The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-06-24
Letter from HiIO.

Mr.. EDITOR The few sound and sensible remarks
on sugar making from the pen of Capt. I. Spencer
which appeared lately in your paper made one wish
that he had gone further into the subject and given
the public the benefit of his judgment on other mat
tiers pertaining to that branch of industry. The
disfilIation of spirits for instance is one of them,
aud a very legitimate subject for argument, although
it has hitherto been treated as q sort of outlawed
problem in this kingdom, even to such an extent that
some practical suggestions from His Majesty's Consul
in London, Mr.. NJ. Hopkins, wherein it was advised,
fell like a dead letter and was buried in the columns
of the Gazette without honor or epitaph, note or
comment. But the ADVERTISERS lists being. as L
understand, generously open to all corners who deal
courteously, l would fain run a tilt in this forlOrn
cause, simply be it understood as q matter OF poLtticdL
economy, and not in the interests of rum per Sc.
1t has been dogmatically asserted that to
ALLOW THE DIsTILLATIoN OF SPIRITS
In this country outside of the chemists laboratory
would be the death of The nation, or of the native
part of it that it would encourage drunkenness and
be morally infamous. Statesmen and Senators well
shattered in moral philanthropy and the PHILOSOPHERS
of government, say this and refuse to argue further.
They are Sir Oracles, and . when they open their
mouths no dog must bark" so timid are they in
their feeble wisdom. Even your worthy predecessor,
as 1 well remember. belabored one of his own cor
respondents for daring to propose this question for
discussion, and with adorable fury &c went - for that
presumptuous heather who suggested home-brewed,
and flung a savage leader at his head. Such a wig
ging as that was a 80 heavy blow and great discour-
agement - to the cause of home industry, and it was
tscitly tabled. Now, without being in the secret of
individual consciences, L will admit that in their
relations to a powerful and worthy class, (irrever-
emily sometimes called goodies,) this opposition
without argument of Statesmen, Senators and ortho-
dox editors was good policy, and so sometimes is
going to church, but where is the consistency of it
all? We may import lmltless liquor, and by doing
OhpiSance TO the revenue sell as much as we like
except to natives, and we get generous appropris-
tons (for the game of g duck and drake , among
others) from that interesting item of Treasury
Receipts yet under no sort of desired restrictions
are we permitted to manufacture one drop from our
own resources, which consequently are thrown to
the dogs. Our talent remains wrapped up in the
moral napkin.
When a disciple of Maine
OBJECTS TO LIQUOR IN TOTO
On any terms, and protests with all his might against
its introduction, we can credit him with being a
teetotally honest Spartan who won't compromise with
the enemy, and L think he is right. But whilst
legislative consistency is : willing to admit importa-
tions Gd iibiium for q consideration, yet virtuously
forbids original sin on the ground of morality and
national philanthropy, it has the appearance of COM
pounding a naughtiness, altogether beyond my COM
prehenslOn.
In times past it was said that the
DIsTILLATIoN OF RUN ON SUGAR WORKS
Paid a large portion of the gross expenses. How it
may be now l don't pretend to know, but 1 am as
Stunning that it would pay well. Was there ever a
country in the world more needing the practice of
every conceivable economy than this? The question
is answered already. The restrictions on liquor here
are that it must pay a fixed duty and perform all
sorts of kow-tows to the law in its innermost temple
at the Custom House ere it can reach the dealer,
must then by the grace and favor of His Excellency
be possessed of that costly piece of paper called u
license ere he may disseminate his drugs among the
thirsting aliens whilst refusing comfort and confusion
of tongue to the mouth watering aborigines. Thus
conditioned, the child is legitimized, and thereafter
under the special guardianship of the Penal Code.
And this fact is established that Sc strong drink
becomes a legal institution and the revenue is en-
riched thereby; but We must not make any for our
situations sake.
In other countries where l have lived, this
PAMPERED CHILD
OF wrath can scarcely move during its days of
homage without nurses. doctors, guardians and other
watchful spirits in the guise of revenue officers.
excisemen, Notwithstanding, and others of that
ilk, until having attained a sort of status and being
tattooed and emblazoned with many tokens of high
respect and distinguished consideration, it is sent
forth to play the DEVILS own pranks at its own sweet
will. Yet in Britain, which is sometimes called a
moral kingdom and can afford to indulge OCCASION
ally in the luxury of high morals, or to set imperial
examples which there might be thought sublime, but
here rldiculous,-in that country renowned for sturdy
men and lOyeable women for practical patriotism
and sound common ense,-Briti brandy and Sc Old
Irish "Potheen !" and Highland dew, ia
maica rum and Indian Toddy,-lead brotherly lives
with Vleux cognac and Dutch Kirchwasser, Schiedam
and other continental spirits of the pot, and should
some weeping enthusiast of the moral pocket-hand-
persuasion venture q suggestion to the
man of the exchequer. as to how much
better it would look to taboo the industry at home
and leave foreigners responsible for the original sin
Mr.. Lowe might ask the gentleman where
came from
We must either confess that we are devoid of
brains to perfect
AN EXCISE SYSTEM
Which should secure the product of Hawaiian stills
Is efectually as importations are secured, or give a
reason for the prohibitions-ve acont-t
because ue Uont.
1 have already committed trespass objectionable
IN your space, yet there is much more to be said-if