The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-04-29

q rrc.4 Sspsbalitie - 5 thifvine aud. conparstvely
: very industrious native Population. who are con-
ssantly improving their lands and dwellines-and
when We look at The wretched condition Of the most
Of those interests which arei in the hands Of foreigners.
and inquire the reason-Rum /. is the answer. rum
permitted by the government which manages for us.
Against the wishes ofths great majority Of the inhab-
itspts. those Who own property. carry on businesr,
and are really concerned in the prosperity 81 the
place, a knot Of unprincipled men are allowed to
keep up atrafhc which bliehts and poisons every
thing.
We viii leave ont Of view the diaholical effect Of
this traffic upon hnman character and life, merely
observing the injury done TO our business.
First, then, il drives away ships. Everybody knows
it. Many ships are driven away from the islands
altogether, because the principal ports are infected
with this rum ~pestilence. Only the other day the
Oregon from Hilo, called here; the captain was anx-
ions to stop and trade. but dared not come to anchor,
because one of his best officers was intcmperate.
Many years ago. in the Fibberfy- gibbet affair, all the
masters in port signed their names TO a strong re-
monstrance to the government on account OF the
LIQUOR introduced ny that vessel. (Siilors cnnld not
get drunk here then.) Since that, Consul Bunker in
behalf of the whaling fleet. addressed = similar resnon-
STRANGE to the government, which no doubt, is still
extant. And we all Who know the masters feelings
would aign n petition TO sweep the whole thing clear
from this place. 1t is an endless source Of annoyance
and loss to them in mutinies, fines. deserters, drunken
and d~isorderly crews [ call TO mind now the master
of one of the finest clippers, sweating round the
streets after q drunken officer whom his appetite and
his friends would not dismiss to 90 aboard and get
under way. The editor Of the Pofyaesian, had he
been ut hand, might have heard imputations enough
upon the motives Of the government, and we'll spiced
at that. The amount of it is-no liquor. more ships
liquor free, less ships, and less every year. Said a
shipchandlerto me yesterday. 'iflicenses are granted.
our business win he diminished next year twenty per
cent But the ships that liquor drives away from
Lahaina will not go to Honolulu. Their trade will be
lost to the islands.
enterprise and means among our foreigners. What
becomes of all the money left here by $50 or 200
ships each year! Besides their regular trade, their
crews on liberty spend large sums A great part Of
this is row diverted from rhe reta | store to the grog-
shop. But the largest sums left here. and those
thrown most complete into general circulation. are
those paid to seamen when discharged or shipped, as
wages or advances Hundreds of men stop here
every season. with $40 or 500, or $500, and it is
against a sailors principles to carry any away. 1t
is all spent here. Here is a golden stream flowing
into the town that ought to make our streets spring
and grow with stores and dwellings-that ought to
nourish a hundred happy civilized families, store
keepers, mechanics and farmers. Such a marine
trade would build up a wealthy seaport anywhere in
New or Old England. But in the present state Of
things, the greater part of this money might far bet
ter be thrown into the sea. 1t is mostly secured by
an ~unthrifty class, who squander il in idleness and
debauchery, instead of making. it productive by in
OuStrY. OOmc OF tncm receive tH0uS1nuS OF uDifafS q ?
year none saveeAny. They reft every season their
wreschel styes, grow poor, debased and die. If a.
mechanic comes here, meaning to work h0m Nrbe->
comes debauched by the company he is thrown into,
and turns grog-seller with the rest. And so every
thing rots down together in one filthy pool of vice and
poverty, Yet the Poiypesian talks of .~sstqtes-
men" q who thus leave the second port in their
kingdom to decay and waste. IF they we're
cut off his left hand, they would do him 4 less
injury.
There is a very strong feeling among
our people, that there is a deliberate intention on the
part of the government to injure AMI depress La
haina. That merchants in their rivalry might some
times use unf,ir means to draw away trade, would
not be surprising. That there is a prevalent feeling
of CONTEMPT for the neighborine pert. seems to be
true. But [ cannot attribute to the members of the
that they allow these pre- -alent feelings
in the metropolis to influence them to a Deliberate
of this place. Such a course would BIZ
suicidal and opposed to every principle Of political
which judges that any country is pros
pered by the health Of every plrt, remembering that
when one member suffers, all the members suffer
it. But It is greatly to be regretted that the
shonld give 60 much reason for such n
feeling, by their actual systematic disregard Of our
interests and strongest wishes. What has been
lone for the benefit of Lahaina for the last fre years.
We have been asking for a government building, but
cannot get il for n market house-get apprnpria- {
ions. but no IN ,ney for a court-house they talk of
but do not for an a~queduct. (that would
pay for ITSELF -S5090 promised, hut never APP
Piled for improvement of streets-but the main
street is left for years dangerously narrow, with n
bank on the sea, an important street near the 1
,enfer impossible for years, ard another one Mt the |
enter unopened. though long absolutely needed.
Every material interest which we urge is systemati-
neglected; and, finally, the peregrinating gov I
editor lands here, looks snperciliously on
,s. goes awav. and patronizingly writes that all La
,aina needs is TO hare the breakirater remored and
iquor lice ses granted!
But when a clique of men demand permission to I
AIRY on here y traffic that ruins every interest we /:
ave, their demands are eagerly listened to and
against the expressed wishes of the produ-s !
ing and industrious population. We well remem- {
YER the indecent haste with which this was done two Y
ears ago. for the xpress purpose of anticipating the /;
expected from Lahaina. Fortunately :
circumstances did prevail in the highest coun-
il. Would we still had the noble LEE to advocate
ur cause there. DELAvAN. a
LAHAINA, April 18th, 1858. v