The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-08-31

little article upon the unhappy position of
the Cabinet Minister, and again during
the present year we have alluded to the
same unfortunate parsonage IN an article
which had for its subject matter Parties. F"
Certainly the Cabinet Minister Is an I'M
fortunate individual: we think, If our
memory serves rs that we pointed out that
Cabinet Minister has triple duty to
perform: to his country, to his King and to
his colleagues duties ought not to
clash with one another; certainly the man
who serves his country, must also be sery-
ing his King. and his acts must be ac-
ceptable to his colleagues. As fact, how
ever, they do clash: what the ruler of the
realm thinks is right is not always what
the whole nation think is right-there are
points of difference upon which each may
think the other wrong and may fight the
question with some heat: it is no easy task
Tor the Cabinet Minister TO pour oil upon
the troubled waters, to try and induce
each side to give a point; as far as our ar
gument Is concerned it matters not which
side Is In the right; the one may be as fre-
quently as the other. The Cabinet Min
lister has many hard struggle too with
private individuals; very frequently the
private interests of wealthy capitalists are
at variance with the public good: there is
a long fight with such men. it is sometimes
difficult to see the singleness of purpose
which dictates the particular objection
raised: the outside public in nine cases out
of ten fail TO see 1t. Another great source
of trouble to a Cabinet Minister in this
country is the lack of outside support-a
man feels little or no backing to his acts.
However, all these things a man may
fight through He can succeed in harmen-
izing jarring interests. He can argue and
convince the capitalist. he can even by his
acts win to him large support, In time.
All these things are sources of weakness
and annoyance, but they are things which
can be overcome. The greatest source of
weakness of the Cabinets we have lately
had comes from themselves, or rather from
their construction.
When Cabinet is formed, with an ack-
mowledged leader the members composing
it should feel as if they belonged to one
another, they have a real struggle before
them and they should meet 1t shoulder to
shoulder; this would be strength. Do We
have such strength shown to US? let any
careful observer of our affairs cast his eye
back over the last half-dozen years and he
VIII always be able to notice that at some
period or other Of Its existence, Cabinet
Ministers have been pulling away from
one another, ike dogs in leash, who have
sighted different hares. Does one member
favor Esquimaux immigration. another
ostentatioUsly sets his face against it, while
q third VOWS he VIII have Dyaks, and
fourth IS vacillating between natives of
@boT ,-,l Te1,r,I= rTl,-s
would be all right if Cabinets kept their
differences to themselves; we cannot ex-
pect ali men to think alike, but such diff
ferenees should be settled IN camera, they
should not come forth to the world: the
very moment people outside know that
one member OF Cabinet IS determined to
carry q measure N the teeth Of his col
leagues, that moment all who wish to
swamp the Cabinet sweep down and do all
IN their power to straighten the back of
the recaleiTant member The great
trouble has been for years a lack on the
part Of one member or another, or in some
cases of al, of that reticence upon Cabinet
affairs, which may not be enjoined by oath,
but which Is assuredly enioined by custom
In other countries. If a Cabinet wishes to
do good to country it must pull together;
divided councils never have and never VIII
accomplish anything. This country needs
above all things, stability: change after
change has taken place in the heads of
the Executive Departments, and change
after change of course, in the policy of
the country has naturally followed, till it
would be very difficult for an outsider to
predict what may or what may not be the
bent which the fortunes OF the future viii
take. Such stability depends in a great
measure upon the efforts of each indi-
vidual member Of a Cabinet: if all are
united, if al are animated by singleness
Of purpose, they VIII carry such strength
that nothing can shake them.