquate compensation for the services rendered. All excessive salaries should be reduced and all sinecures or superfluous offices abolished.

 

PROTECTION TO HOME INDUSTRIES

 

7. We are in favor of encouraging all home agriculture and industries, and all our native products, like rice, coffee, wool, tobacco, etc. should be protected and fostered by proper tariff regulation; and also it must be the duty of the Government, in its contracts and other operations, to give preference to national products over imported ones.

 

PUBLIC SERVANTS. LOCAL SELF- GOVERNMENT

 

8.We desire a more liberal policy towards the different Islands of the Kingdom, outside of Oahu; they should receive a fairer proportion of the public moneys for the development of their resources and the satisfaction of their wants. In fact, the principle of local Self-government should be extended, whereby giving localities may choose the most important of their local executive officers, and levy taxes for the purpose local improvements of a public nature.

 

PROTECTION TO THE LABOURING CLASSES

 

9. We shall endorse all measure tending to improve the condition of the working classes, and consequently, without injuring any vested rights, we will advocate laws to prevent any further importation or employment of contractlabor of any kind, upon conditions which will bring it into a ruinous and degrading competition with free Hawaiian or white labor. We shall also, in the interest of the better protection of the poor, ask for more liberal exemptions of their property from forced sale on execution, and from seizure in bankruptcy proceedings.

 

SMALL FARMING AND HOMESTEADS.

 

10. The wealthy fraction of our population have hitherto prevented the development of an independent class of citizens; the public lands have been acquired and have been tied up in a few hands or parcelled to suit favorites, and small farmers and planters have been driven out by corporations or combinations of capitalists but as small farming is conducive to the stability of the State, it should be encouraged by a new and more liberal Homestead act, by which the ownership of small tracts of land and the settlement thereon of families of our present population. - and especially of the native Hawaiians who have been left    almost homeless in there country. -  should be rendered possible. To that end, the Government and Crown lands, (in so far as can be done without invading vested rights) should be devoted as soon as possible to homesteads and conferred upon bona-fide settlers free of taxes for a limited period. It should be the further aim of government to, at once, so far improve the means of transportation, - local, national and international, - as to provide, in all the districts, cheap means of conveying the product of the soil to market.

 

ELECTORAL RIGHT.

 

11. We hold that upright and honest manhood, and not the possession of wealth, arbitrarily fixed, should consti@ the right to vote for nobles as well as representatives, and no more power should be accorded to the ballot of the rich man than to the ballot of the poor man. The discrimination in favor of wealth now made in our Constitution is contrary to all the eternal principles of right and justice and most be abolished. To this end, we will favor a leveling of the present distinction of wealth and classes which blemish our laws with respect of the right to vote for nobles, thereby restoring to the native Hawaiians privileges which pertain to them in their own country, and of which they have been unjustly deprived.

 

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS

 

12. We favor the expemliture of sufficient sums to secure a number of needed public improvements on Oahu and other Islands: school, railroads and harbors and wharves, public light and also a thorough system of reservoirs and waterworks, not only in Honolulu, but through-out the other Islands.