The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1880-12-08

The sensitiveness to criticism which is apparent
in most officials is not hard to account for. There
are few men who take kindly to criticism of their
conduct, even from friends It takes friend in
deed to point out ones errors for gratuitous un-
asked advice, even though one may be the gamer
by it, is seldom received with gratitude. Perhaps
the reason for that is that the advice is often
due to ample appreciation of ones self, and to an
ofcious spirit as well as to unjust depreciation of
those who get the benefit of the advice. In order
that friendship may be kept intact, one must never
accuse the notfpes of the other, howsoever he may
find fault with the acts for friendship is impos-
sible without mutual respect. Applying all this to
in office, it is not strange that they usually
resent or else affect indifference to the criticism of
their official course. or course no one expects an
incompetent, weak or dishonest offce-holder to
enjoy a showing up. That is the style of man
which gets up the most righteous indignation at
fault-fnders. The man of poise of reflective and
executive powers equal to his position, does not
lose his balance if he carped at All men, whether
in station in private life, should court rather
than shun abrasion or competition with the minds
of their fellows There is gain in strength of
character, in accuracy and sobriety of thought,
which ought to result from having ones conduct
or views measured by others. The public man, in
order to retain his equanimty under fair and in
telligent criticism, need not be either martyr or
a pachy0erm. He should remember that others
are concerned no less than himself in what he does
and thinks. If he sees that criticism is based on
false assumption incorrect statement of facts it
is due to himself and to his friends that he should
cause such injustice to be set right, unless, is
sometimes the case, the public interests require
silence But the last thing for an able and efficient
official to do is to discourage or take hardly any
honest and fair suggestion, enquiry or criticism
which may be made. He may be better informe
about facts which may be under discussion than
are those who proffer advice but the chances are
that he is likely to be inaccurate are private
persons who make up the public. 1t is hard to say
who is the more to be dreaded, conceited, self
important official who resents criticism, or stupid
one who takes advice from everybody, and can be
trusted by neither to act upon others ideas nor to
have ideas of his own.
And more than ALL the most unsatisfactory state
of things for any nation is that in which the indi
viduals who compose the body polite decline to
concern themselves about public affairs but scorn-
fully or with indifference look on, and let matters
take their own course 1t is this thing of indi
vidual and personal interest and responsibility in
regard to the common veal which is now most
needed in the Hawaiian Islands. If the result OF
what has occurred in Hawaiian politics this yeaI
shall be to teach the lesson of public duty, we may
be duly thankful. Even Moreno might then be
called blessing in disguise in addition to the un
complimentary names by which he is known in
Washington and San Francisco.