The Hawaiian gazette., 1880-07-07
TCommunicated.J

Reform is an excellent thing there is nothing
that commends itself to the mind more than re-
form; it is so glorious to sweep away abuses it is
easy to criticize administrative acts in short it
is SO easy TO pull down. But how about building
up again Our friend the Rising Star has during
the last week posed as a reformer as friend Of
the people he has come before the world as the
Apostle of Health he would change our present
Board of Health: he would "away with the doc
tors and he brings up number of most pausi-
BILE reasons for carrying his point plausible, but
only plausible upon the surface. The rhetoric of
our friend is of the lofty order, it roars to the
Skies it sweeps along on the outstretched wing of
metaphor it daZZles u.s. anon it is pathetic it draws
our tears, it CHORES for water" it appeals power
fully to the native mind but in spite of all these
excellent attributes its reasoning is unsound, its
facts garbled, SO that after all am at length
compelled to whisper the word "Jroth." Take for
example the point made that " the military and
naval establishments of the United States are usu-
ally placed in charge of well informed men, who
have never been trained TO the profession of mill
tary or naval warfare How utterly misleading is
such statement If the Apostle of HEALTH will
refer to Whitaker's Almanac, he will find that the
First Lord of the Admiralty in England is truly
"layman," but his private secretary and also the
second third and fourth Lords and the Controller
of the Navy are all naval men, The same state
ment holds good for France, and though l have
not at hand the names of the Office holders in the
naval board of the United States, 1 can almost
safely say that 1t answers for that country also.
Here is pure perversion of facts it is laid before
natives who have not the means at hand of verify
ing the gentleman's statement and who. he is sure
will take that statement on his bare word am
not SO "docile and teachable." Again from the
honorable gentleman's speech / would gather
that the Board of Health does no visiting through
its agents. And yet it was only the other day 1
had In my hand the report of DR.. Emerson, who
during his hard earned vacation from Molokai had
visited the Island of Kauai and had made tho
rough inspection, travelling twice round the island
In July of last year the same gentleman made
medical tour round the island of Molokai. Travel
ing physicians have been appointed to Maui,
to Hawaii and to Kauai, the appointments have
not always been satisfactory, but it is not an easy
thing to get good men to bury themselves in dis
tant islands at a small salary in this matter the
Board are entirely in the hands of the legislature
Let that honorable body vote more pay and it may
get better men. The much Wanted Board of Edu-
cation pays fifty cents day to some of its teach
In the out districts these teachers first class
men hear complaints on all sides of their in
efficiency; and yet cannot blame that Board
for II absolutely cannot afford to get men who are
worth more pay. | am told that the Board of
Health is controlled by the doctors upon it. this we
hardly understand seeing there three lay
men" to two doctors. It is also said that no in
structions have been issued by the Board of Health
this is untrue. Instructions hare been issued by
the Board of Health from time to time, can re-
collect very well that during the late epidemic of
measles set of instructions were drawn up and
translated into native by the Rev. h 81. Parker ;
but it is useless going into detail have stated
enough to show how thoroughly untrustworthy the
remarks made by the /" honorable Brutus was
an honorable" man, have any of our readers heard
were. 1t Is not upon speech such as Il is that auy
legislative action should be taken and il only goes
to show OF what surprisingly enlightened materials
the present legislature is composed when its ears