STATEHOOD AND THE ELEPAIO

It has been many years during which the Republican party has held power in the governing of the Territory of Hawaii, and Hawaii has not at all been made into a state, where we’d be able to vote for our own governor, our chief justices, circuit court judges, Senators, and representatives in our legislature, and other many heads of government. However, the cry of those Republicans in their workplace to make Hawaii a State, does not cease.  It is ten years that Kuhio has been in the Legislature in Washington, and he has not put a bit of effort into making Hawaii a state. The Republicans are like the Elepaio bird who crying goes, “Ono ka ia! Ono ka ia! [I crave fish! I crave fish!]” This bird just cries out, but does not venture to the sea to catch fish. But its cry atop logs is what makes canoes bug ridden [pu-ha]. Ten years of crying “Mokuaina no Hawaii! Mokuaina no Hawaii! Mokuaina no Hawaii! [Statehood for Hawaii! Statehood for Hawaii! Statehood for Hawaii!]” But there has been no statehood at all; one session of the legislature passes by and the next comes, and then passes by, and so forth. But the Elepaio (Republican) continues to cry, “Ono ka ia! (I Mokuaina no Hawaii.) Ono ka ia! (I Mokuaina no Hawaii.) Yet they do nothing so that Hawaii would attain statehood.

(Aloha Aina, 10/26/1912, p. 2)

Ke Aloha Aina, Buke XVII, Helu 43, Aoao 2. Okatoba 26, 1912.