The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-03-01
TIE PACIFIC
Commercial AOOertistr.
SATURDAY. MARCH /

II any such can be presented People are 50 apt 10
look only at the shady side ia business matters, and
% croak when everything does not appear bright and
cheerful, that when the rainbow OF hope spans the
heavens, promising brighter skies, none should fail
10 note IL
We find the foregoing paragraph at the begin
ming Of n leading article in the Government
Gazette Of this week. We are, it is fair to pre-
sumo, warranted in considering this rs a Minis
terial uttcrancc. Somewhere in our heavens,
their Excellencies have spied a " rainbow Of hope,
promising brighter skies" to which they direct
our attention, sOlicitOus lest we should " fail u
note it," After reading the leader to the end,
we confess that we still fail TO detect the afore-
SAID rainbow, unless IL is hidden in the article Of
mat bags, by using which alone we are graTely
told some forty odd thousand dollars a year can
be made. And finally we are informed that by
somebody's newly discovered process, tobacco can
be- proftably cured in California, and If there,
why not herey Our = rainbow Of hope" comes
to a mos. lame and imPotent conclusion, and its
grandiloquent h~eralding sounds very like a bitter
m~ockery.
IL wac hoped and expected by the whole coun-
try, that ere this Ministers would have given
some appreciablc indication Of having compre-
hendcd the situation, and Of possessing the will
IL my uLhC AbI lDhNA ~ ~ ANS H'NNAE
the merchants, the mechanics, have been patiently
Whiting and watching for the announcement Of
some Ministerial policy or measure looking to the
eventual reliefo Of trade and commerce, the extreme
depression Of which is now threatening our IA
ti9nal impOyerisbment. And now it as intimated
by the organ that Instead Of there being any
cause for encouragement, our reyerses are only Of
n temporary nature, that in n few months former
prices will be restored, and that in fact everything
looks lovely seen through {" the rainbow OF
hope" Doubtless % the Government Office
holder, whose monthly salary is assured no matter
how dull the times, tie situation is very comfort
able, and he can afford to luxuriate III the vaga-
rics of hope on behalf Of others less fortunately
placed than himself. But TO the agriculturist
who secs ruin staring him in the face, and to the
mechanic who is being reduced to actual penury
for the want Of employment, the prospect is
gloomy indeed.
We have from the first, given the Ministry all
credit for prudence, caution and economical man
agement Of Government finances, and in this
respect We can have no complaint, but award all
praise for their evident industry in ascertaining
and curtailing expenses. Our recklessly extray-
agant system had gone on so long that it had
btCOulc CuIOitlct dul nOt itu4ll III n SNiuC
ton of at least onc-third in our annual expendi-
ture of public funds has become an absolute
necessity, and we have faith in the intention as
well as the ability Of Ministers to accomplish this.
But, while the management Of our home affairs
may be in a fair way of becoming satisfactory, is
it not quite time that those ut the head of affairs
should show the public what is to be their foreign
pOlicy2 The all-absorbing subject of discussion
in the community has been and still is the ques-
ton of Reciprocity. Can it be obtained, and
how? are the questions we hear asked at every
turn. Is it possible that His Majesty's Ministers
have Urmed no opinion upon this subject; that
they have decided upon no step towards ascertain
ing the feasibility Of its attainment? This would
indeed seem to be a proper inference to be drawn
from the silence Of their acknowledged organ, the
Gazette, upon this one topic upon which all minds
are dwelling. One of the prominent errors of
the Ministry during the late reign was a taci-
turnity in regard to public policy, which amounted
indeed to a contempt of public opinion, that we
would regret to see initiated by their successors.
They have n recognized organ ut their command
1t is but fair and reasonable that through it they
make known their views and declare their policy
on the important subject that now engrosses pub
lie attention. -
Since the foregoing was written, we have
learned. from good authority, that the Minister
Of Foreign Affairs has distinctly made known
the policy which has been decided upon by the
Ministry on the question of Reciprocity. 1t is
simply this. The Hawaiian Government have no
intention of requesting the Government of the
United States to reopen negotiations for a Treaty
of Reciprocity; nor do they desire that any rep
II - - A. -
to the effect that they would be willing to enter
tain the project. The attitude of the Hawaiian
Government is however one of passive waiting, in
the event of any propositions coming from the
United States, looking to the rcopening of any
such negotiations. But they are positively op-
posed to making any movement themselves in the
matter.
This is the substance OF the position avowed
by the Minister Of Foreign Affairs. The announce
ment of this fact will unquestionably be received
with astOnishment by the community. Ii will
seem hardly credible that n policy ut once SO op-
posed 10 the best interests of the country and SO
preposterous and out of character, should be de-
liberately adopted and avowed by the Ministry.
Aside from the triAing a~bsurdity involved in the
idea of our waiting for the American Government
10 request of the Hawaiian Government the priv
ilege Of doing us a great favor, the fact stands
broadly apparent that the present Ministry are
opposed to the project of a Reciprocity Treaty;
that they will not only do nothing themselves to-
wards obtaining sucha Treaty, but will be likely to
interpOse obstacles instead of affording facilities.
And herein they deliberately place themselves in
direct antagonism to the views and desires of nine
tenths of the community, who have any views
upon the subject.
Thus early then in the official life of the Min
istry of our new King do We find a controversy
and q crisis upon us. His Maesty's advisers, in
the consideration of questions affecting the vital