The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-05-09
The Governments Press.

The Press.
On Mooday Lsr Minister Hssehi=on stated "a
the A+eably that the cat Of printing executed
Gr the Department Of the Interior for the pa;
two years was S2Z7. On the following day the
AttOnney General stated that the amount paid ou;
fr BIZ department Wa Sl7 -. On THURSDAY,
the eITen% Of the Foreign ofce for printing Was
reported 20 have been Slso9 81. and that of the
Finance ofsoe Ss97 IS. making a total, - far, OF
S21jl IS. Ii the remaining departments make
e. slim an exhibit, IL will indicate that the
necessary expenses for printing can be eIecut-
ed fr a very small SUM, probably not over
three thousand dollars, while the sum asked for
lie feeIre thousand, in addition to expenditures
for which 10 appropriation il called These state
ment-, which we take 70 be perfectly rc.i-
able, furnish the strongest evidence of the utter
uselesnese Of sustaining a public pres at Il
a heavy cost, and suggest the proEriety OF limit
iny the expenses to tie actual wants. Ministers
constantly deny the great expense Of this estab-
h-hment, and in order 10 settle tie question, q
committee Of investigation wac appointed at the
session If 1866, Of which the present Editor Of
the GG-effe was chairman. TIE committee pre-
sented u report Of expenses and receipts, but,
after ali their investigation, not one Of the CON-
mittee could tell What the actual cos, of the e-
adjustment was, and the matter was left in As
much doubt az before, and tie sum called for WAS
voted. Certain facts, however. were established,
viz:
Tie smut q each p-h oct O. 'he Treasury fG printing tr
Bsas-. ~ ~ .re-i,:: iria i5-.sri, .li:h .5r... s,sss u
To which mu-t be addel
Renf v.se q bsiains fs 10. y-.rs- interest. depr--
eLstSoa Il stOe.. 900 {"
In all a t1ai deaai 80 81
To find the actual cost Of the concern To the
government, of cour-c the cash receipts must be
deducted, which were reported To have amounted
for the same period to SJ,979 IL. Thi-, Of
eourse, Is tie most favorable showing that can
be made from the report of the Committee.
There IL no necessity of any mystiiication Of the
expense Of the public press. It, est To- a dollar
can be learned, a. we'll ~ that Of any other bUsi-
nes, and ought II lie made public. To do -, II
is necessary ~ learn these data
lst.-What cash was paid Out from the treas
ury for tie Government press for the last t~O
years.
2d.-Wiat has been paid % i, By The rGrious
deDGrf1penLs for their own work or advertising.
3d.-What sum it has earned from all other
sources and consumed.
4tb.-wEat j. a fair valuation Of the rent Of
the building. depreciation Of stock, interest ON
the investment, loss on duties not paid ON stock
imported for it, and any other items of eost.
When all these items are faithfully reported, it
will be found that the printing establishment
costs the nation not les than ten thousand dol
lars a year, from which expenditure no eommen-
surate advantages are derived, but much evil.
The establishment receives from year to year
large sums for work done which are not paid into
the public treasury. No other department. il
allowed to spend it's receipts without accounting
for them to the treasury. Why then should this?
But whatever it may cost, and whatever it-
may be, tie whole thing il a gross
injustice, a public wrong, which should no longer
be tolerated. Government has no right to estab-
an Institution TO c~oinIetc with and injure
private enterprise. Faithful printers can be
with ample means and ability, to execute
Its work and publish papers that will be glad
70 serve the Government and defend il and it's
policy. But the continued determination to con-
troll this business 10 the injury of private persons
is a deep and d~amning wrong, which no govern
ment actuated with honesty, purity and upright
ness would ever tolerate.
Supposing some erratic minister should devise
scheme for the Government to establish a large
importing liquor house, on the ground that it is a
necessity in order to provide pure liquors,
and thus preserve the public health. There might
be reasons adduced in favor Of such an establish
ment, and it would no doubt pay handsomely and
pure spirits. But its injustice on those
engaged in the same traffic would be no greater
than what is now permitted in the printing bust
-. =. .---- I-..I II -
has no right To engage in it to the injury of is
people. I
If there il anything that shows the eontempti- .
meanness of the ministry, it is the advocacy
1f this Government printing nuisance. No man {
with patriotism or honor or selErespect {
will defend tbis grues public wrong, and 80 long
~ it Is continued, - long must the Hawaiian 7
Government bear the odium Of being lei by evil {
COUNCILLORS, and of being governed by principles t
e injustice. c