Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 208, 4 Iune 1891 — Page 4

KA LEO O KA LAHUI.

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

 

KA LEO.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 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.

 

UNEQUAL BEFORE THE LAW.

            It was solemnly adjudicated by the Supreme Court that any law that discriminates openly or covertly against any class or residents or subjects is unconstitutional and void.  This was in the constitution but it had to be adopted by the Court before it could be considered settled an operative law of the land.  This was done in the case of the statute requiring licenses of the government to keep account in English and Native, it being a beneficient scheme to give employment to a large number of needy book keepers.  The court held that this law bore unequally on the class of merchants who did not understand the said languages.

            The justice of this cannot be doubted.  The law should be no respecter of persons.  Justice should weigh men's differences with blindfolded eyes.  Class legislation is an abomination and the worst of tyranny.  The law ought to be the same for every man.  What a storm of opposition it would raise if it were proposed to pass laws against Germans or Portuguese or Englishment, or to exempt all American missionaries from the operation of the criminal laws.

            Class legislation is undoubtedly bad, but the system that is in operation here in Hawaii is a thousand times worse.  It is as bad as it possibly can be.  The power is put into the hands of one individual and his satalites to say when and upon whom the laws shall operate.  According to his fancy he can point out any class upon whom the laws shall press, and designate any other class who shall be privileged to break the law.  Also he can use his discretion in individual cases.  If a man commits murder he may go free and unpunished.  if the Attorney-General's department wills it.  If it is desired to persecute an innocent person equally efficacious means are at hand.  He may be thrown in jail and his trial delayed as long as desirable.

            One of the most ingenious inventions of the great Catholic Church, was the sale of indulgencies.  The church had long claimed the power to forgive sins for a consideration, and had servants all over Europe driving a profitable trade in the forgiving business, just as the henchmen of the attorney-general's department are said to be doing now in Hawaii nei.  At length holy war, murdering and plundering expeditions that had not turned out well, required more cash.  In that crisis the plan was invented of forgiving sins in advance, selling parchment documents that certified that the said party of the second part was absolved, relieved, excused, and forgiven for any and all sins, crimes, misdemeanors, piccadillos, irregularities, and acts of moral obliquity, which he might do, commit or neglect to do in the next year, or other term agreed upon.  All of which was signed and sealed by the head of the church.  With one of these documents in his pocket and faith in his heart a man could sin with more than ordinary satisfaction.

            The infamous Tetzel and his subordinates peddled these indulgencies throughout Europe and realized immense sums of money.  So are indulgencies in the past and present given to importers of opium, to gambling dens, to illict liquor trafic, to bribe takers and every sort of law breaking that can be made a profitable business of.  We know and have pointed out dozens of examples of this sort on the Island of Hawaii.  We hear that the liquor dealers in the suburbs of Honolulu have "permission" to pursue their unlawful traffic and the open manner of doing the business confirms the belief.  We have also evidence of a very recent and very flagrant case of this kind that we reserve for better proof for another occasion.  But the worst result of this state of things is that government officers cannot be prosecuted for corruption in office, jobbery, bribery, &c.  The criminal law cannot take hold of them; they are safe and arrogant.  There is, indeed, a doubtful and not fully satisfactory remedy in the way of a civil suit by the tax-patyers for money lost the treasury.  An action of this nature has never been brought in our courts, it exists only in theory, and it is quite probable that the court would not entertain such a suit.  We now contemplate bringing a test case to see if the court thinks that any one can be made responsible for money as good as taken unlawfully from the Treasury.

            But the remedy is simple for all this wrong and lies with the legislature.  Let an act be passed, enabling any citizen to maintain a criminal action and recover the fine that would provide a certain active and effectual remedy for the abuse of indulgencies.

 

CONSPIRACY.

            The rumors about the Thurston conspiracy to assassinate the Queen are increasing and the native people have become very much excited.  An ominous fact is that the "P. C. Advertiser" is purring soothingly in its export resume.  When that old organ begins to aver that everything is quiet and all right with more than usual insistence, it is about the worst sign that can cast a shadow of coming troubles

            It is said that a meeting was held last Saturday evening, Messrs, Thurston and Wundenberg taking most active part, while a considerable proportion of the meeting opposed the proposed resort to arms.  Another meeting was held last night.  It is said that the plan is to go out on a steamer and capture Her Majesty on the water.

