The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-06-10
Principle VS.. Practice.

Some time ago, a Hawaiian Government Official
informed a person holding a subordinate salaried
position in his department, that he, the subor-
dinate, must relinquish either an outside business
interest or the government employment. And
1t was stated to be the rule as laid down by the
Ministry, that Government required the undivid-
ed time and attention of its employees, whatever
the position. As a general principle, this rule
is undoubtedly a sound one, especially when
applied to those holding positions of executive
trust and responsibility. TO such, the task of
faithfully discharging public duty while influenced
by considerations of private interest, is one that
should not be imposed. 1t is too much to ask of
poor human nature, to expect that a man will
serve the Government and himself and do equal
justice to both. One of two irons in the fire,
will pretty surely get burned. To be sure, if
history is to be believed, there have been in
stances where public men were So patriotic, as
not only to neglect their private interests in their
devotion to the general good, but actually to be-
come poor in Office. But in these degenerate
days, the recital of such instances of exalted
character, fall upon the ear like a tale that is
told, a romantic fable. Whatever heightened
ideas of undivided service might have prevailed
with the ~old-fogies who have gone before, modern
improved practice ignores them. Practice, we
observe. For when we are questioned, we de-
clare our principle to be, that Government off,
Gals must not be ~trammeled with the cares of
private business, and challenge the production of
a single instance where a person holding any i'm
pOrtant Government position, is publicly known
to be interested in private business speculation.
Ruf alas axpariapaa hos t.10bf fhot tb;s ,-o,IJ
is terribly given to lying. And to what a high
degree of skill have We arrived in lodging the
truth In this respect, at least, we are vastly in
advance of our supplemented ancestors. AS
for instance,-while we appear to the world as
simply and purely the Minister of So and So, or
the principal clerk of such and such a depart
ment, devoting our undivided time and attention
to the business of the nation, (and for which
the nation as in duty bound, pays us a liberal
holding ourselves in icy purity aloof from
possibility of contamination by contact with
merchandize,-we are in fact and in truth, on
the contrary. quite the reverse" as Mrs. Camp
would say. Under the convenient guise of a
u Co." representing an unknown quantity, we
conveniently and snugly, all things unto all
men. And we can further exemplily the scrip
injunction of concealing from the one hand
is done by the other, by making tenders for
Government work or supplies with the right and
them with the left. One can easily
comprehend how immensely the transaction of
certain kinds of business might be facilitated
Inder such a system. The bother of asking for
could in fact be entirely obviated, and
was wanted for Government purposes,
rom the building of a twenty thousand dollar
%tructure, or the purchase of a cargo of lumber,
own to supplying tea and bread, pots and ket-
shoVels and p~ickaxes, or a single barrel of
inc, could all be done in and by the quiet ring
a Co" {