The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-04-15
a Literary Cutie


There is a well known animal, named by natu-
ralists the cuttle-fsh,-in common parlance, a
squid,-that is provided by nature with a curious
continuance as a means of defence. 1t has a little
bladder under the throat, containing a dark
liquid, and when the creature is pursued by it's
enemies and in danger of being captured, it
elects the liquid and discolors the surrounding
water TO such a degree that the pursuer loses
sight of his prey, which thus escapes. We were
reminded of this trick of the cuttle-fsh in read
ing the leading article of the Gazette on snug
Cling. Our statement Of last week to the effect
that the revenue of the country was being de-
frauded, is met by the mild remark that 1" it is
very evident that some persons in this community
imagine that a large business in smuggling is
carried on at this port" 1t Is idle to deny, that
it is notorious that scores of very unimagInative
people can be found who knO1 that such has
been the case, and who have no hesitancy in say
ing so. And the writer in the Gazette, if he
goes about with his ears open, will have ample
opportunity to learn that we were perfectly war
ranted IN asserting the existence of the system,
and he might have spared himself the futile at
tempt to cover up facts with dust, by initiating
the cuttle-fsh.
If our having drawn attention to the subject
shall have the effect TO put a stop to the business.
our object will be accomplished. We have no
wish, nor would it be in the least desirable, to
rake up the past transactions in this line of bust
ness, if only proper vigilance by the proper
officers is exercised in the future. The suggestion
that any one who becomes cognizant of illicit
traffic should make themselves champions of
. right against wrong" by at once turning in
former, is refreshingly cool. For what purpose,
let Us ask, are Customs guards maintained, if
not to protect the rights of importers by
preventing the Illicit traffic referred TO? Out of
the revenue raised principally from duties and
imposts, a large police force is maintained are
the members of this force so careful to preserve
their popularity and their character for gentle
manly unOblrusiveness as to shrink from the
cognizance of illicit traffic, much less interfering
with it?
The writer's attempt to switch off" from
the direct track of the subject of smuggling here
by bringing in "the railroad which spans the
of America - and the course of trade
between New York. Chicago and San Francisco,
is certainly an ingenious specimen of the cutie
fish practice, but is so rank a step from the
to the sublime that our inclination to
smile is swallowed up in our wondering attempt
to unravel the thread of connection. But for
hidden meaning, the following para
graph bangs Ba~nnagher." We acknowledge
to having puzzled over it, until a growing sus-
picion that we were getting hopelessIy insane in
the attempt to unveil its mystery, warned us to
desist
"That some persons who furnish hats and the
more expensive lines Of dry goods, or packages of
corned beef or other groceries. too commonly on the
manitests of the packets in quantities to warrant
the suppOsition that the goods are intended to fill
orders for consumers may have reason TO complain,
we will not dispute. We have always held that as a
rule, persons who derive their income from these
islands, should expend it here or, in other words,
live and let live should be our motto.''
Live and let live is an excellent motto.
We are glad to see the Gazette acknowledge it,
even so tardily, and we expect to see it olive"
to repudiate the error into which it has fallen of
apolOgizing for the unlicensed dealers, who s. OBJ
and '' for a small commission " {. place
any article that our citizens may desire - from
San Francisco.
Doubtless an examination of the g. inward
would prove that the articles or
that are there enumerated are entered
to law it would certainly be a strange
if it should appear otherwise
almost as strange would it be to see articles men,
toned on the manifest that were not intended
should pay duty But the grievance which is
and which the Gazette ignores or at
to palliate, is caused by the operators
designated in our last article as : unrecognized
others - who bnravar fairlu fba1- ,a- r,,o. tLo
requirements of our very moderate tariff, never
beless carry on a retail business of no small
magnitude, that is neither licensed nor taxed in
ny way, to the manifest injury of those who,
INVESTING capital in legitimate trade, pay both
license and taxes towards the support OF Govern
nent. And it sounds strangely enough for u
newspaper supported by a subsidy out of the
government revenue to uphold such a system of
Illicit traffic" With what consistency can the
solicit, and the merchants and bust
men of the country contribute for the main
enance of a Journal which is thus undermining the
interests which cooiiy tells merchants
hat If they are not satisfied with the irregular
lyle of business transacted, whereby an unfair
nd unequal competition threatens, through the
l~cilitles which it enjoys, to drive them from the
larket-they must : import the lines of goods
and learn to sell cheaper for the
eneft of men of moderate MEANS But it
not true, as would be inferred, that the : many
tile orders that go forward are from men of
tolerate means, although they may be to a great
ztent the ones who buy in small quantities but
rgely in the aggregate after the goods are re-
lived here and peddled out.
Our contemporary has the laboring oar IN this
Like the tabled Sisyphus of old. he
engaged in lifting "a huge stone up the hill,
hich is no sooner carried to the top of it, but it
lmediately tumble to the bottom.
I turned my eyes, and as I turn'd surveyed
A mournful vision. the Sisyphian shade {
With many a weary step. and many a groan,
Up = high hill he heaves a huge round stone
The huge round stone, recoiling with a bound,
Thunders impetuOus down, and smokes along the ground"