davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
No Cannon.

We overheard a conversation the other day be-
tween two of our townsmen, Messrs. Quirk and
Cannon. They were discussing the labor ques-
ton, and Cannon expressed himself as fully
posted on the subject, in all its bearings. Said
he, Why, look you there is not a trade nor
an occupation in these islands, high or low, but
what l could get a man in Europe to fill it for
half the amount we pay-and the work would
be done better, too" Cannon was surprised,
and fell to meditating. at last he frightened
up. "Why not send for q ship-load at once,
have everybody turned out, and ship these half
price chaps in their places. There's the Foreign
Office and the Department of War and Navy, for
instance; if we can get the important and
laborious duties of the Minister performed for
$4,000 a year instead of S., 900, the balance
would help to build roads and bridges. Good
idea, eh?" "Pshaw," said Quirk that
isn't what l meant But Cannon meant it,
and we confess it was a suggestive thought, to
ommence reducing wages at the top round.
{" But resumed Quirk " observe how these
lazy mechanics avail themselves of every excuse
for shortening both the effectiveness and time of
their labor YES returned Cannon, APP
provingly . where will you find an easier way
of earning ones stipend than by steadily prac-
ticing the art of how not to do it, illustrated
by the Gazette" Botheration,'' said xQuirk, 4
IS that isn't what l meant" IT,L. 4
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18

who cannot read and write are about as many as
our entire population. We can afford to laugh at
such mistakes when we remember that the pro-
portion of persons who are ignorant of these
accomplishments in these islands is less than in
any other country in the world-with the excep-
ton, perhaps, of Prussia, where education is
obligatory. This description of our vocal
music,'' purporting to come from ourselves,
would hardly apply to a concert by our native
choirs at Kawaiahao or Kaumakapili:
Hawaiian vocal music is said by a Sandwich
Island newspaper to be neither a chant, groan. grunt,
alto, soprano, tenor, falsetto or basso, but q cultural
sound resembling that made by a person suddenly
seized with collie"
1t has become fashionable of late years, to
make ones mother-in-law a butt for ridicule and
an object to be avoided. A Yankee announces
that he has discovered an infallible means of pre-
venting their calls,-by thoroughly greasing the
stairs. But according to a late Maine paper, we
are in advance of the rest of mankind in this re-
spect, for
"By Sandwich Island law it is a capital crime for
a mans mother-in-law to visit his house without his
express invitation. And zoe talk of civilization"
One writer, however, has a very exalted idea OF
our progress in civilization, because pocket-pick-
ing is almost unknown here, forgetting apparently
that it requires an adept to successfully pick a
pocket.
Another evidence of the progress of civilization
in the Sandwich Islands is brought to our notice by
the Honolulu -fdrertiser. A case of pocket-picking
has occurred there, the first on record A native
was detected in putting his hand into the pocket of a
woman in a crowd and abstracting her purse. He
was captured at once, and the first Hawaiian pick
pocket was sentenced to six months Imprisonment at
hard labor. This is the first case of stealing from the
person ever known to have occurred on those happy
isles of the sea. And ue send missionaries there -
We can e~nlighten the Portland Transcript,
from which we cut the above, by informing its
readers that we are so far SO civilized - that we
no longer receive missionaries from them, but are
in our turn, sending abroad missionaries of our
own raising.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
Airs from a

