The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-10-12
SHOW YOUR COLORS.''

To Tie Editor of Tie Pacific commercial advertiser:
SIR Your comments in last weeks paper, on
the recent articles published in the Gazette. on the
subject of " Labor and Population" taken in con-
nection with the views expressed in some of YOUR
late issues, call for some notice. We are, at this
moment. in q political crisis. suspended. as 1t were,
between two distinct and opposite lines of policy,
and upon which public opinion is somewhat divi-
drd, and, at the same time. warmly interested.
The articles to which you refer in the Gazette. in
dictate clearly 9" change OF base" since the recent
changes in the Ministry. who are of course justified
in altering the tone of the Gazette in accordance
with their own views. 1t is consistent that a change
Of men should be accompanied by a change of
measures.
But my object in now addressing you is not to
criticise the articles in the Gazette, but to appeal to
you as Editor OF a newspaper, which processes both
to guide and to express public opinion, to come
O onward at this crisis and to let your supporters
understand clearly what principles you hold on
the important questions which are being discussed,
and whether, while holding those principles, you
purpose to stand by them. To prove that such a
request respectfully made (and in no other sense
do 1 wish it to be understOod) is, at this time. not
unealled for, l would draw your attention to the
following facts
In your issue to which I have referred, you sug-
gest that the articles in the Gozette are the produc-
ton OF one OF that class of sensational writers
who, some three or four years ago when this jour
nal was in other hands, ran such a tilt at planters
and plantations in these columns" You might
have added that it was that q" tilt" that sbivered
the lance of the ADVERTISER of that day, and was
the cause of its changing hands. In what it advo-
Gated, however, the Editor was conscientious and
whether right or wrong, he found that he had, by
that strenuous, if rash, advocacy, lost the support
of the public, upon which he had relied. He was
like the excited orator who harangued Il crowd so
long on a subject, in which they did not sympa-
thise. that when be came TO tue peroration, he
found his audience reduced to an old woman and
a small boy. But what course did the then Editor
OF the ADVERTISER pursue? He did not attempt TO
trim his articles to accord with the ideas OF his
patrons. but like an honorable man. he gave up the
paper-the means by which he had expected to gain
his livelihOod.-when he found the public would
not support il, while advocating those views which
he considered TO be sound and true. You then
took hold of the ADVERTISER, with all its machine
~. and the CUSTOM which remained to ii, and pub
lished your =. platform :" in a prospectus, which ap-
peared in one of your aTst numbers. a =" platform"
which the public had a right to suppose you con-
scientiOusly believed in. and which you found, by
practical experience, they were ready TO support.
1t is unnecessary to enter into details, but it is
notorious. and you will perhaps admit the fact,
that in a very short time after you published that
prospectus. the tone OF the ADVERTISER began to
depart widely from the general views therein in
Dictated. Every man has n right to change his
opinions, and to advocate them when so changed.
but unless the Editor OF a newspaper. when con-
Ferted. can carry with him at the same time the
public by which his paper is supported, the situa-
ton becomes, TO say the least, an awkward one for
both parties. If no great difficulty presented itself
in your case. 1T was because no very definite issues
ever arose till now.
But passing over this general divergence in SEN
timent. which / venture to think had latterly be-
come more marked between yourself and your
principal supporters. let us come down TO the
present time, TO the events in connection with one
OF the most notable political changes in this King
dom for some years, / mean the resignation of the
late Ministry. and let Us see what has been your
course, and what are the views Of the majority of
your patrons. The latter were agreeably sur
priSed by the article in your last issue already re-
ferred TO, in which you comment adversely upon
the recent " Labor and Population - articles in the
Gazette. / say dgreeGbly surprised, because they
had been led TO infer from your previous tone and
articles that your views rather conceded than
otherwise with those now expressed In the Gazette,
and they were almost confirmed in this view be-
cause they saw that in an article Of your issue of
July 27th. in connection with the expected resigna-
ton Of the Ministry. you as it were went out of
your way to single out for approval, and to recon-
mend for re-appointment. the only man in the late
Ministry. whose views on the Labor and POpnla-
ton = question are supposed TO be in accord with
those referred TO in the Gazette. You know, we all
know. that this is the question of the day on this
little group of islands. There are, as there easily
may be. two different sets of views upon it,-one.
which may be said to be indicated by the tone OF
the article in your last issue and which comedies /
think | may say. with the views Of the great major
ity Of the Hawaiian public. who have any opinion
in the matter-while of the other, and opposite
view, the Attorney General may be considered as
the leading spirit and the main support. Where
then, l would ask, is the consistency, in the ADvER-
User advocating certain views on an admittedly
important public question in one number, while 1t
for reappoinment IN His Majesty's
counsels the only man OF note IN the Kingdom
who is unfTendly TO those views, In another. 1t
may be quite true that the public regretted the
resignation and the proposed departure OF the At
toTney General in a social point of view, but L
appeal to you. sir, as oae in duty bound to ascer-
tain the facts as TO public opinion when you pro-
pose TO record them. to state now or after you may
have inquired, what you find to be the factin this re-
gard to state whether it be true or not that the
views and policy of the Attorney General are such
as meet the approval of the majority of this com
munity. If you inquire outside Of those few who
have perhaps lately had your ear. you will. l think,
End that while no Minister in this Kingdom has had