            We wish we could repeat what we said before, that we thought it an idle rumor, but the signs are too marked to be mere chance inventions.  If the Hawaiian people have a spark of manhood left they will let no handful of traitors take possession of their country.  Are you Hawaiians all cowards and traitors ?  If you are not buy a rifle and be prepared to defend your country and Queen if the time comes when they are in need of defence.

 

            That our printer made a bad mistake yesterday setting "kid" for "kin."

 

THE BUSH-WILCOX CROWD.

            The "P. C. Advertiser" of last Monday morning repeated the well worn falsehood, that forms one article in that journal's stock-in-trade, to the effect that there would be no disturbance unless the Bush-Wilcox faction started it, thereby implying that we are a constant menace to the peace of the country.  Every one who takes the pains to read what we write and is not blind and deaf by prejudice must admit that we have always upheld law and order.  We try to arouse the natives from their chronic lethargy about public affairs, so that they may not be robbed in the night, or enslaved by the insidious and scare noticed curtailment of individual liberty.  We advise them to arm themselves that they may not go like lambs to the slaughter, that they may not be wholly at the mercy of foreign conspirators.  This we do and can do legitimately and rightly.  It is better to bear the ills that we have than to precipitate a conflict whose end we cannot foresee.

            But that the natives should organize and prepare themselves so that they will always be a factor that must be considered in their own country is a duty they owe to themselves and God.  We are daily defining our position and principles, and we have certain reason to know that they are approved of by the people of the country.

            We have gradually been forced to recognize the fact, as the Pope of Rome has, that a republican form of goverment is best for the intellectual, spiritual and material prosperity of a nation.  While all the world has moved we do not want to see our people holding aloft the hollow shams and dragging solid shackels of a monarchy.

            We have not made up our mind yet whether it is better to have a republican form of government with an expensive and more or less ornamental figure-head, as England has or a government of, by and for the people without any shams whatsoever.  We have not decided yet, but we soon shall.  We are merely waiting to see how Liliuokalani governs the country this summer.  Whatever is done can be done lawfully and peaceably.  The first step is the education of the people in which work we are daily engaged.  When a people have reached a practically unanimous conclusion as to a public question, the rest comes very easy indeed as we may learn from Brazil.

 

THE BRAVE FIREMEN.

            When the Kerosene Warehouse caught fire the hose companies were powerless.  they squirted a feeble stream on the fence and rushed madly around doing nothing.  But after a fire had been burning six hours and all attempts to control the flames had been abandoned, and ladies and gentlemen began to walk out to view the flames by night, the firemen came out brave and strong.  They stretched a rope around the building at a goodly distance and guards laid violent hands on anyone who by any chance passed beyond the prescribed limits.  It makes a gentleman's blood a little warm to feel the grip of a person at any time.  The fire was raging within four stone walls surrounded by bare ground; no possible damage could be done by letting people approach the fire as close as they could without burning their faces.  The line was not put up in the day time, but at night  When the ladies turned out the fire brigade, requried an open space for the boys to show up in fine form.

            A gentleman riding away out was stopped by a very drunked member of No. 4 and assaulted and grossly insulted.  It was an outrage of the worst kind without excuse or provocation.  We regret to say these thngs about the conduct of individual members, but we are assured that no right thinking person can complain of deserved censure.

 

ON DIT.

            That the sale of sugar stocks did not reach the expectation of the hopeful ones, but was sold at what some people anticipated would bring since McKinley's tariff law soured on sugar.

 

            That they blame Wilcox for conspiring, as an excuse for getting prepared at the Barracks and other government buildings in case of an uprising.  The real cause, however, is the meeting openly held by the sorehead officials and decapitated ministers, who disire to force the Queen to abdicate her throne and allow them to dictate.

 

            That Samuel is practising pugilism on his brother-in-law John, with the view of meeting either John L. Sullivan or Peter Jackson.

 

            That the price of opium is going down, and price of kerosene oil is going up.

 

            That another murder had been committed in Hawaii, and foul play is suspected.  There is always foul play in Hawaii.  It is a very poor murder case that the "family" can not make $3,500 out of.  It cost Wing Wo Tai that much for an indulgence policy.

