The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-04-20
CORRESPONDENCE.
4 Peep at our Future.

NIR EDIroR Any one who has read your articles
upon the Decree Of 1864 must arrive ct but one con-
cIusion and that is that live under an absolute
monarchy represented by irresponsible Ministry
The people have little power, and to override
the few remaining privileges we enjoy requires
little boduess and audacity. The leading capitalists
Of the Kingdom are IN sympathy with the Ministry
because Of the protection Afforded to the one absorb
ing interest Of the islands, and 1t Is not unreasonable
20 suppose that they will make the most Of their
position for mankind is unco weak and little 10 Oe
trusted - do not desire 10 disParage our monIed
mea. but we know money Is power, and power Is
always with the OppressOT So .
much the safer test apply to the voter or to the
Representative, but can have no doubt as 10 its
preference over the property quahhcaucn prevail
ING here when find that by the si1ty-third Article
of the Decree Of 1864, - The property quaIhcaton
Of the Representatives Of the people, and OF the
eIectors may be increased by laW. Ihe passage Oi
auv law that meets the wants Of the Ministry ana
the leading interest is fOregone concuson' so lar
as our Legislative Assembly is concerned
The Qualifications may be raised but not lowered
30 whenever an irresponsible Ministry and ats friends
desire 10 contract the liberties OF the people they
r,ss law raising the qualification, and this they
NAV repeat until the voters will be mere hahdlul
ami the Representatives will be the creatures Oi tue
ruling classes -. ~
fct,,rno interest aud that all labor, capital and
enterprise are monOpOlIzed by 1t that We nave q
diminishing commerce but one COMMERCIAL centrei
an iusruifcant internal trade that our POPuiAIoh
Il benJ rauiIIy classified, the classes representing
very large majority OF plantation laborers and q
small minority Of capitalists, between Mhich Is
RANGED "A class weak in numbers, when uhder more
TbeT,I Governmept aud in more prosperous commu-
mites represents the bulk Of population, II Is not
difficult to conceive condition Of affairs In the near
future well represented in the following description
OF British Guiana:
almost entirely by Europeans, and chiefly by men OF
British origin. In 1861 the population OF BrItish
Guiana was jj.qI7, of whom 49, were natives OF
Europe ami 147 Of North America Although there
are influential creole Europeans, cannot be lar
wrong in saying that in the hands oil small pro
portion Of these 629 people, or their equVaient IN
1870 are centered the real power and wealth oil the
CoIonv IL appears that there are, IN
rouri numbers, about 100 managers VINO are not
prouretors and about thrtysix proprletors VINO are
neither managers nor attorneys Al the extreme
take it. then that 160 people and hrns on the spot
NAV be slid practicaly-thOugh there are some
wealthy men Of business not bound up with sugar
20 have the interests of the Colony in their own
hands to lie the main employers of labor, the main
patrons of the professions and that OF these the
tbirty-ye attorneys and few prOpretOrs constitute
n kind Of local aristOcracy, with the monopoly oi
social and political power
.sTo this state Of things an important balance
Theoretically exists in the peculiar form OF the Gov
ment The Governor, as Her MaJestys represent
ative, is the embodiment of executive power Inc
Legislature, called the Court OF Policy consists Oi
ten persons Five are Government othcIals namely
the Governor the Attorney General the Government
Secretary the Receiver-General, and the Auditor
GanaraI To urocure the other five, resort is had to
\ college Of electors. This is a relic Of Dutch times,
the college Of Keysers,'' and consists Of seven
persons elected for IJfe by constituency quaiihed
by property. This qualification IS an annual income
az 5 mounds sterling Persons of every nationality
and pursuit are included in the constituency The
total number of voters in 1865 was 9CT. Upon
vacancy in the Legislature, the college oi electors
ssJ M two names 10 that Court which thereupOn
selects one to fill the post. The Court of Policy sits
sometimes publicly, but may and does hold secret
sessions. -.
TegisIature as this-governing 155 900 persons 1t
takes ones liberal breath away Even the limited
cream of popular representation is filtered through
that coander with holes, the college oil electors
for life -
Our coIander has but four holes