The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-08-06
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6.


condition of its finances. Where wisdom con-
trolls the administration of a government, there
its effects will be seen in the gradual development
of industry and wealth among its laboring peo-
pie, in the encouragement of trade and COM
merce, and in the growth of a spirit OF content
ment and loyalty among every class. All par
take of the increased vigor and spirit which is
impaired, as by some unseen agency, to every
part of the body polite. Like the working of
a curious piece of machinery, which ELECTS praise
according to the skill with which it is operated,
go a government is praised, admired and respected
according to the acts of its prime agents.
1t is unfortunate for the Hawaiian nation that
the policy of its ministry-if policy it can De
called-is developing itself so openly TO the in
jury of the country. Where our progress might
be onward, we are, alas, but '' progressing back
ward, :" or, at best, standing still. For proof we
need not ,ook beyond the bounds of this island.
Never was here :. field where the development of
a truly wise and liberal policy in the ministry
would show such marked results-never a field
where inactivity with its kindred spirits has taken
so complete a hold or shown more disheartening
effects.
4 s~uppliant people poor but patient. sit quietly
BY and ask why no relief can be afforded to its
decimating population. Why no efforts are made
to carry on The works of public necessity in other
places than within hail Of the government house,
or why no system is devised to foster our droop-
ing commerce.. Or why Our treasury, almost neg
lected, is allowed to be burdened with a growing
debt at rates of premium which would ruin the
strongest mercantile firm in existence. These are
important questions, and at first glance it may
be difficult to divine the causes which operate in
producing the present 9 national stagnation" Is
it may be called. But reasons exist and they
should be examined.
Two years or more ago, provision was made by
the Legislature and authority given by it to pro-
vide a hospital on each island for the sick but up
to this day W. believe, not the first step has been
taken to carry out a measure that might be the
means of saving annually hundreds if not thou
sands of the natives, who die, not from old age, but
in three cases out of five solely from want of care
and proper medical treatment. Discouraged, dis
heartened, uncared for by those whose duty it Island
who only have the power to care for them, they
lie down in despair and return, without a MUIR
muir, to the dust from whence they came. No
reason can be assigned by our ministry why at
least one hospital has not been provided, except
that they and the scores of agents of government,
many of them utterly useless, must first be pro-
vided for, before the dying groans of the people
are needed. In the present emergency, a part of
that appropriation might and should be devoted
to the remuneration of those physicians who are
obliged, from the claims of humanity, to pre-
scribe for these poor sufferers.
For five or six years past a sum varying annu-
ally from 800 900 TO $50, 900 has been voted
by the Legislature for pablic improvements on
each of the islands Of the group. These improve
ments, at the setting of that august body, have
been deemed Of 80 great Importance that both
branches unite to order them executed, but by
some singular optical illusion, no sooner has the
session closed than these works are deemed of
no utility, and a privy council hurries together
to strike them from the bill of appropriations as
useless and uncalled for. And the Minister of
the Treasury takes delight and pride in showing
that his "unexpended balance" exceeds the
amount expended, and that the people have been
defed, and their necessities tempered with. Year
after year the scene has been re-enacted, with a
GOODNESS which, in a better cause, merits admira-
ton. But, wonderfully enough, one or two pub
lie works, before t. eyes of the metropolitan
public, are considered of vast Importance and
Kept in motion, to give the appearance that some
thing is being done.
The last Z" assembled wisdom of the nation
sanctioned the construction of a steamer to aid
our island agricultural interests. Why no plan
for introducing one has been matured is better
known within the enclosure of the government
walls than without, but the public are left TO
infer that it is owing to Indifference and misman-
agement somewhere. Better lay the keel of a
steamer tomorrow, and give employment to resi-
dent srtizans, even though it may cost 500, 900
and take FIVE years to build it, than let the islands
go without the prospect of this great agent which
is peopling the rivers and coasts of every new
country on the globe with a CELEBRITY which strikes
wonder and amazement even to the settlers them
selves, and which ought to encourage our govern
ment to renewed exertion in the matter.
And here we are stopped on the threshold of
our inquiries and told that the treasury is empty,
and that there are no means to go on with these
laudable works. But how has the government
treasury become depleted, and why is it that we
are borrowing money at ruinous rates? The peo-
pie will ask these questions, because they are
deeply concerned in the issue. 'Tis theirs to bear
the burden which is increasing almost uncon-
sciously on the State. They say it is because we
have no treasurer and have had none for more
shoh Il yooi P"o'- iHcy Say IL IL oecduse we nave
no auditor, whose vigilance might defy even a
prime minister. And they are right. Why we
have no treasurer and no auditor, heaven only
knows. If it is to save a few thousand dollars,
our government will come out in the end like the
merchant who dispensed with his book-keeper on
the score of economy, and found, only when too
late, that correctness in accounts was more neces-
sary for his success than even capital itself.
1t is a grand mistake to suppose that our gov
eminent can go on prosperously without at least
a responsible head over the finance department.
The department, it is true, is nominally under the
supervision of the Minister of the Interior. who
ought to find enough TO fll his hands in properly
overseeing his own department Is this the way