 

            That Hon. Sam'l Parker, differs from all other ministers, in that he objects to have his relatives appointed to public positions.  This is probably the reason why an altercation took place between the cousings.

 

            That the new lawyer is being appreciated in Honolulu, and proves the way Hilo and this place is run.

 

            That John McKeague has entered a suit against the firm of Grinbaum & Co., for alleged nonfulfillment of agreement.

 

            That the fire at the Kerosene Store House, was due to a misapprehension, on the part of some one.  He is about as sane as the cow that caused the fire that destroyed Chicago.

 

            That the Hui Kalaiaina held a meeting last Tuesday at the old Armory, to a slim crowd, due as stated by a member to the belief that the meeting area was for the purpose of making arrangements for a public reception to the Queen.  We are sorry, but it is nothing more than what may be expected under existing conditions.

 

            That some benighted reader of the Advertiser thinks he first discovered the squalling nuisance around the palace yard.  Let him read KA LEO and he will have no call to kick; we are the aboriginal kicker.

 

A ROMANCE.

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

(CONTINUED.)

            After a while the policemen appeared bringing up the rear of the column.  "Get up, you lazy sons get up.  Go long.  Wicky wicky," they shouted brandishing their clubs and forcing their panting horses among the little group.  Some staggared to their feet and commenced the climb.  Nyama sprang up and caught the first policeman's horse by the bit.  The rider aimed a blow with his club at the young man's head.  But Nyama springing forward caught it before it could descend and wrenched it out of the man's hand.  The rider drew a pistol from his holster and thrust it into the young man's face and cried hoarsely.  "Let go my horse you son-of-a dog, let go!

            Nyama started back a little, but did not let go his hold.  Faza was almost under the horse's feet.  The men stood glaring at each other, Nyama momentarily expecting the shock of death.

            It did not come and after a few seconds he began to breath again and spoke.

            "What do you mean by riding over sick women ?  Don't you see they can't move ?"

            "You better let go my horse." was the only answer.

            The tired animal was now standing quiet and Nyama removed his hand, and spoke in a conciliatory tone.

            "My friend, listen a moment.  If you will help us now I will pay you, pay you well, you understand."

            "You got money?  Let me see."

            Nyama produced a five dollar gold piece.  "I will give you that if you wfll get us a horse to ride or let us stop here and take a letter to the manager at Hardrow."

            The officer put up his revolver and held out his hand for the coin.  "Maybe so no good."

            Nyama gave it to him.  He turned it over and look at both sides thoughtfully.  He talked in their native longue to the other policemen.  At last he spoke.  "I think, you like give me ten dollars, you stop my cousin house just here," pointing to one of the cottages, "to-morrow, I come catch you."

            Nyama could see no other way out of his difficulty, so he took out another five dollars and passed it over.  The man got off his horse and said.  "Come, I show you place to stop."  Nyama was assisting Faza to rise.  "Give me my stick, now."  Nyama hand it to him without turning.

            The policeman seized the weapen and struck him a crushing blow on the side of the head.  He dropped, limp, to the ground, like a slaughtered animal.  Faza cried out in shrill anguish.

            "You son-of-a-bitch!" cried the policeman, "you to damn smary, I make you little bit sabe policeman."

            They stood looking at the fallen man for some minute.  Faza was crying over him, but he showed no signs of life.

            The man spoke sullenly and without regret.  "May be so make may-be-so by-um-by somebody steal his money.  I better keep him."  And he went down on his knees and began to search Nyama's pockets.  He found some silver and several gold pieces.  He put them in his pocket and mounted his horse and led the way up the steep ascent.  The others followed and left our friends and two other wretches lying on the grass.

            Faza sat crying and wailing a long time holding her lover's head in her lap and kissing his closed eyes and livid lips while the blood ran down her sleave and mingled with the mud that covered her skirt.

            After a while a native girl and a small boy appeared on the opposite bank of the stream and stood looking and conversing in their own tongue  The girl was a tall handsome creature with a figure like Juno.  She wore a long black gown and a straw hat wrethed with flowers.  The boy was such a ragamuffin as boys are in every clime.  When she had looked for some time, she gathered up under her arms her loose, flowing gress, and without any ado or ceremony waded through the water.

            (To be Continued )