The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-12-14

We were riding along the street the
other day and we came along side gov
ernment official; at the moment large
Chinese placard struck our eye, Now"
said we. we should like very much to
know what that means" The 6. o. gazed
upon it. walked back pace or two, pulled
out pair of eyeglasses, apparently read
it up and down, and finally pronounced
that it might possibly be tax notice
Tax notice indeed, it might have been a
notice for blowing up the treasury, de-
molishing the palace, numbering the army,
or any other heinous crime for all he knew.
Eyeglasses and gazing did not help it one
bit. We must have a Caucasian inter
prefer of Chinese; the country absolutely
demands it. We should have some trust
worthy man, who could go about among
these people. learn what they are doing
and thinking about, watch little straws
which would shew in which direction the
wind is blowing Such a man will cost
money. but money must be paid: here we
are living in a country where the govern
ment is supported by what is tantamount
to no physical force at all, which holds its
own by moral force, and yet we have some
fifteen thousand or more of its adult IN
habitants about whose ideas, whose con-
versation. whose aspirations not an officer
in the government knows anything save
bv hearsay. The Chinese might hold L
meeting under the very noses of the au-
thoritlcs. might talk whatever treason they
chose. might lay out without the slightest
fear of their being discovered, most
elaborate plan of action, and do this with
out the slightest fear of any one IN the
city becoming acquainted with their plans.
The Government cannot trust entirely
to interpreters of Chinese blood have
il upon the authority OF a Chinese mis-
sionary, man who has spent years OF a
self-sacrifcing life in China, that for
ability, few men might be chosen from
among those he knows, but that he could
not guarantee their integrity.
When Mr. Frank Damon has acquired the
Chinese language, which may be in eight
cen months from now, he will be OF great
assistance to the government, but he viii by
no means satisfy their wants his work
will run on very different lines what the
government need is a man of their own.
If this matter is not attended TO quickly,
a grave responsibility will rest upon those
in office, should anything happen which
might have been ayerted had we had our
interpreter. Even on behalf of the
Chinese themselves, a trusted government
Interpreter would be boon how do they
now know anything of our law, our license
system? through interested parties who
have to make living out of Interpreting,
and doing that very poorly too. A man
comes up for license, he is accompanied
by his Interpreter, who stands by while
the minister signs; why should not the in
terpreter represent to the Chinaman, that
unless he (the interpreter) used his
personal influence with the Minister
he could not get his license, and
then going one step further, sell that
valuable influence for the best price he
could-there would be nothing repugnant
to the Chinese mind in this; it is, after all,
what they are accustomed to in China. All
tricks of this class would be easily exposed
by having smart interpreter, salaried by
the Government, and we trust soon to hear
of an appointment being made.