The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-03-29
THE PACIFIC
Commercial AoOcrtlser.
MARCH n.

BT OFFICIAL announcement in the Gazette OF
Wednesday last, the public are informed that
after the first Of April-it is 20 be hoped there Is
nothing ominous in the time and scasOn-the Gov
ernment ceases u have a recognized organ, and
that tbenecforth Mr.. II. VI. Whitney Will publish
the Gazette on his own responsibility, he having
leased the Government presses, office and material
together with the good wiu"-whateyer that
may mean
In the Ministerial valedictoTy with which they
bid the public farewell, the belief is expressed
. that the Administrator may safely trust it, de-
tense to a healthy public sentiment" The frank
expression Of this belief implies two things-a
feeling Of security IN the consciousness Of pure
motives Of action and a confidence that they, as
public men, are never to be misunderstood OF mis-
represented through the public press. We are
quite ready to cUncede the first Of these PROPOSE
tons, but must be permitted % question whether
the world haz yet arrived at that degree Of per-
lection as that the second shall become a fixed
fact. Public sentiment, or public opinion, Is in
= very great degree moulded by the press IN this
country, as elsew here in these times. In the
United States and in Great Britain, where well
defined political creeds and parties exist, the ad-
ninistrarion Of the Government always finds a
portion Of the press 10 support and defend it's
policy OF is measures. The case is very different
however in this little kingdom, where there can
not be sGid to exist any definite political party,
but where however, at just this particular june
ture, there are grave questions of national policy
that arc being discussed, and which are fast pre-
senting the material out of which parties are to
arise. And as these important questions come to
the surface and are discussed in the community,
it would seem TO be not only proper, but in fact
absolutely necessary, that the men ut the head Of
Government should both form opinions upon such
questions, and let the public know, clearly and
uncquiyOcally, what those opinions are, through
some acknowledged medium. "a healthy pub
lie sentiment - as to the right or wrong course Of
public men, is best cultivated by a public discus
sion through the press. The standing and sta
bility of 4 Ministry will be conserved by their
being on speaking terms with the public. Thus,
while We have always opposed the policy Of Gov
ernment carrying Oh the printing business in com
petition with OF opposition to private enterprise,
We hold that Ministers will always require u rec
ognized organ. and at the present time more than
ever. But perhaps after all, it is not SO very
much a reliance upon a healthy public senti-
ment'' that affects the Administration in this par
ticular. as the fact of an unhealthy condition of
the public finances.
Peradventure the Gazote, though nominally
divorced from Government bed and board, will
under certain understood conditions, become a
quasi Government organ. We shall watch Its
course with curious interest, as an independent
Journal coming into existence under peculiar cir
cumstanees, born of a mixed parentage. The
public here are quite familiar with the former
career of its proprietor as a journalist, and may
rightly expect at his hands a vigorous, enterpris-
ing newspaper, as far as the limited theatre OF
journalism in this country will allow. lie has
however for some years been retired from the T.
bors Of the editorial r.eeific- RI -
trained to harness, that has long been roaming at
will over wide pastures, it remains to be seen
how he will pull with the new gear on.