Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 426, 6 April 1892 — Page 4

KA LEO O KA LAHUI.

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

 

KA LEO

John E. Bush,

I una Hooponopono a me Puuku.

 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1892.

 

SOCIAL SCIENCE.

CIVIL SOCIETY.

(Continued.)

            For a century and a half the human mind sat down obstinately in front of the problem of the origin Civil Society and government, Hobbes, Locke, Filmer, Rosseau all enquire into it, and the first two as well as Rosseau base the origin upon an original covenant or social contract.  All three discuss likewise the best form of political Constitution, which Hobbes finds to be an Absolute Monarchy, Locke a Constitutional Monarchy and Rosseau a Democracy.

            Hobbes contends that men were first led to civil society through their terror of anarchy and its experienced evils in a state of Nature, their original state;--in which state there is ceaseless strife, there are no arts, no learning, no inventions, no commerce, and the life of man is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short."  Men weary of this state of misery are urged to get out of it by their fears, and being rational "reason suggesteth convenient articles of peace," which in brief were, that they should all forego mutual aggressions, and hand over their powers to a single person "one man or one body" who should maintain peace and justice, and defend them against outside enemies.  This one is sovereign, his voice is law, "the speech of him that is of right commands."

            Hobbes believed that an absolute monarchy, the monarch governing according to the law of nature, or natural morality, is the best form of government for the whole people, and especially for the masses.  If the monarch is wise and good so much the better; if not, Hobbes contends, "he should still be obeyed," because the remedy, revolution, involving civil war and anarchy would be a worse evil.  Better to bear the ills we have than fly to worse—to anarchy and its horrors, to get out of which was the original cause of the social contract and the transfer of power to the sovereign one..

            Such in brief is the theory of Hobbes the author of "Leviathan" who was undoubtedly an original and independent thinker on morals and politics and whose writings were epoch-making in both.  The student of to-day can discern the errors upon which Hobbes' arguments were based.  He wrote on the presumption that man is at all times the same; that rude primitive men had as many, or the same principles of action as civilised men.  He did not allow for the fact of evolution; that the soul of the civilised man is as much expanded beyond that of the primitive man, as that of the grown man is beyond that of the child; consequently his account of the motives that first urged men into society, and regulated their early intercourse on the score both of psychology and history.  Nevertheless there remains a certain amount of force in his theory and reasonings.

            Locke likewise based Civil Society on a social contract.  But with Locke there is a contract on both sides, on the governed that they will obey provided that the Sovereign will govern according to certain fundamental principles.  The obedience is not to be unlimited or passive; in other words the sovereigns power should not be absolute.  Locke founded the rights of property on labor, not on law.

To be Continued.

 

ANOTHER WAR CLOUD.

            We clip the followish dispatch from our foreign papers, showing the angry attitude of the nations toward one another, which may culminate in a rupture in the coming year according to the theory of Lieutenant Totten.  This manuvreing and preparing of armed forces in Europe, means more than idle show, and will result in the greatest struggle that the world has ever seen:

            London March 22.—A Vienna correspondent says: General Gourko visited St. Petersburg to confer with the Czar on a plan of action in the event of war with Austria and Germany.  At a conference of five hours at which the Grand Duke Valdimir, the Grand Duke Alexis, Minister of War, Chief of Staff and other military experts were present, it was decided that General Gourko shall assume the defensive on the Austro-Germany frontier, and General Schouvaloff command the defensive army corps.  The recent movement of Russian troops has caused serious alarm here.

 

GLUTTONY

            It is probable that ten persons die from overeating where one dies from lack of food; and there are, perhaps, as many made ill by gluttony as by intemperance in strong drink.  The Saviour charges us to take heed "lest at any time" our "hearts should be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness and cares of this life," and that day come upon us unawares.  Indeed, there is probably as much said in the Bible against gluttony as there is against intemperance.

            Few people would habitually overeat if their food was plain, simple, and destitute of "seasoning" and stimulating condiments, by the aid of which persons are enabled to eat a day or two in advance of their appetites.  Persons are not likely to overeat if they use but one or two articles of food at each meal.  But when course after course is served, and new dishes excite an appetite which is already satisfied, and when a kindly and hospitable woman urges a weak minded man to "try this" and "eat that," when his hunger is already appeased, is it wonderful that he overeats and has indigestion and dyspepsia?

            Trouble came into this world by a woman coaxing a man to eat; and some of them have kept it up ever since.  A man is quite likely to eat all that is good for him without urging if the food be palatable and the company agreeable; his will is non@ strong to resist temptation, and @adly cautions against excess are much more needful than seductive persuasions to indulgence in all the luxuries of the season.—The Safequard.

 

ON DIT.

            That the Japs are still coming in twenty men to one woman as usual, though in violation of law, and the white laborers are going out faster than ever.  What a picture of how sugar has, and is, building up the country.

 

            That the War department comprising Wilson, Cleghorn and Nowlein are contemplating the erection of a hospital at the Barracks, for half the army are sick, and the other half don't feel well or relish the situation.

