The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-12-05
"Hooulu Lahui.',

To the Editor Of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser.
Sm.--YOu have done a good work in calling
public attention to the decay Of the Hawaiian race
and advocating earnest endeavors to stop it. ]
venture TO suggest that you would have done still
better to have given a summary Of the most vaIu.
able speeches at the meeting in the Kawaiahao
Church on the 18th ult. 1t is to be hoped the sub
jsct will not be allowed to drop. / take the liberty
of making one or two suggestions by way of giving
a push to the discussion.
When we have an evil to contend with, the arst
thing to be done is to look it straight in the face,
see what it is made of, how big it is and what is its
shapevOn enquiring into the causes Of the dying
out Of the native race, the FIVE following at least
are evident; aee e
First, and foremost. The general Ignorance and
apathy of the people, who scarcely perceive the
evil and are unwilling to make present sacrifices
for the sake of future benefits. And the less rea-
sonable neglect and apathy OF the foreigners, who
may be said to occupy a more or less paternaI rela-
ton to the natives, and ought to help them, but
do not.
2. Unhealthy ways of life, lowering the general
vitality, and inadequate care of the sick.
8. The constitutions Of men and women cor
rupted By syphilis, inherited or acquired, causing
Au oOhS NoSCo O0i SAACc III Icl dil QehLU II
children.
f. Looseness of morals union Of the sexes while
very young, and excessive and promiscuous, also
causing barrenness. 15-@
5. Indisposition of the women to be troubled
with children. The use of abortives seems to be
very general. ~ .,a q asr
There is much to be said on all these points. /
shall only refer in this letter to The Ist and I'd. 1
speak of the Island I live on. Here 1 end COM
plete blindness in the leaders of the people. When
1 FIRST enquired into the causes Of The decay, l was
met either with Indifference, or told that it was the
work of Providence, in the first place, and in the
second of the sensual habits OF the people. I be-
lieve Providence should be translated as " neg
lect or ignorance" on the part of those who ought
to lock after the people. The people are immoral !
True but there Is no influence at work, worth
anything, TO make them different. Nobody teaches
them the simplest laws of health and the means of
relieving them when sick are altogether inadequate.
Among remedies to be proposed. 1 venture to
suggest the following:
1. The excitement of general interest in the SUBJ
ject on the part of the white population, especially
the employers Of labor. s.
2. Then the organization of means to search
thoroughly into the causes of the decay and the
means available to meet them, the pntting this
knowledge into q workable form and difusing it.
8. The setting up of hospitals in the villages
where the government doctors live, that the latter
may. be able to take proper care of the sick. ~ssa
The natives are children. And the sooner this
fact is acknowledged, not privately among the
whites, as at present, but publicly, and acted upon,
the better for all. have little hope, however. that
a radical cure Of the evils that cause the decay
will take place by any means short of that set
forth by Plato, some 22Oe years ago, in his ideal
Republic-the complete separation of children
from their parents and their training by the State.
Could this be done, for even a single generation,
and done nobiy and wisely, in these Islands, there
would be good hopes, l believe, Of a revival of the
race. But under our quasi-repubiican system of
government it will never be done. For fifty years
the missionaries have been at work TO save The
souls Of this people. Meanwhile their bodies have
rottsd. Is It not time to begin to save thesei = 3
New BROOK.