The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-03-09
LAHAINA, March 4th, 1878.

To the Editor of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser:
Enough has already been said and written in
regard to the uneven and oppressive nature of our
Sunday law to satisfy the thinking mind, not mar
rowed by creed. of its incompatibility with the
best interests of the country, and the general com
fort and welfare of individuals. That this view
has long maintained the ascendency in the minds
of the executive is a natural inference from the
failure on the part of the Government to uphold
by prosecution the letter of the law, even where
infractions have been nOtoriouS-it not glaring.
Such having been the disposition of the authori-
ties through a long series of years and under diff
ferent administrations excepting where notice has
been cOurted by public ADVERTISEMENT a strict
adherence to the provisions of the law has nowhere
been thought necessary ; and it is alone the tacit
sanction observed so universally and so long, by
the executive. that has obviated the necessity
which would otherwise have existed OF re-legisla-
ton upon this subject.
At this time and under such circumstances, if
even compatible with decency, it can scarcely be
deemed consistent that any under-Sheriff should at
this late date seek to originate a reformation in
the working of the law which has become time
hOnOred.
1t is to such a case but greatly aggravated how
ever, l would call the attention of thinking men
whether in or out of government. In brief, the
facts are these: An arrest was made to-day of the
Proprietor of the Pioneer Mills, together with the
Chief Engineer and Carpenter on a charge of vio-
lating the Sabbath of the previous week. The
violation referred to was, repairing a break in the
steam-worm of the vacuum pan which had been
discovered the day previous, and the neglect to
repair which on the ensuing day, would not only
have caused detention in work, but actual loss, as
there was lying in the tanks at the time partially
cooked juice representing about seven tons of
sugar, a great part if not all of which, would have
soured with another days delay.
Compare these facts, and the fact of the arrest
with the fact, that like necessary work has for the
last fifteen years been performed openly and with
the knowledge of the authorities on the Sabbath
of almost every week during the grinding season,
and to any one of common capacity, it must ap-
pear as a reasonable inference that some incentive
more potent than a desire to perform his duty, or
conformity with religious scruples must have actu-
ated the Sheriff (Mr. Everett) in this affair. While
nearly every plantation on the island of Maui is
every Sunday violating in an equal degree, our
Sabbath law with the fact well known to the
Sheriff prosecution is alone reserved for the Pro-
prietor of the Pioneer Mills and his employees. and
that in q case where the question of necessity could
not but be apparent upon the most superficial ex-
animation. In more than one way has his hostility
to the interests of this concern been previously
shown, and this case should be sufficient to indicate
the necessity of having the Sheriff's Office filed by
some one not only competent to fulfill its functions
but to act without malice toward any. If l am not
mistaken there are many both here and elsewhere
on this island who would say amen to a rotation
in this particular office. EQUITY.
rs. After writing the above a decision has
been given by the Police Magistrate clearing the
parties accused.