1t was Talieyrand, we believe, who said that
language was invented for the purpose Of conceal
ing ones thoughts. The rigmarole of words in
the last Gazette under the heading of &" Public
Spirit the style of which indicates the source of
emanatiOn as plainly as if the seal OF the Foreign
Office was attached, is an illustration in point.
Doubtless many of our readers have heard the
story of two young men in a ball room, criticising
the style and carriage of the lady dancers, when
one of the two made some disparaging remark re-
garding a young lady's appearance, whereupon
his fellow critic, coloring up, Observed-''T That's
my sister" Whereupon the other, after a pause
of embarrassment, asked. /" What is the price of
sugar?" So the organ of the Minister, having
in an unguarded moment made some uncalled
for remarks touching a large and worthy class in
our communicable mechanics-which remarks
VIC took it upon ourselves to note and censure,
now lodges the point and seems incl ned to ask
the cost of building a hen-coop! This will not
do for the reading, thinking portion of our COM
munity. If the Gazette has said something which
it now wishes unsaid-let it repent, acknowledge
its fault, and sin no more but let it forbear its
whine of sorrow about our : epithets and a style
of writing which have hitherto been avoided " in
OOA NOA6hALCs AAASdLlSbAC L hAo ODO ~ GIS
us with, and so lets on a food of words that
amount to just nothing,-until we come to the
grand climax with which the article closes, and
which may be funny or serious, 6 as you like it,
to the effect that if a man of moderate means
in this town were to build a hen-coop, and have
it painted, it would very likely bankrupt him.
But with ali this verbiage there is one passage
in the article which means something serious. In
the opening, the writer expresses himself pleased,
chow cOndescendiDg) that the previous weeks
remarks had attracted the attention of IS mechan-
les as well as others whose desire is to promote the
public good - and farther along he gives us a
doleful picture of an unfortunate capitalist,
SO worried to death by seeing two. three, or four
men ON their walls working in a most leisurely
manner, and drGihHg Themselves Of every ercuse
for shortening both the effectiveness and time of
their labor" Is this,-we ask YOU, mechanics of
Honolulu,-a true representation of your charac-
ter as a body? Rather is it not a base libel upon
you, deliberately uttered by the Minister, through
his Gazette, for the plain purpose of showing
that you are an o~verpaid, pampered set, who
avail yourselves of every excuse to cheat those
who employ you? That is just what those
ministerial utterances mean, and nothing less. 4
them. I
Truly, a government organ, well subsidized, As
l fine plaything, but occasionally it's notes Are
erribIy out of tune.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
legislative Sessions.

We had occasion recently to ask the question,
" are we not behind the times and instanced
several matters to show the affirmative of that
inquiry. But there was one subject which was
not then mentioned, but which has often occurred
to US as one of great Importance, and that is, the
present plan of holding Parliaments biennially, in
stead of annually, as under the old system. No
doubt the meeting of the Legislature only once in
two years is very convenient and comfortable for
those holding Government situations. Comforta-
BILE, inasmuch az salaries are insured for two
years and more and convenient, because during
that time no inqusitive representatives come pry-
ing into accounts of expenditures. To be sure, an
extraordinary session may at any time be called
by His Majesty, but such a course is only likely to
be adopted in pressing emergencies. In favor of
annual sessions it may be urged that they would
greatly tend to the general good. This, as is
often observed. and very plainly apparent, is a
rapidly advancing age. The wonderfully increas-
ing facilities of communication the world over,
hurry on events before our Anticipated minds have
hardly begun to realize their approach. We
must willingly and smoothly swim with the
current, or else be forcibly carried over the
rapids.
Alterations in our laws will be necessary oftener
effects of careless legislation in Sc the curiosities
of aw-making " referred to by a correspondent in
our last. As these alterations suggest themselves
in the quick succession of events, our being COM
PEELED to wait so long for the action of the Legis-
lature must inevitably result in our falling
behind the times.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18

thIs,-we are wrong in allowing the mechanic
the luxury of a home and a wife. He is only
one of the 4" mudsills" of society, and has no
rights that capital is bound to respect-unless it
is convenient to do SO. And that brings us back
to the proposition which lies at the bottom of
this whole matter. We want, says the Govern
ment through it's organ, a class of laborers whom
we can force to work at our own terms. We do
not want men alive to the dignity of labor, form
ing that troublesome middle class who know their
rights, and knowing dare maintain let such
" get brats and starve,'' or go elsewhere. Give
us the unreasoning machines, in whose eyes a
dollar is n god, and who know no rights beyond
those OF mere existence.
In connection with this subject of the rates of
labor, we notice that wages in the United States
are ruling high, while the eight hour system Is
generally adopted. Says the Springfield (Nlass.)
Republican, in a recent article on the prospects of
business:
"Taking Springfield az a representative Of the
working centres of America, and we find the gene
raj rule to be, that the wages of all skilled labor will
average higher for 1870 than in any former year.
Thus, the stone-cutters here have achieved, during
the last season, an hours reduction Of working time
per day, and a part Of them, in addition, an increase
OF wages from 50 80 to "a. In the Wesson car shops
a portion Of the carpenters have had their pay ad-
yanced from 80 to 321 cents an hour, while there has
been no reduction in any other class of labor. In the
Smith q Wesson gun and pistol shops, the pay is the
same now as five years ago their tool-makers get
from So to SO so q day. and the workmen on pistols
range from 81 to SO 20 per day, with boys at from
81 to 81 so. The Boston and Albany Railroad pays
the same prices that it did during the war; common
laborers receiving 81 60 a day, and brakemen and
firemen 81 70 to 81, and mechanics i. the shops
from 81 to SO. So at the Armory, there has been
no change for several years; and the average pay of
the ~gun-makers is So a day of eight hours.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
Proofs of Civilization. =

