Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 306, 21 October 1891 — Equality. [ARTICLE]

Equality.

All inen are born free and arc : equal before God who made him. No raan has anv elaim* whatever to greater riglit to freedom or *uperiority ove v his fellow being. J>y our standard, the Bib]e, the on]y ono whieh pive£ us the ciearest and bc<st proofs of oian's origin and n:it • - re. we are mride to understand thnt he was made to be free aud to be er>nal with hi& fellow. Takirg this as our foundation to atartfron., we are satisfied that any rule, law or act that operates contraiy to these two foundamental prineiples, u: • unjust and arbitrary, and is a P'f»rvision of the original statute ?iiven man after he was made. Taking the st*ndard that all :;i n are bom free and equal. all human laws made against it are retrogressive and should be abolishel. and the originai condition of m,in's right restored. Every step ■ v see taken in this direction is hject for congratulation, and <:vlnces an appreciation on the part of those making the effort to obtain j t li n t whieh belonged to them from the beKinning and is a part of his natural rights. Here, in this country. the effort ■is heen made to restore thess privileges of nan, against the action of others who find it to their inter<jst to peroetnate a visurpation of them. To-dav, we sr>e fr»o political divi-sio-,s of the oountrv, sctting up 8t andards of action, whereby they i)lcdge hy word thev will carry out. 'in the event ot their l>eing olccted by the ninjority of the voter> of the coutnry. One' of these 'jy»iitical divisions pro|>oses as a pl ink in their i)latform of action, t<> niako the efiort to do awav with a J:iw whieh make's a distin( tion in p;'?rs rights. Thc ouo referrcd to < hen;, is that termed in the law, ]>ropertv qualification. hy whieh | ihr* successAil or more fortune man

in ljusiness or by inheritance may have a superior right over his lēss fortu»»te fellow through that particular circumstauce, though intelleetually, he may bē to the poor man as the aj5S ie to the lion pbyslcally, or the monkej r to the man mental]y. This-principle has been set forth in a declaration by men. who were elected onee before in the inter«sk of the majority on the same liries r and adopted by poliUeāl associations, representing the vaet majority of Hawaiian people and the foreia:n element of the ccruntry, The division of the populaee represent-' ed by these bodies are nine-tenths mechanics and laboring men; who toil for their living and in moßt cases are debarred, by the by exercising an equal right with his fellow men in the privilege of votingtomake rulers for their guidanee and protection. The Hui Kalaiaina was the first to adopt the declaration made on this Doint, followed by the International League and lastly the Mechanics' Union. The declaration whieh reads as follows: "We hold that upright and honest manhood 3 and not the poesession of wealth. arbitarily fixfld, should constitute the right to vote for nobles as well as representatives, and more nower should be aecorded tothe ballot of the rich man than to the ba!lot of the poor man. The discrimination in favor of wealth now inade in our Constitution is contrary to all the eternal pHnciples ofright and justice, and mustbe abolished. To this end, we will favor a leveling of the present distinetiuns of wealth and classes whieh blemishourlaws with respect. of the right to vote for noblep, tliereby restoring to the native Hawaiians # privileges whieh pertain to them in their own eountrp, and of whieh they have heen unjustly desrived. ?? The Meehanies'/Union, the last to adopt this declaration of principles, after a careful study and eaj-u--est debate of the same. is a body of men though not poor, are not in the category of the privilege classes. Tneir adQption"V6f this onen and manly declaration of principies is a sign to ,iiB of the dawn of advanc • ing light and an evidence of an awakemng setttiment among the masses. Itisa just appreciation in favor of "upright and honest manhood' : against the usurpation and assumption of wealth S. e., no more power should be aecorded to the ballot of the rich man than to the ballot of the poor man." lt is the aeeeoianee of a first principle or right whieh was part of īnan at his creation, and. in accordance with the eteroal principles of right and justice, or as the Bihle the rightcousness of God. ■ We of no sound argument thtit ean be adduced against th# iidopt»o?> af this ]>rinciple by any class; self interest inay conjure up a conglo īneniuon ofwords and ideas apiinst it, bnt nonccanbe produced to refute tho eternal principles upen wlneh man's rights are based. ' Thev ;j 10 fixed and no effnrt on tho p;irv inan ean jnstlv alter them. The alterations and ehanires. wlueh man 1:1 his assunied wi*doui. hns m:ide in rlu» ti)iindani{>ntal as «('t forth i\v the autl; )r of all n;iture, is a j>erver>ion of the immutatye laws whioh kvern nature and is sure tO lead to anar-

chy and confusion. Nothing that man ean do ean better that whieh Gōd has made. Who ean deny the greater glory of the rose, the product of,nature, as instituted by the Creator, over the glory of Solomon, with all hie wisdom and tinsel. This proves man's utter insignifieanee arid should open up our unkderstanding *o see tbat the path of wisdom, is io restore all tfemgs to their former freedom and nquality and this ean never be accomplished until we are freed from selfishness and pride. No greater prbof ean be shown of our equality than our first inception into and exit from this life.