The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-08-29

We HAVE uGdIu tue EtLudIhs hlbuln tHO past
few days, that if the Hawaiian government
i. e., the Ministry,Creally intended to make an
effort for a Treaty of Reciprocity with the United
States, the sooner they addressed themselves to
the work the better. And there was no doubt a
good deal Of reason for the remark. But, on the
other hand, we can easily understand why a
Ministry, constituted like the present, is not in a
condition to act, on this or any other measure Of
great national Importance The enabling act
passed by the Legislature oEer a month ago, I" to
facilitate the negotiation of a Treaty or Treaties
of Reciprocity" is likely to prove so much wasted
ammunition, without a Ministry possessed of the
energy,-andw we may add, the faith and the will
to make q move towards carrying it outJTLet
US emphasize the word FAITH; for if a Hawaiian
Minister declared his intention of waiting until
the proposal to make such a Treaty comes to us
from the United States, we can have no faith in
his zeal or ability in the matter. In this business,
so vital to the interests of the whole country,
we want the right men in the right places, who
will labor for the desired end, with their whole
hearts in the work, and not " damn with faint
praise"
We want men who will 60 to the Representa-
tiyes of the people of the United States, boldly,
honestly and Open-heartedly, as coming from the
Representatives of the people of the Hawaiian
Islands. leaving no room for the injurious suspi-
ciOn that the measure "partakes of a speculative
character" That, as we remember, was the idea
obtained by certain American Senator's on the last
occasion when we were sueing for n Treaty, and
the main cause Of our failure then was because we
were wounded in our own house" This
Journal, in which we now write, did unquestion-
ably more by its ISLANDERS and Misrepresentation
to defeat Reciprocity in 1868, than anything or
anybody else. 1t was then owned and conducted
by the present editor of the Gazette, and It was
unfortunately and ignorantly quoted as authority
on the floor of Congress on matters pertaining to
these Islands. The principal SANDER thus quoted
and believed, was to the effect that the labor sys-
TEN on our plantations was slavery in disguise;
that the sugar planters were slave-owners and
slave-drivers,-and one of its mischieVous misrep-
resentations Calculated to alarm, and which did
alarm people from the Southern States) was in
largely overstating the sugar producing capacities
of these Islands. In this particular, were the
actual facts placed before Congress it would be
apparent that the fears of our injuriously compel
ing with their own sugar growers are groundless.
Lands continuously planted with cane eventually
LGNEO5Eauc III lAOuuNLlNCuccSs Or OuE OWL expert
enee has shown, and our entire area of arabic
land is quite inconsiderable. Were we to cult
yate to sugar every acre of land on these Islands
capable Of producing the article, and the entire
crop were allowed to enter the ports Of the Pacific
States free of duty, such importation could in no
degree compete in the market with the sugar pro-
duct Of any Of the Southern States. The market
for sugars in the Great Republic is manilestly so
immense, that it is folly to suppose that the high
est possible degree Of production ever TO be
reached by the Hawaiian Islands can in the least
affect it. But Reciprocity, while it cannot in any
event injure American producers, will be an in
boon to Hawaii, politically as well as
materially. Our action or inaction during the
next three months, will demonstrate whether or
not we are worthy of this boon.
When the American Congress reassenbIes in
December, there is no doubt that Canadian Reel
procity will be accomplished. The question of
negotiating a Treaty of Reciprocity between the
States and Mexico is being discussed in
the capital city of the latter Republic, is favora-
bly, spoken of by leading journals in the States,
aud may be brought about in December. This
then, will be Hawaii's opportunity. Let her be
properly represented ct Washington, and let her
representatives there be properly sustained at
home, and success must crown our efforts.