Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 284, 21 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.

MONDAY, SEPT. 21, 1891.

 

ECHOES.

 

The dispatches from Washington indicating that the State and Navy Departments are becoming alarmed at the rumors “that the English are getting a strong foothold on the Hawaiian Islands and that the new Queen is partial to the English” are very entertaining.  The rumors are undoubtedly the work of some interested politician, but we believe they are groundless as applied to the present condition of things.  We are aware that certain of the English ladies and gentlemen resident in Honolulu entertain a harmless conceit that constitute the crème de la crème of society; vulgar Americans and tinged Hawaiians are looked down upon, by them, as insignificant, in imitation of their own insignificance when they go back to visit their own country; they do in fact form a clique that apes all the conventionalities of polite society and through indifference are allowed the leadership in such matters.  But they are regarded with amusement by the intelligent and unconventional Hawaiian, American, German, and no importance is attached to the fact that the Queen humors them in their social conceit.  It is true that in the former reign, the English did take a walking stick and make some long-legged strides into our political affairs; that one minister was their nominee, tool and protégé, as well also two successive clerks of the Foreign Office; but the times are changed and we are not aware that any British influence predominates at present.  But if we cast a glance into the future, there are contingencies that portend a strong British influence that will overshadow both Hawaiian and Americans.  A certain wedding that brought an alliance between a certain prominent British and certain royalties will make that certain British family the power behind the throne in a future regime.

 

We can answer for the native Hawaiians that whatever foreign sympathies they may have are mainly toward America.  The majority of people in Hawaii nei are intelligent enough to understand that the United States being at present the most natural market for our products, must be our friends political and commercially, and that national prejudices cannot well alter the natural currents and channels of trades and commerce.  We feel assured that if a vote of the people were taken from a business and sentimental standpoint as between Britain and America, the result would be overwhelmingly in favor of America.  But while recognizing the necessity for intimate relations with the United States, our statesmen must also remember our cosmopolitan character, and keep in an independent position to maintain cordial relations, with England and such other countries whose commercial and naval vessels visit our ports.  The channels of commerce may change, or our diversified products may find wider markets, and therefore our hands should be free.

 

Meeting of the Mechanics.

 

 

The meeting of the Mechanics’ Union convened through the papers for last Thursday, at 7 P.M., took place at the International Hall, when, at half past seven, President Phillips called the meeting to order.  The hall presented a singular and “motley” appearance; in the very slim attendance, the old generals of the institution, Phillips, Mackenzie, R. More, J. Bowler, T. Lucas, P. O’Sullivan, J. Quinn, were prominently noticeable, as also a few of their subaltern officers; but the remaining portion of those present were evidently outsiders, many of them new comers in the town, attracted purely by idle curiosity; many came to the door, gave a look in and went away; the sprinkling of natives was remarkably small, as Hawaiians like all excitement of a political nature but their sympathies were evidently elsewhere.  Among the spectators attracted by curiosity were several members of the last Legislature, J. Pua, J. Kanealii, R. W. Wilcox, A. Marques, E. Macfarlane.  It was self-evident that the rank and file of the association,--the true Mechanics and Workingmen,--had failed to respond to the call, as they were conspicuous by their absence, and the few present did not take the least interest in the proceedings, to such an extent even that when a vote was taken, only a dozen of hands responded, all the rest not voting at all.

When asked for the object of the meeting, the President had nothing to say, except that the call had been made at the request of some members not named, who did not seem to have themselves any special order of the day in view.  After a “good natured” but desultory discussion, embracing a proposition for new elections of officers for the association, in which e. c. Macfarlane and T. Lucas made themselves prominent as would be leaders, and dictators of what ought or ought not to be done, and in which the puny editor of the Bulletin made himself very officious, the meeting adjourned without taking any action, subject to a further call of the Chair, a decision which was evidently an immense relief to the Chairman.

In toto, the meeting was a @ decided fizzle, showing plainly that the Mechanics do not intend to @ any attention to vague calls for the present officers of the association, and more particularly t@ they cheerfully heed the warning @ Ka Leo,--to beware of false friends and designing leaders.  The Mechanics and workingmen have not yet made up their minds to be captured and led by “the false and treacherous,” by those would @ leaders “whose hands are innocent of toil,” by those “failures” and traitors of the last Legislature, those friends of the deceitful Bulletin, who volunteered so freely to ventilate their ideas in the meeting and had full sway to better show their hands. 

It is therefore now, plain, that unless the officers of the Union are given a renewed authority by popular suffrage, and if some of the present ones are not replaced by others considered as more reliable by the masses, the slumbering association will not stand any kind of reorganization; it will be foundderd beyond redemption, and “disrupted into it original elements,” killed by mismanagement, breeding indifference, scorn and repulsion.  We hope that this sad fate will be averted, and a renovation will still be possible, but, as Ka Leo said, better let the society disappear than to allow it to fall into the hands of the “slave-drivers party” and used for the selfish purposes of unworthy men, designing and tricky politicians, who have cut themselves out of the national ranks.  By manifesting their disdainful indifference, the mechanics and workingmen prove that they keep alive to the advice of ka Leo, which they know is the only paper in town owned by practical mechanics, the only one who has truly at heart the interests of the working classes.  And the Leo says that, up to the present time, the true Leaders of the National and popular party have not interfered in any way with the popular classes, nor attempted to exert any influence over them; but when the hour comes, if required, they will be found at the post of duty, ready to tear off the masks of the false friends of the masses.