1t is quite amusing to read the remarks, wise
and otherwise, that from time to time appear in
the newspapers about these islands. After all the
books that have been written by tourists and
Missionaries about US, the belief still exists with
many that We are yet half savage, and have a
lingering fOndnessz for broiled missionary and
baked baby. 1t was. only recently that We saw
1t gravely announced as a pieceiof news Qn a
western paper) that there had been schools estab-
lshed among the natives of the Sandwich Islands.
This was in a State where the number of people
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18

contributed by the benevolent in other lands had
been expended here in the work of outstanding.
The complainant in this case filed the very re-
spectacle and responsible position of a schoolmas-
ter, was a church-member.-a leading Ole tao,-
and here we find him coming all the way from
Kauai to put his sick wife under the care and
of a wretched old quack, who impiously
quoted Scripture while invoking the heathen
gods. This state of things did not speak very
well for the actual progress of the Christian faith
among the people.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
orH WI

ID II, 1871.
We have bu; one 6EeigR arrival to report this week-the
harkentine Grace Roberts, on the 1IIh, % days from Eureka,
with lumber, &c, 10 Messgs. Walker & Allen.
The Hawaiian bark A.. Pope cleared on the 10th for VAL
paraiso in baIlasl.
The departures have been-schoOuer c. NJ. lizard, on the
18th, for Guano Islands todsy, II. %. Ms 5. SeyHG, for
k=saimst, and Hawaiian bark A. J. Pope, in ballast, for YAH
paTaiso.
The clipper ship Matqara, from San Francisco, with later
dates, Is supposed 10 be fully due.
The bark ID. c. Murray will sail for San Francisco to-
morrow Saturday. taking a cargo Of island produce.
The bark Comet is fast loading, and viii sail next week.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
PORT OF HONOLULU, II. 1.
ARRIVALS.

eh. II-Schr Jenny, Lambert, from Kauai.
I-Schr Hattie, KaIe, from Kauai.
liam bk Grace Roberts, Knacke. d DAYS I'm Eureka.
I2-Schr ka NOi, Powers, from Maui.
12-Schr Waiota, DudOit, from NoIoGai.
12-Schr Mary Ellen, Davis from Maui.
12-Schr Warwick, John Bull. from sea in distress.
12-ketch LUuaiiiO, English, from hawaii.
l3-Am bktn Grace Roberts, G + Knacke, y days from
Humboldt, Cal
Is-Schr Pauahi, BalLastier. from Molokai-
14-Schr Fairy Queen, Kaaina, from Kauai.
l5-Schr Prince, Howard, from Hawaii.
E-Schr Neuie Merrill. Crane, from Maui.
1T-Stmr Klagea, Harrison, from Hawaii ard Maui.
lT-Schr Active, Menish, from Hawaii
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
TIE PACIFIC
Commercial Abbfrtistr,
FEBRUARY
The Cost of Living.

I" Wherein does this cost of living consist
Not certainly in the price of the necessaries OF
Efe."-Gazeue, February 18th.
Let Us see what are the prices of " the neces-
saries of life in Honolulu. We will put down
nothing in our list but such things as are con-
oeded to be necessary for the subsistence of a
working man in any country where the working
man is of the Anglo-Saxon stock. Beginning
with the butcher, we find his retail prices
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18

For vegetables, with the exception of Irish
potatoes, which are just now eight cents per
pound) and for fowls and eggs, we depend upon
the native and Chinese dealers. The following
is a fairly quoted list of prices:
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
A Native Kahuna.

