The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-11-23

But we say actionl meet your difficulty
hold your commission, publish it to the
world: if your plantations or Government
are worth anything an enquiry is just the
thing you must court; and once your pro
test is published, the calumnies viii drop
to the ground and mingle with the mud to
which they justly belong.
OUR challenge Of last Wednesday has
been accepted The p. c. 1ldre'tiser be-
lieves that in spite of all the existing adj
verse Influences the Hawaiian race VIII
live and increase. 1t might reasonably be
expected that the editor would put forth
the grounds for his belief. He does not,
but contents himself with large amount
of what can only be mildly called decla-
nation According to our neighbor the
principal cause of the decline has been
the malfeasance and neglect OF the gov
ernment, and he hints at some combina-
ton or set of people who desire the down
fall and ruin of the native race. That
there may be persons in this community
who are really unfriendly to the natives IS
of course possible; that they are or have
been numerous or influential now or in
former times, we do not believe, and still
less do we believe that they have caused
the decline. That the decline has been
caused by the successive governments
may be regarded as equally untrue. No
doubt the government might have done
more for the people, No government
does all it might do. Were ours not a
free but strong paternal government, a
much heavier responsibility would rest
Is,l
that the highest ruling power is a mainly
native Legislature, headed by native
King.
We are told that the Hawaiian race will
live and increase III spite OF the adverse
circumstances and influences which are
now causing its decline. It would have
been more satisfactory if we had been in
formed when the decline may be reason
ably expected to cease and the increase to
begin; and what power may be counted
upon to inaugurate this season of re
covery, in which no one would rejoice
more than ourselves. Let us note the
principal causes of the decline of the
native race. We do not profess to do so
with any completeness. They may be
said to be as follows:
l. The spread of leprosy.
2. The infertility of native women, es-
pecially with men of their own race.
3. The absorption of the women by
men Of other races.
All these evils are rather social than
governmental. Passing by therefore any
reference to the action of government up
on them except as regards the first, where
It's action has been CT great Importance,
we 20 on to ask: What have the natives
done to help themselves Have they
ayailed themselves OF the social and sani-
tary instruction open to them; have they
supported their foreign friends who have
tried to help them
First as to leprosy. The system OF Sc
gregation OF the lepers has been through
ont the work of the white friends OF the
Hawaiians. The government, the press,
the medical profession, the pulpit, have
urged for years upon the natives tho
necessity Of separating themselves from
their diseased relations, but in vain; far
from doing so, they share with the leper
their food, pipe and bed, they even let
their children crawl or play about tho
distorted faces. They find no horror even
in the closed intercourse. All advice and
have been useless, and when
the government interferes TO remove the
sufferers, the people, with rare exceptions,
hide, if they can, the leper away or other
wise thwart the officers Of the Board Of
Health
The infertility Of the native women with
their own race and the mischievous means
they employ to injure what fertility they
have, are evils well-known. Here again
can do little. The native is
in The face of abundant instruction, his or
rather her, own enemy.
But how can we expect people to rise
to the appreciation of the higher sani-
tary laws when we find it so hard TO i'm
press on them the simpler and more com
mon ones. All our physicians tell US how
bard it IS to get even their simplest direc-
lions carried out by their native patients
From Dr.. Judd's plain directions for The
protection of health down to Mr. Gibson's |
more extensive compilation, the natives !
have never been without guidance, but |
thus far the fruits have been seanty.
TIE third consideration takes us into !
still clearer position, one of mathematical /
No race can be perpetuated |
which allows the men Of other races to /
,ome in and absorb its women, and the |
Chinese are absorbing the native women.
Who of us but has known of many /
cases where the native wife has left her |
to live with Chinaman, because /
ihe former made her work Mt washing and /
supplied her with but ordinary necessaries, |
While the latter offered her idleness, fine |
lresses, a horse and saddle, and more than
III looked carefully after her to see she /
lid not go astray from him. Who are to
blame for this state of things? From this
,ause alone, to go no further, the pure
Hawaiian race cannot be long perpetuated
Let us see how the natives have acted
n another signal instance-the late cpl
lemic of smallpox. Surely, whatever
rrors the government may have made,
hey labored earnestly without stint of
personal exertion or of money to which
he foreigners, as Taxpayers, were very
sr the largest contributors, this being,
ct rs remember, visitation that scarcely
ffected the whites. Abundant medical
id was provided, large portion of the
own population was supplied ct the pub
ic expense and hospitals were built as
asst as required. The danger of infection
Fas urged upon the community by all
vailable means. How did the natives
ctl With a considerable number OF
RECEPTIONS they hid their sick away when
was practical to DO so, thus greatly add
ng to the difficulties the government
fiicials had to contend with, and helping
argely the spread of the disease, as well
S the mortality rate of the sick.
Thus then it appears that the decline of
be race is owing to causes maintained In
peration by the natives themselves. And
Mess our Hawaiian fellow-citizens will
@ wiser in the future than they have been