Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-12-10
THE METHOD IN THE CHRONICLES
MADNESS.

MADNESS.
There was time when the newspaper was
n luxury; it has become necessity. No man
now publishes n journal for tho fun of the
thing, nor continues 10 issue 1t long after he
has discovered that it cannot be made pro-
iitable speculation. The latter day Journal
must be either so good that its opinions aro
accepted as oraculnr, or so bad that 1t becomes
the food of the morbid reader, who is type
Of the snbstratum of society.
What has been the Chronicles great failing,
and what will ultimately be its ruin, unless it
mend it's ways, is the lack of common sense
1t believes that to accomplish its end 1t has
only TO hammer away upon point until it has
driven it into the heads OF the dulcst and
most Indifferent OF its readers. A continual
dropping wears a stone, but not in one gen
Grafton, nor in two. The chances arc that If
tho dropping is pcrceptibe, it becomes annoy
ing and then there is but ono choice left, and
that is, to put stop to the nuisance.
When the Rev. Isaac Kalloch-wa nomin-
ated for Mayor of San Francisco, the Chroni-
Gle, in opposing him, had right and might on
its side, for it was supported by tho united
sentiments Of tho respectable portion of all
political parties. Kallocl was man with an
infamous personal rccord-a man ignored by
tho authorities of his church and ostracized
by society. The Chronicle spared neither time
nor expense in the attempted defeat Of this
clerical mountebank and yet, because of the
vulgar and bungling assaults upon him, the
sympatbies of the people were reused, and,
disgusted at the course of the Chronicle,
thousands voted for Kalloch who would not
otherwise have done 80, and lie was elected
The Chronicle was alone to blame for this nm
expected turn IN the tide Of public sentiments.
We believe We may safely predict like re-
suit in the case of the Chrm,icle versus the
Reciprocity Treaty. There is method in the
Chronicles treatment of the case. 1t evidences
all the cunning of madness, and yet in it's
widest moments, the symptoms of its mania
nre apparent and untnistakable. Times being
hard in the office, it casts about in search of
: :e ' fSs s5S to grosaa ns
Presumably, it ia Island sugar that keeps the
wheels Of that establishment in motion. No
note is taken Of other sugar imported for the
purpose of supplying the refinery when the
Island sugar is inadequate to the demand.
Reciprocity having proved itself of immense
advantage, both to the United States and to
Hawaii, 1t cannot at once be assaulted, and
yet it is through the treaty with the hope of
ACQUIRING its abroga,ion that Claus Spreckels
is to be intimidatcd.
This end accomplished, for reasonable
consideration tho Chronicle will veer, like tho
weather-cock that it is, and come ont in favor
Of the treaty. Hawaii is Of course expected to
follow Mr.. Spreckels' lead and food the
change Of base. 1t begins by being Mortified
at the reports Of supposed system Of slavery
existing in Hawaii il throws out feelcr, u
tale full Of dark suspicion-then there il
pause-it gathers half dozen items and
begins to expatiate upon them. In all it's
charges against the supposed abuses on the
Hawaiian plantations, there arc not more than
elk that are printed, to wit: That immigrants
arc deceived in their contracts that they are
poorly provided for when thcy arrive that
they are compelled to work when they don't
wish to; that they are imprisoned when they
refuse to work; that tho Island exports are in
excess Of the Imports; and that sugar is higher
in California than it is in the Eastern States.
Most Of these statements arc either false or
ridiculous, and yet column after column OF the
paper 10 filled with the narrowing and disgust
ing details. II takes single item and repeats
it in every possible form in as many different
portions Of single issue, and this process is
continued day after day. What il cannot hire
tramps and stragslevs from this kingdom to
copfcss it insinnatcs with brazen effrontcry.
II reitsrates its statements exaggeraling them
more boldly IN each successive issue.
Ii no longer devotes its philanthropc ener-
gies to the liberation OF the slave, but boldly
asserts that the treaty 10 responsible for oil
the horrors which Il has invented In i've own
Office, and that tho treaty must and shall DO
abrogated in tho name Of humanity and tho
S. =. Chronicle Tho statsn,enis Of the best
mon in tho kingdom are branded 40 lies.
Falsehoods which have been proven such. are
kept standing in typo and constantly repub-
lished as facts, and the testimony Of those who
are hunted down by the glib reporter 10 dis
tor,ed. Sooner or later tho public at large
must discover the method IN this madness =
these arc but bats, very clumsy onss too
with which il seeks to catch the nimble ak
pence.