The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-03-16
Our Future.

The remark that the present era in the worlds
history is a wonderfully progressive one, Is on
everybody's lip. Trite though it may be, it is
nevertheless undeniably true. In science, aud
the arts, and in the theory and practice of Gov
ernment-all is stamped with the spirit Of pro-
gression. Not a nation or country of the globe
that does not feel it in n more or less degree. As
it is the nature of man to strive to lift the veil
that hangs over the future, 80, guided by the
history of the past, do we sometimes find our
selves dreaming of what will be in the years to
come. But as no two eras in the lives of nation
or individuals can ever be exactly alike under all
circumstances, our representations of any time
to come must be modified by what we see before
us. Otherwise we might predict fairly that
because the last fifty years has seen this nation
leave the darkness Of paganism and step out into
the broad light of Christian intelligence and the
order of civilization, the year nineteen hundred
will find Hawaii in the foremost rank of the en-
l~ightened and prosperous nations of the earth.
Such a conclusion, however, would be by no
means warranted by existing circumstances of a
very prominent and influential character.
Various causes are now operating to keep this
nation at a stand-still, if they do not in the end,
if unchecked, positively drive it back from the
height to which it has been lifted. The first
among these causes, and the one that vastly over
shadows all the rest, is the form of Government.
When this is analysed, we find that while a
pretense is made that the people have a voice in
the Government, the unvarnished truth is that
they have no effective voice whatever in the
affairs of State. Where this condition obtains, a
people will inevitably lose that spirit that can
alone keep them alive. Without an actual exer-
else of the sovereign will Of the people in the
administration of Government, we must confess
that the nation lacks the capacity for selEGov-
eminent, and is consequently in Il false position
before the world that amid the rapid progress
of the world in the theories and practice Of liberal
Government, surrounded by and in constant com
munication with the influences Of the frecst
constitutional liberty, this nation nevertheless
can only be governed by a despotism Of irrespon-
sible Ministers. What must be the influence
upon our future Of such a system as this under
which We live?
Aside from the mere form Of our Government,
so repugnant to the political spirit Of the age
are those in power making any endeayor 20 keep
pace in the onward march Of progress that ami
mates the world? Do they seek to draw hither
all OUTSIDE influences thaJ may help u give IA
nation n name as well as an existence? Our
duty is to invite all means Of communication
with the world 4 great centres to our shores, by
granting what may be called extraordinary con-
cessiOns to steam lines, and to the telegraph that
inevitably follow each other over the pathless
ocean. Every influence should be exertcd both
public and private, to secure the permanent es-
adjustment Of steam and telegraph lines TO the
Islands. The present is n critical time in our
destiny. If, instead Of actively exerting ourselves
for advancement in the direction indicated, we
either pursue the safe middle course Of inaction,
or worse, coyertly discourage enterprise when 1t
future of the Islands, lapsing into the condi-
ton Of a forgotten and fossilized people-severely
Let alone.