The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-02-22

The sensational circular of the Anti
League denouncing the Stand
ard Oil Company Of PENNSYLVANIA and the
Hawaiian Reciprocity Treaty is an i'm
portant document. 1t presents with skill
full arrangement the opinion of the press
in California. and adds its own notes of
warning in large type, demanding the
repeal OF the Treaty. 1t is issued over
the names of Peter Cooper the founder of
the Cooper Union" of New York City,
and one of the prominent merchants OF
that city, F. B. Thurber, the head of
the vast grocery house of I. B. Thurber q
Co., and of L. Z. Chittenden who has
done so much effective work for reform in
the House of Representatives. Attacks
from such men are not trihing. These
men do the thinking and writing for
thousands OF other men, and their Opin-
ions have weight. However, this is not
case of pure unselfishness. MIR. Thurber
is one OF the largest dealers in sugars,
and he does not find that the Reciprocity
Treaty adds to his private fortune. He is
willing, rather too willing, TO accept hard
stories about us. This circular shows the
difficulties of meeting the charges against
us of maintaining slavery" The Rev.
Mr.. Frear published careful, temperate.
and able statement of our case in the
Californian He was entitled to considera-
ton as a man of reputed veracity More
over he was independent, holding no
property whatsoever in the kingdom. In
stead of treating his presentation of the
case with some regard, he was at once
attacked as one of the missionary gang"
and it was intimated that he had been
bought up. Mr.. Cooper and Mr. Thurber,
instead of publishing Mr.. Frear's state
ment prefer to ignore 1t and publish the
attacks on him. Now this is Just what we
should and must expect, as human nature
goes. The GAZETTE said. last week, that
it was useless to make a defense against
the ." charges" unless it was known how
that defense could be made effective.
This ground is now illustrated thus, by
showing that men of high repute in the
commercial world unite in a sharp attack
on us, without apparently inquiring into
the justice of our cause, or considering
what has been written in our favor. The
more we consider the subject the greater
the difficulties are of wisely considering
and acting upon it. The editorial letter
from Washington to the ArgOHdu is very
MI. lAltN 10 CtI bdlIllN Oll
intimate terms with prominent men in
Washington. While the commercial men
are fighting the Treaty, the politicians
are disposed to maintain it on political
grounds. The American statesmen do not
see their way clear to engage in "annexa-
ton schemes, but they are disposed to
do that which will encourage a close poll
teal alliance. Mr. Pixley says, the ques-
ton in Washington is political and not
commercial. We are telling the Wash
ington people what great advantage it
is for them to trade with us, but these peo-
pie retort that it is an affair of small con
sequence, and are looking to political
The real question to be settled
in Washington during the next two years
is, whether the present political relations
between the Hawaiian Islands and the
United States are of such character as
to encourage the United States to con
tinue the Treaty Chinese labor and
some political disturbances here have
gone far towards prejudicing the Amer
cans against us, and of creating want
Of confidence in our ability to wisely man |
age our own affairs. In the meantime |
what is being done for us in Washington |
where we have so many important inter
ests at stake? If there ever was a time
when the best brains and experience of
this kingdom should be commanded by
the nation it is now and at Washington
If the Treaty should terminate, it would
be poor consolation to be told that if we
had taken the ordinary precautions to
protect our interests, which an enterpris-
ing merchant takes in protecting his, we
would have secured our prosperity.