The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-10-28
TRE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.



Some kind friend, away down in the State Of
Maine, who has our thanks for his attention,
sends us a copy of the Maine Eraageha fo'
August 4, 1858, published at Lewiston, Maine.
containing a compile of letters from Rev. j. s.
Green, who, it would appear. has again entered
the arena, with quill in hand, to overhaul the
movements Of the Polypesan, Commercial, ct ce-
terra. We extract 50 much of the letter of April
% as is Of local interest, which will probably be
read with quite as much interest here as in the
corner of the United States where first published.
MAxAwAo, Maui, HAwAIIAN ISLANDS,,
April I'D, 1858.
Nearly one-third of the year has passed away,
vet I have not spoken through your columns TO
my fries in Maine. Let me commence at once
br TELLING YOU of the state Of things at Hawaii,
and in the Pacific, so far as know of anything
new or interesting. If space and time allow, l
NAV then leap the Rocky Mountains, and talk
with YOU of things pertaining to our common
country.
OF things pertaining to this group of islands |
have nothing very striking TO communicate. L
feel something of the same interest in Hawaiian
politics that [ used to do at home, to wit an in
terest in having good men chosen to represent the
people in the halls of legislation. l taught my
people the value of the ballot-box, the way to use
it, and the importance of choosing good men and
true to aid in enacting laws for the good of the
nation. 1 always give them my example-go to
the annual election. 1 also unite with my peo-
pie in instructing our representative as to the
measures which we wish him to support and
when any important measure is before the house
during the session of the legislature, unite with
tie people in petitioning for or against, as the
case may be. 81 In the peace thereof shall We
have peace" 1 regard as addressed to us. who
are toiling for the good of the Hawaiian race. L
suppose we of the mission are much as was Dan
lei in q foreign land. We cannot but feel an in
terest, deep and strong, in whatever pertains 70
the temporal and eternal welfare of our people.
/ have some fear of a collision between the Ha-
waiian government and Young America at Homo
lulu. the metropolis of the Islands, Each has a
weekly paper. Of the Polynesidn, the govern
ment organ, 1 have spoken heretofore; and l Will
only add that it retains its worthless character,
and has little influence excepting with a few who
are determined to sustain governmental measures,
right or wrong. The Commercial 4drerfiser Is
the mouth piece of Young America. Ii rs a taste
fully got up sheet, and might be a useful one had
il a responsible and talented editor 1t has no
editor, but a proprietor Ii Is exceedingly snarp
sighted to the faults of government, and severe in
It's criticisms of ministerial obliquity- Only when
the Lord Jesus was on trial, you know, were
Herod and Plate some. So with the Poiynesidn
and the Commercial. When the cause of Christ
must be stabbed, the latter can borrow o vile ar
rIcle from the lOfmcI- Dut YUiitictiiN thcSC lh-
pers are antipodes, are calling each other hard
names. much after the fashion of papers with
you.
Ii seems that there was a great struggle at
Honolulu, at the last election, between govern
ment and Young America. The result was that
government was beaten, and great was the boast.
ing of the Commercial. Think the governmental
candidates were much the best men. | should
have voted for them in preference to the ones
chosen. And yet / fear that the course pursued by
the chiefs in regard to the election, was anything
bat honorable. 1t is said tIst they tried to con-
troll the election at several plaoSS Zareatening to
turn from Office every one who re,-iSed TO vote
their ticket. 1t Is even said that the king threat
ems to take from the people their constitution,
unless the Legislature shall favor all his views.
1 hope he has made no such threat. lie may be
advised to do so by some of the creatures who
stand about him but | cannot think that he
will do so foolish a thing. L have some fears that
there is TO be no meeting of the Legislature. 1t
has been postponed till May, which is near at
hand, but nothing is said of the meeting OF late
Commercially, things are much as usual, more
prosperous than ii was feared they might be. L
do not hear of any particular Embarrassment
among us, connected with the depression at home.
There may be after a time. How so many mer-
chants manage to live and keep above water at
our metropolis. | am unable to explain. l fear
there IL too much truth in the allusion OF a ship
master, who, in defending himseifand fellow ship
masters against the cudTyc VI DI- ouiich thoe
.. most of the ships in the Pacific are moral pest
houses "a thing which can be proved by many
witnesses. boasts of So building up your fair
town" pointing to Honolulu, where he then was,
and So continuing to sustain it by their periodical
visits Alas, if Honolulu is to be sustained by
men who have the charge of the most disgusting
moral pest houses. Better that it should return
to its character of a small. filthy fishing village,
than to be built with the gains of pollution and
shame. 1 believe it is admitted by all that, with
the exception of a single paragraph, '.the sailor
Is given to every crime" the doctor S charges are
true to the letter. Sodom was doubtless sustain
ed by the gains of ungodliness. l hope this may
not long be true of Honolulu, if it has hitherto
been
In relation to agriculture l am happy to report
a gradual improvement. There are many draw
backs to successful labors of this kind, such as
the ravages Of the and lately OF the
caterpillar, difficulty Of procuring seed. and the
want of "A reliable market. Wheat and corn can
be raised beans also, and other vegetables,
though never without difficulty, arising from the
frequent visitation of the cut-worm- Lit n crop Is
secured it must be disposed of at once at some
rate, or given over to the tender mercies of the
weevil. Hence the difficulty of keeping seed.
Corn cannot be kept any considerable time, and
wheat only by being left IN stack, where it is at
tackled by rats and mice, which have become very
numerous. So much of our wheat at Makawao
was destroyed in this way the last winter, that
there was a scarcity of seed, and several hundred
bushels were sent up from the Touring mill.
Those who took of this for sowing, were to re-
turn, after harvest, three bushels for one, an ex-
brilliant demand, and absolutely ruinous to any
one who took any considerable quantity ON those
terms. Last year there were moro than $1,000
bushels of wheat sold at Makawao to the Touring
mill company. l fear there will not be as much
raised this year, as the want of rain in some
places, and the destruction by the worm. are
darkening the prospects of our farmers. The sea-
son for corn and bean planting has not yet ar
rived, nor do I know Of any considerable seed on
the islands. The island of Oahu has token the
lead in corn producing, but learn that this
branch of agriculture is being abandoned for feed
ing cattle.
A good deal of attention is being paid to the
cultivation Of fruit. Peaches, oranges, figs and
glavas are becoming plenty. All these are now