The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-07-26
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Abbertiser.
SATURDAY. JULY 26.

AMONG WHAT may he termed - the advantages
If living in n small community IS the facility
thereby afforded for ascertaining which side pre-
ponderates in numbers and influence on any dis
puted question of public policy that may arise.
In a large and popuIOus city, for instance, it
would not be so easy to declare beforehand
whether the ayes or the noes were in the major
ity, but in a NAL community like ours, where
everybody knows everybody, 50 to speak, and the
interchange Of views and opinions il going on
constantly, the direction of public opinion is
much easier asceFtaincd.
There has been for the past fortnight-eyer
since the declaration of Ministerial policy on the
proposed cessiOn of Pearl Harbor-a vast deal of
discussion in the community, wise and otherwise,
IN regard to the measure, but there can be no
question but that, were the vote of the foreign
community to be taken to-day, the opponents of
the Ministerial policy would be found to consist
Of a very small minority. But while the
weakness of this party IN point of numbers
would appear very remarkable, the incongruous
clements of which it is composed must still more
excite our wonder and admiration. Men well
known to be of the most extreme opposite views
on almost every other theory of politics or
moials,-of lifelong antagonism in practice and
doctrine,-are found sympathizing and frater-
nizing together, speech-making, writing and talk
ing in opposition to the proposed cession of Pearl
Harbor. What - fellow-feeling" is it that
makes them thus 'wondrous kind to each
other, just now?
While however we smile at the curious coali-
ton thus brought about by circumstances, it will
- H. 49,. =
INSCRIPTIONS as it clearly has shown itself to be,
is not to be ~despised, or regarded with contempt.
The party opposing the Ministerial policy will
not, for obvious reasons, care to match them
selves in argument with the supporters of that
policy among the foreign community, and there
fore their strong hand is to address them
selves to the natives. By working upon the
ignorance of international relations which gener-
ally and quite naturally prevails among the na-
tfves, and arOusing their prejudices and latent
iealousies, this party undoubtedly hopes and ex-
poets to secure The election next February of 4
majority Of Representatives in the Assembly, and
there defeat the proposed measure-if it shall
ever reach that body. But to the native mind
even, predispOsed though It is to jump at cOnclu-
sious that are a sequence of inbred jealous love
Ot country anu the rule VI nc Culcies tNC dASu
ments brought forward against the proposed
treaty will eventually appear in their true light,
"a utterly baseless and visionary. The anti-ces-
sionists have injured their own cause in declaring
ut the outset, that the measure would bring I'M
told evils upon the natives, for they clnrOt pro-
duce a single sound reason in support Of such I
conclusion which must, on examination, appear
what IL really is, the product of n perverted inn
aginatiOn. The sober, second thought = Of the
Hawaiians, as well as that Of other people, can
nc safely trusted. They are by no means the
credulous simpIetOns that windy orators may i'm
agine, but are quite a. well provided with COM
mon sense and ordinary discretion in matters of
importance as the average of people elsewhere
whose opportunities for knowledge are no better
than their own. Any attempt to cram them
with a certain line Of belief, or to induce them 10
unreasOningly accept any ones conclusions as
final, is pretty sure to arouse an earnest spirit OF
enquiry and investigation. They are a disputa-
tiaus, but not a ~hOt-tempered people, and they
will be sure to demand something more than the
n - H.