The Hawaiian gazette., 1874-02-25
Who Shall Hold Omce:


20 treat Of in our community ST any time,
1t is especially SO at the present juucture
of affairs. for reasons SO well known to
our readers that they need not be here
mentioned.
The complaint has frequently been made
of late wears thst Offices which should be
in the hands Of native Hawaiians are Civ.
en- to foreigners Jealousy on this point
Is naturally TO be expected. But some
sire ready 70 make question of it; s
party question if there were sny political
parties here; any way, they are ready to
make CIV on tie subject, and thereby
win favor snd popularity. And there are
doubtless many Hswaiians who really feel
2ggrieved. sometimes for themselves in
dividusllv. and sometimes for their race.
Il Is one Of the disadvantages of our
present form Of government, that we sre
made thereby s community of takers
rather tnSn doors Did we elect Sll our
OWE officers save the Judges, who should
be appointed. not elected: we should
cease from good deal of this complain
ing; IN other words, stop talking, and
vote. We should then only have our
selves to blame if foreigners snd not rs
;ives. or If natives snd not foreigners,
held Office As 1t Is, we make show of
choosing S King, and thereafter perpetu-
sllv either bemosu or curse the appoint
ment Of Ministers that our so-chosen Sow
ereign makes for Himself, and so on down
70 the most benighted Rosd-Supervisor In
the most remote district q mean the
most remote Rosd Supervisor in the most
benighted district
In dealing with this subject one may be
tempted to utter some unweleome truths.
/ will not ssy tempted. I viii say called
upon, for so II Is Let II be understood,
however, that sill that is TO be said is for
the sake Of truth. snd not for the sake of
defending one class and not another, or
one course Of conduct and not smother
Let il be understood that the writer in
obedience TO the wish Of this society is to
sim st the good Of the country. Let it
slso be understood thst the writer of sn
essay for this society is not to express
merely Whist be believes 10 be the mind
Of the majority of the society, but that
which he believes TO be true and right.
even as s newspaper has no right to plume
itself on its rejecting public opinion. but
should on the contrary form public opin-
ion BY uttering that which is In itself true,
and pure, and right
Office under the old-iime ides Of gov
erument implied the being ADORE Others.
Il meant power for the sake of power.
and not for the sake of something better
thsn power. Il was something to be
struggled for; 8 good TO be gained. Once
in Office, he who held the Office was guild
ed BY pride, the King by desire to show
thst he ruled better kingdom thsn his
fellow King across the boundary: his Of
fcers BY wish TO maintain the dignity
and receive the rewards Of their respec-
tive ofheeS. The accompanying theory
70 this was that men were all bad, and
must be governed to make them do right.
Under true sud high civilization,
country for the most part governs itself,
snd officers of government are only ser
wants Of the people And Just here do
we not hear from the far past the voice of
Him, who wsS st the same time the Su-
preme Ruler and the Devoted Serysnt of
the human race; Of Him. who said: = Ye
know that the princes of the Geutiles ex-
ereise dominion over them. and thew that
sre great exercise authority over them.
But It shall not be 50 among you, but
whose viii Be great among you, let him
be your servant. and whosoeTer will be
chief among you let him be your minis
ter This wss not doctrine merely for
s few deSpiSed Galileans: It was the
enunciation Of Law that shall vet rule
the world, snd Of principle that viii yet
underiie all Constitutions Of government.
If then officers are public servants. WHY
5 rush for Office. snd WHY dissatisfaction
thSt others and not ourselves are in Office q?
Do We not see the rule that fitness. and
not favor L to guide In selecting officers +?
And should not the Office seek the man
and not the man the Office The question
: not, shall il Be you or that Is to
make the roads and b2rbors - but 50 who
s it thst can make them veil p
In seeking then for those whom we
shall employ to perform the duties Of gov
srumeut, We should choose those best can
sble Of doing what i required as far as
hey can Be obtsined. This seems self /
evident; not TO Be proved or argued up-
on; and yet men do not believe II prae- !
iesny. The principle that men generally /
20 upon Is this: We want those in Office /
Who vii help Us individually. A wants
is friend B. to Be Minister Of so and 50. I
because It VII Be Al honor to Be On good /
srms With one 50 high IN the government
?. wishes his friend Q. to Be assessor be /
,ause be vii get s percentage, and the /
means Of living, and perhaps pay his /
iebts How few Of us have really the
good Of the country at heart
J1st so with elective Offices. Kesve
-uns for the Legislature, not because be
las beer chosen and solicited BY his neigh
sors As man suited to make laws, and as
! wise nan who has fitted himself to gov
IN others No, It i because be wishes
lzF aud power. He may wish honor, he
nay wish celebrity, be may wish to Sc
'ure some zTorite scheme Of his Own.
ms Is al wong; he ought 70 wish to
lep MS country, and wait With due mo-
iesty for others 70 tell him that be l. the
'est nan they know, who can do that
ioble service.
The best assessor In = district l. the
nan EhN vii most faithfully make him
elf acquainted With the Talue Of property,
nd who vii know neither fear nor favor
= dischzrging duty. The best Judge i
z Who has the keeaest sense Of night and /
1stice, who studies the law, and fears
n man Ard n 10 --7-1e - - IT,