Every little while one of those prctenders to
medical skill, a native kahuna, is brought before
the police magistrate on a charge Of practicing
medicine without a license. The testimony given
on these trials is interesting as affording an in
sight of the hidden life of the people which is
seldom otherwise to be obtained and at the same
time leading to n conclusion not to be escaped,
that the ancient supcrstitions of the Hawaiians
still retain a strong hold upon them. Last Mon
day, a native who answered to the name of Levi
was arraigned, on information laid by another
native, who accused him of doctcring his (com-
plaint's) wife for some disease of the chest-prob-
ably asthma. The Doctor had exacted a fee of
six dollars, but had failed to effect a cure, and
hence the complaint.
On the trial, which occupied a part of two days,
a number of witnesses were examined, whereby
it appeared that DIR. Levi enjoyed a pretty extern
sive practice, and was considered a kahuna of
mana, or supernatural power. He had three
gods, who by turns inspired, or possessed him,
and when he was under their control he prescribed
and ~prophesied. The first was a female, named
Kahikina (the East) for whose reception the
Doctor had to be robed in a white chemise. The
second was also a goddess, whose dress was a deep
red chemise. Her name was Kahuila, also Ka-
molokai, one of the gods, according to ancient
mythology, who came from a foreign country and
entered the Moi, a poison tree. which once grew
on Molokai and Lanai. The third was a male
god, named Kapueromia or Kopala, and he inya-
riablyrwore a cotton andershirt and a malo. DIR.
Levi, before calling in the aid of these familiar
spirits, was accustomed to lame some chapter of
the New Testament, and order it to be read aloud,
listening meantime with all reverence. favor
lite chapter of his ON these occasions was the 18th
of John the Evangelist, beginning 81 am the
true vine" &c. Then, if the gods were favorable,
the Doctor became possessed, and the necessary
directions were given for procuring and COM
pounding the medicines. Some of these were
simple and harmless ~enough-Pohe, or marsh NAL
lows, used as an emollient, or drank as tea and
PdLoIo, an aluminols clay found on this island,
and used internally as an astringent-thoueh
this last might not be SO very harmless in un-
skillful hands. Then there was a mixture of
pain-killer, biehe de mer, (sea-slug) and the gall
of a sun-ish. This last was a sure cure for lep-
rosy. AVA was of course Indispensable at these
orgies, which generally took place at night,
amidst a large audience of wondering creduIous
spectators. The pharmaeOpoeia of DIR. Leyi-who !
is only one of a large class-comprises a vast
number of medicines that would fill a book to
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
VESSELS In PORT.

Brit. ship VIM lie Lacheur, Lucas, for Costa Rica, about
Tuesday.
Am bk- D. C. Murray, Bennett, for San Francisco, this day.
Am bark Comet, Fuller, for san Francisco.
Am bark Nabob, ShatsweIL, for Hcngkong, with dispat ch.
Brit bark Violette, Wilson, up for San Francisco.
HaW'n bark Wilhelm |.
Brit bk Casilehow, Campbell, loading for Sydney.
Nor Ger Tx Courier. SeIa.
Nor Ger bk Fidelitas, repairing.
Am barkentine Grace Roberts, Knacke, discharging.
Brit. brig Robft COwan, Brown, loading for Victoria, b. C.
Brit. brig Susan, Hughes.
Haw'n brig Onward.
IIaW'n brig KohOla.
HaW'n brigantine VIM. II. Allen.
Haw'n schr Kona Packer, King.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
DEPARTURES.

Feb. 11-Sehr Warwick, John Bull, for MOI6kai.
IL -Schr Isabella, Peter, for Kauai
1-Schr kinau, Wahie. for Maui
1l-Brg Kamehameha v, Reynolds, for Hawaii.
13-Schr Hattie, Kaie. for Kanai.
13-Am schrC VI Ward, Hickman, for Guano Islands.
B-stmT Kilauea, Harrison, for Maui and HawaIE
1J-Am schr e N Ward, Hickman, for GuanO Islands
l-SchT Jenny, Lambert, for Kauai.
If-Schr Luka, Kaai, for Hawaii.
15-Schr Warwick, John Bull, for Molokai-
15-SchT Mary Ellen Davis, for Maui.
l5-SchT Psuahi, BalLIstieT, for Maui.
15-Schr Ka Moi, Powers, for Maui
15-Sehr Fairy Queen, Kaaina, for Kauai.
15-Schr WaiOia. Adams, for Maui.
l5-ketch EunaIio, English, for Hawaii.
iG-Schr Prince. Howard. for Hawaii.
I'LL b Ms ; corvette ScyIa, Herbert, for Victo
ria, u C..
IE-Haw bk a J Pope, PIasse, for Valparaiso.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
Va mair o. horrible and awful
i That cen To name Uah he upIauf