 

            That it is no secret that the troops under arms are badly demoralized and have no confidence in the sand-bag commander.  Any alarm for active duty would leave Sam in full possession alone, and he is begining to realize it, he looks haggard, for the situation is very trying.

 

            That the fun in the police court room in the day time is nothing to the comicality of the pecnic of the forty; twenty natives and twenty haoles who camp there on their arms at night.  That the twenty haoles are going to strike for more than two dollars a night and they expect to get it as there is no more reserve of the kind in the market.

 

            That somebody is using an official big salary to pay extra soldiers and police, hoping to be recouped the advance by the Legislature, but the Legislature will see through the sham scare and won't take stock in sand.

 

            That native recruits are being enlisted on the islands for Brigadier Nowlein.  Thirteen cam on the last Kinau, from Lahaina, and brought their guns, and over twenty came from other ports.

 

            That the old Elele weekly paper is to come out in a new garb, and be named the "Crown of Hawaii," with Marshal Wilson the power over the crown, as redacteur-en chef.

 

            That the new press power is expected to squelch the last vestage of republic sentiment in Hawaiians, and as it will be given away will probably be in great demand by Chinese at per pound to wrap shirts in.

 

            That C. Burnit Wilson is expected to contribute the first article on :How we scared the enemy with sand."  That Gov. Cleghorn will give an essay on "Why I carry around a sealed declaration of Martial Law."  That Nowlein will trot out his ideas on strategy, and Her Majesty will put up the coin, and the Cabinet will come in at the tail end with notes of approval.

 

            That somebody will find before he is through, that the character of Warwick is not quite the same as it might appear at first sight.

 

            That the measure of an unloaded gun in the street the other day was an act for which there is no warrant in law.  The statute under which the right of seisure is claimed is obsolete, no such claim was ever enforced under it.

 

            That it is common talk that the Queen cannot, or will not, or dare not see these who would honestly befriend her without Warwick or his representative is present.  It's history repeated.  Warwick is boss.  Warwick won't see that he had better move.  Even a cabinet minister in royal audience, must tolerate the presence of Warwick.  How is that for High?

 

            That Warwick is a new power not contempmlated by the Constitution makers of 1887.

 

            Shat the Rev old Lady who edits the gossiping Friend is getting pupule.

 

            That seven soldiers have been discharged from the military servie of the country, to make room for others who may be more reliable.

 

            That the Congregationalist journal, the Frind, says:  the Anglican Church doctrine on marriages is all wrong; that the climate has a great deal to do to modify the course of theologians with reference to the relationship of parties to be married.

 

            That the Friend in exercising its chief characteristic in villifying the memory of the late king.

 

CERTIFICATE.

Honolulu, April 4, '92

            Thi is to certify that my beloved wife who is now dead, contracted a drreadful disease during her life time, and for over ten years under the medical treatment of different physicians of this city, with no cure, but instead, was getting worse.  Mr. Marcus W. Lowell having the love of humanity, gave his knowledge and his time free of all expense in seeking to cure her, and in one month she was cured and free from one of the most loathsome deseases a person can contract.  I give this testimony in order that others may seek and find that relief which has been kept from Hawaiians, with the hope that some day will bring forth fruit.

(Signed)          JOHN SHELDON.

 

CURE FOR CANCER.

I, George Campton, carpenter, have been a resientd of these islands for the last 14 years.  In the year 1891 I suffered from cancer in the leg, and through the advice of a friend I had Mr. Lowell to see it.  I suffered the most excruciating pain and has confined to my bed for weeks, when Mr. Lowell saw me and told me he thought he could cure it, and to my utter astonishment, in one month from the time Mr. Lowell first saw it it was cured.  It is now nearly three months since and has all the appearances of a complete cure.  In three weeks from the time Mr. Lowell first saw me I was able to go about my dusiness.  Any one desiring further information can call on me at 36 King St.

 

Platform of Principle

OF THE

HAWAIIAN NATIONAL LIBERAL PARTY.

JUDICIARY REFORMS

            3.  Our Judiciary system and Code of Procedure must be submitted to a thorough revisioin, so as to secure a cheap and prompt administration of justice, free of all sectarian or patisan spirit, and to @ender 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.

MONOPOLI@

            5.  We shall use our efforts to @ laws by which all favoritism in the government and all monopolies, trusts and @dvileges to special classes shall be rendered impossible, by full, definite and mandatory statutes.

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.

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.

SMALL FARMING AND HOME STEADS.

            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 RIHGT

            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 must 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 expenditure 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 water-works, not only for Honolulu, but through-out the other Islands.

PUBLIC SERVANTS.

            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 adequate compensation for the services rendered.  All excessive salaries should be reduced and all @ or superfluous offices abolished.

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 all further importation or employment of contract labor of any kind, upon conditions which will bring it into a ruinous and degrading competition with free Hawaian or white labor.  We shall also, in the interest of the better protection of the poor, ask for more liberal exemption of their property from forced sale on execution, and from seisure in bankruptcy proceeding.