Ahailono o ka Lahui, Volume I, Number 11, 22 January 1890 — THE DIFFERENCE. [ARTICLE]

THE DIFFERENCE.

; We wisb to eall tlie attention of tbe public gcnerully and of native Hawai* ians especially topne prtwopromment points of dirterence between ilie respective platforms of the.government and National Reform;parties: also to the ditterent positions taken arid now ! occupied by tbe respective candidatcs of tbese parties. First, it will be nuti ed that the declai ition of prineipii > upon whieh tbe National Eeform candidates are pledged leaves no demand or want of tbe people to guesswork. Tbe platform is full at all points and is partieularly explicit wberever tbe people bave demanded speeial legisktion > as on tbe Cbinese question. On that otber most important point—so tlear tc native Hawaiians—tbe iudependence of tbe oountry, tliere is no elianee to eseape the intent and patriotic purpose plainiy set torth in the second clause, to maintain reservation or eom* meieial quibble tbe perfect autonomy and absolute independence of tbe Ha~ waiian kingdom agaipst all foreign enei'oaehmeni, eithor profferod or invited. •

Upon tliis latter point } as upon ali otkers mehtioned in tbe five sliort of iho govei'nijQent platiorm, the partv of promises is \ ague and un eertain iind leaves a loophole in the phrase, f< amplest commereial ben.efity in our treaty relations \vith the United Btates," whieh, any time Ihe ,fexistingadmmistration,, .may see fit, ean be suceessfully construed into a foreign protectorate, as already onee attemxjted by the leaders of the government party! But eaeh of the remaining clauses or planks of the 'phlloi'ni ui the party of politieal proui ses is of the same eharacter, viz., general statement or promise whien may be eonstrued and carried out u two or more ways, as tho eompromise party whieh drafted it intended it should be. A tieket made up to fuse the three eonflicting elements of reiigion, sugar and whisky—whieh h:ive always been against the people'interests singlg —ean hardly be expec t d jolnthj fco initiate and earry out legx va the people's interests! The faet is this ugly politieal eompromise is a ihin pretext to retain the control of the Hawaiian goyernment ih the interests of the wealth-acquiring and iauiiiy~compaet class£s. The whisky elemeni has been taken in under protest, because the government tieket had no earthly or heavenly ehanee of winnmg the eleetion in Oahu without it. So mueh in a general way as to the

platforms. Let us now turn for a*mom'ont to the positions occupied by tlie candidates. Tliere is not and lias not "been any uncertain sound given ont by tlie candidates of tlie Xational I\eform pariy. At tlie grand ratification meeting lield in tbe Itifles' Armory lately, and upon many otlier occasions sinoe, tlie candidates of thc people's tickct have openly and heartily pledged themselves on an emphaiie and de - tailed platform, to carry out and protect witliout reserve the poliiieal wants and legislative demands of the people. These candidates liave pledgcd their poliuual honoi', and certainly their chances of future political preferment at the y hands or the people, that the platform shall be carricd out immeeli' ately, so far as in their power lies, to all intents and purposes as ihough the people votedtlirectly for tlie principles laid down, and tho measures contained therein!

How staiid the cundidates upon tbe goveinment ticket? Asusual, —pledged to every body exccpt the people they wish to represent, Have they explamod their position or asscrted where they stand in relation to the wants and demands of the electoi*s of the kingdoin? Yes, some of them have spoken in vague and general i terms of doing tlie best for the public good, but as to what shall be done and what is the public good they will decide afterwards as their party leaders may direct! Their pl(dform te> eUher silent on ihew points or lecwes ] llu'm an o r pen qaestionf But some of tlie government candidates have not evcn expressed on the allcged principles of their platform ' while others liave declared themselves willing to go to political (< glory" on their alleged platform, but have rather foolishy started on that road by attacking the personal reputations of the candidates of the National Eeform ticket. These candidates have openly pledged their political faith and honor to the people's interests and ha,ve tiie advantage over tlie polit?cal "mudthrowers" on the compromise ticket of whisky, sugar and prayers, iu having a sjtraightforward, substantial and detaiied platform upon whieh to unite their pledges with the interests of the people! ;