There were two distinct cases against DR.. Levi,
TOR practicing medicine without having first OBJ
tanned a license, contrary to the statute made
and provided, and being found guilty on both he
was sentenced to pay a fine of $50 for one and
$50 for the other, with costs. Judge Montgom-
cry in passing sentence, remarked upon the
strange TACT that these ancient superstitions still
held 80 powerful an influence over the people. 1t
was, he observed. more particularly surprising
when 1T was remembered that Christian mission
aries had labored among the people for over a
quarter of a century, and a half a million dollars.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18

Poz GUANo IsLANDs-Per C.. VI. Ward, Feb. I3th-Chas
Marston and 1 native Iaborer-2-
Fox San FRANcIsco-Per d. c. Murray, Feb. lsth-H
Coulter, II W Brown, Edward Pana, Capt C w GeIett, Morris
Dore, J, Mrs Morrison and daughter, DR. w Howard, Mrs p
y Make, f III stoddard, Mrs X o Crabbe, Mr. III G Crabbe
and two children, Richard Steward. Mrs J o Carter and
daughter-1T.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18


This model mechanic of course works fnII
tines having constant. employment,-no rainy
days,-and is careful never to lose a day or take
one FOR himself. He receives the highest rate of
WAGES paid to men of his class, which is s3 30
Pc diem. Three hundred and twelve uork;n,
days gives him 1902 as the earnings Of re
year. Deduct from this the sum of S92s. which
@raPpears above he viii have paid out for the
bare necessaries Of life, and he has remaining the
nutifeent amount Of Sl64. But is this the
g" extra dollar to put by for a rainy day."
HaFdly.T We have made no estimate for boots,
shoes and clothing for himself and wife nor
have we allowed them anything for doctors bills.
They are both to be strong and hearty, and never
&C. require any relaxation from constant toll, he
OF his trade and she at the daily routine of
household drudgery, for we don't allow q servant.
Add that, in this climate, means that a white
woman gives two years of her life for one. But
Heaven fore!end a birth in the family : That
Tclld Prove a luxury so costly that it would
completely upset the financial calculations of our
model mechanic and his model wife.
Perhaps after an,-and the true meaning Of
the advocates of a reduction of wages comes to
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18
UrocerIes We may quote AS follows

30 fr the list OF prices for the necessaries of
ale, without going into the ~luxuries. Now let
US suppose a mechanic, a carpenter, for instance,
who has a wife and two children-or, if YOU
please, a wife and no children. He must. how
ever, be a married man in order to bring him
within the pale of those whose desire, like that
OF the Gazette writer, is :" to promote the public
good" lie lives very economically, indulging in
no l%uxuries, such as wine, beer, or tobacco. But
for q" the necessaries of life - he is called upon
20 pay, per annum, for
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18

Ships' NaiiE.
FoR WINDwARD PoRrs-Per Kilauea, Monday.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-02-18

o
FRoN EUREKA, CAL--Per Grace Roberts, Feb. 18th -
$4,000 II Dressed Red Wood, 44,25S f Siding and Baitens,
so,561 II x w scantIng, Al tons Potatoes TO Walker & Allen.
o
FoR GUASo IsLANDs-Per G. NJ. Ward, Feb. 18th -
berf, bbs---.--"..-- Is Paiai, fbs-.--.-...... II, 1000
ConeI % hice, Ds-.-..-s....-. l,0OO
Molasses, Pkgs----.-- 5 And sundry Stores.
The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-05-23
Seasoning Wood.

Small pieces of non-resinous wood may
be perfectly seasoned by boiling four or
five hours. Sash-frames of Spanish chest
nut "have been wedged up" within six
weeks of the tree being felled, which have
stood to admiration. The boiling seems
to take the sap out of the wood, which
shrinks nearly Ito in the process. 1t is
also we'll worth knowing that trees felled
whilst in full leaf in June or July, and
allowed to lie with their tops and lops on
till every leaf has fallen, are then very
nearly dry, as the leaves will not drop off
themselves till they have drawn up and
exhausted all the sap in the tree. The
time required is from month to six
weeks, according as the weather is dry
or moist. Trees so treated will never
push again. or show leaves, as the stocks
of winter-felled timber almost invariably
do if allowed to lie, and thus prove that
they have lost that vitality which the
latter retains.
The floor of mill laid with poplar so
treated and cut up and put in place in
less than month after the leaves fell,
has never shown the slightest symptom Of
shrinkage or other indication Of not being
perfectly seasoned.