The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-04-18
THE PA III
Commercial Advertiser.
Y. APRIL Is.

best interests Of steam inter-i-land navigation ARE
served by placing the boat - completely under
the control Of tie Government and it, friends.
The free action OT its agents l. hamperod ut
every turn by the necessity OF obtaining the sane
ton Of thu. that AMI the other person. If the
agents. merchants, who make commerce n study
ari business, are not able to run the boat To adj
vantage, is it ~ he supposed that the head of a
Department Of the Government, or his clerk, ean
furnish the necessary brains
At the time the present stock company was
formed, some doubted the p~rOpriety Of the course
pursued but they were Immediately told that
the company desired a subsidy from the Govern
mcnt. ard matters must be worked to that end.
In other words, that II the interests of
in this group demanded steam navigation, and in
order that il might be- sustained, assistance from
the Government was necessary, the Ministers
must be wheedled To obtain such assistance.
Who is to pay for the subsidy, the Ministers o.
the people? Why should the people bow and
cringe To the Ministry, to obtain support for an
enterprise, to be sustained for the public good,
out Of moneys which they contribute for that aim
and end?
We have advocated a subsidy but we doubt
the propriety Of substituting a boat at the public
expense, in which the public have no rights worth
respecting. If the company who run tho boat
receive n subsidy, it will be for n consideration
and it will be the duty OF the Government to see
that the equivalent il rendered before paying tie
moneys Observation-Disclosures than this the Gov
crnment should have no control.
1t is quite time, for the public interests, that a
line was drawn as to where the Government may
interfere in the control of business enterprises.
They now manage the steam tOwnge, water works,
n printing Office, inter-islaDd navigation, and to
some extent the liquor business
What is to prevent them from using the surplus
in the Treasury to establish a bank of discount?
IL may lie urged That no private individual or
company could run the Pek. except at q iuss.
Then assist the enterprise with n subsidy, instead
Of voting an appropriation which may or may
not be consumed for the purpose which was in
tended. In the care Of the Government printing
Office, its support works in opposition to private
enterprises grOes injustiee-and what benefit
aecrues to the public? The Gazette is the We
hicle by which an irate Minister may launch
abuse upon private individuals, or by snecrs and
inuendo insult officials ola friendly power, which
course may lead To complications of n serious
nature. 1t is the old story OF children playing
with edge tools.
As to the water works. If handled by n COM
pony, would they waste time and money in
writing twaddle by tile column about a much
needed supply of water? y company would
keep the supply up to the demand, as it would
be for their interest To do so. Numbers of per-
sons are in search of sitca upon which to erect n
homestead. The lower part of the valley being
settled, they must look higher up; but they are
met by the query-what shall we do for water?
And there are other portions of the city, or sub
urbs, which would be settled but for the bug
bear of a water supply. Is not the Government
an incubus upon such enterprises.
We are told by parties that capital is plenty
and living idle. Why should it not be made use
of by Investment in enterprises which are CON-
sidered safe and legitimate in other countries?
The desire eyinccd by the Ministry to over
step the power vested in them, to dominccr,
should be checked at once. They should be made
to hold aloof from traffic and enterprises which do
not come within their province. They should be
held to n strict accountability for every cent of
the public revenue. All underground connection
between heads of departments, and their clerks,
with different mercantile houses and liquor saloons
should be ruthlessly sundered. We are confident
that at least one house is Us well advised on Cabinet
measures as the Cabinet itself.
Are our taxes so light that no ore has an in
'terest to inquire as to the why and wherefore of
expenditures? If 80 they should be raised at
once, IL merely to- create such an interest
The action of the more recent Legislatures, in
regard To the budget Of the Government and the
appropriation bill, has been n perfect farce. The
appropriations are passed, no items being askcd
for, and the total voted with a charming nom
chalancc which would provoke mirth were not
the solvency Of a people ut stake. How long
would n private enterprise Of any magnitude
flourish were It's director or directors to show
such apathy.
Some member Of the Legislature, from n sense
OF duty, is perhaps led to the point Of rising and
asking pertinent questions regarding expenditures,
when he is interrupted by the rising Of some
toady, who asks /. the Price Of tea or some
other question equally foreign to the subject.
The member yields for a time, but, with the best
intentions, rises again and breaches the matter,
when lie is met by n irowning or wordcd menace
from the Ministry, and seeing no hope of aid
from n fellow representative yields in sheer dis
pair.
Unless some change is made in the administra-
ton of Government, our correspondent 80" will
continue to gather recruits under his annexation
standard until they are power in the land, before
which the throne may totter and fall. Il there
no balm in Gilead? No care for the ills under
ytsish We languish7
III On Sunday last our usually quiet town
Clarified at seeing hand-hills posted about the