 

A ROMANCE.

 

The Paradise of the Pacific

OR

The Devil’s Kuleana.

 

(Continued by Uncle Beke.)

 

Opposite it on the seaward side of the road stood two or three buildings adjoining the thoroughfare and connected by a side walk as if they had made some effort to form a village street.  The largest of them turned its end to the road sheltered by a porch like a shade for its eyes to cut of the glare of the tropic rain.  This was the store and office, the focus of plantation life.

Here they stopped, and tied their fagged out horses to the fence near the store, and walked on to the veranda very stiffly after their ride.

The store inside seemed deserted and still as the street.  It was a @ of considerable dimensions, @ counter and shelves on each @ crowded with articles of merchandise of every kind and variety, @ man presently appeared from an inner office, with a handful of papers, and a pen still between his fingers.  His dress consisted of a loose white flannel shirt and a pair of dark trousers. 

@ surveyed the group before his eyes resting finally on Faza @ his mouth relaxed into a @y smile under the long blonde mustache, he turned and addressed the police man:  “Are these the people you left yesterday?”

“Yes; these two no all same other Japanee; they like rest, I suppose?” the man replied.

“Are you the man who speaks English?” the gentleman enquired of Nyama.

“I suppose I am; I can speak English, and I understood that I was to work in the store at Hardrow, is this the place?”

“Why you do speak as well as anybody.  We’ll all be glad to get a good interpreter.  We have been having lots of trouble with our Japs.  What is your name?”

“My name is Nyama, and I want to say that this Paradise of the Pacific is a rather a serious joke.  I never thought to bring up in such a place as this.”

“My name is Rowe,” said the gentleman in negligee, “I am the book-keeper.  I cannot tell you much about your position here till the manager comes in at noon.  nothing but the making of money ever induced any one to live here there is no other reason for being or staying here.”

“This brute,” said Nyama pointing to the policeman who was smoking a cigarette, “knocked me down with a club yesterday and robbed me of about fifty dollars.  Is there any way in this country of getting my money back and punishing the fellow.”

he man turned on him with savage indignation:  “You lie!” he exclaimed, and turn to the book keeper.  “He lie, that very bad Japanee.  He like fight me; like fight policeman!” he said with growing wrath and in a manner that showed that he considered the offence of wanting to fight a policeman the most heinous of crimes.  “He speak dam lie; he son a bitch,” he exclaimed shaking his fist at Nyama.

“Now stop that kind of talk around this store right now.  You are drunk this morning?” said Rowe.

“Me no drunk, dam lie.” swaggered he man.

The book-keeper grabbed him by the collar, gave him a shove and administered a kick, and another shove with his strong arms and another sound kick, and so on till they reached the door.  There he let go of the man’s collar and planting his foot in the small of the wretch’s back sent @ @ng face down on the muddy @ beyond the sidewalk.

“The niggers have to be taught their place occasionally @ as he came back w@  the @ from his round good@ @ @ with a si@

            (To be Continued)

 

KAWAIHAHAO CHURCH SHOW.

 

The Stereoscopticon show given by Mr. Ben Hogan on Saturday evening was quite a success.  The old theatre was crowded with adults and children, mostly Hawaiian who were there to see the shadow of things which they have no hope of seeing.

The enthusiasm of the spectators, gave occasional vent in all manner of hideous noises, making a howlbedlam of the church.

We hope that Mr. Hogan has reaped enough to make up for any deficits, he may have suffered in consequence of to much radiance in other quarters.

 

ON DIT.

 

That the members of the Mechanics’ Union met in peace and parted in harmony.

 

That the Hon. E. C. Macfarlane spoke at the call of the meeting, and Hon. T. R. Lucas, spoke by inspiration, as usual.

 

That “Peter” did not like the Mechanics’ Union because Bob and Ned were nominated in his stead for legislative honors.

 

That P. O’Sullivan “upheld the present government.”  Peter is different to the Irishman that landed in New York, who when he found out that there was a government in America, said “he was again it.”  Sullivan thinks that no better Cabinet than the present one, can be found.  Good for him!

 

That about one-half of the speakers at the mechanics’ Meeting were Mc’s.

 

That there are ninety-three Jury cases to be tried at the coming term of the Court, before Judd, C. J.

 

That the Chef a Lottery game is on the increase; that some of the more pretensions Hawaiians are being engaged in it, being behind the scene.

 

That Police Judge Hopkins is liable to be prayed to death, having fined two of the Kahunas for killing a little native child.

 

That there is an increase of immorality in the community, since A. d. 1887.

 

That some men, that were not members of the Mechanics’ Union, had more to say at the Union’s meeting than some that were.  This is now the reverse order of things in the world.

 

That P. O’Sullivan thinks that with new elections in the Mechanics Union, certain of the present officers and among others the “invincible” D. Mackenzie, might not be found there again.

 

That in the Mechanics’ meeting the only true Mechanics present were some of the Union Foundry, sent there “by order,” to help a packed meeting.”

 

That the Elele, weekly has been reduced to one-half in its former size.  Its first number in its changed form; was issued last Saturday, Sept. 12.