Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-05-19

with the driver Of wagon to Kahakaaulana.
II the cabinet were thinking Of some new site
for the segregation OF lepers than that which is
now menacing Honolulu, their real would he
vastly more acceptable TO sensible people.
OPPORTUNITIES or GREAT WElLTH
Last Mondays debate, OF which neces.
Sanly unsatisfactory synopsis is given in an.
other column, was hopeful indication Of this
communitys capacity for intelligent and dis.
passionate discussion of great public questions.
There are few questions about which all the
nations are so much thinking to-day as that
very subject Of great fortunes. "Are com.
munitics benefited more than they are injured
by the accumulation OF great wealth in the
hands of individualsp' The question assumes
that such accumulation does society an injury.
The most natural and probably the most effect.
i've answer to this is that great wealth in the
hands Of wise and generous men is the greatest
modern engine of progress. But they must be
beM wise and generous. Wealth, great or
little, in the hands of the foolish or the down.
right bad is nearly always harmful. 1t is not
enough that wealth shall be distributed There
are those who seem to think that the mere
spending OF money in community OF a nation
IS productive Of the very highest benefit One
hears men say, almost daily, that this OF the
other man, this or the other industry, this or
the other set of visitors, is going ''to leave a
lot of money" in the place, or put a lot of
money "in circulation. Either of these
things may be good OF i'll for people or a
place. Because each does good, as a rule,
ought not to make US blind to the evil that is
often done by the example of rapid wealth
winning and the example of lavish wealth.
spending. Recent English history is full OF
examples Of two classes of results following the
accumulation OF the inheritance of vast individ-
ual wealth. The northernmost county OF Scot
land is a, present owned, almost in entirety,
by one Scottish peer. 1t has practically be-
come an extensive sheep run. Fifty years ago
ii supported population many times greater
than its present inhabitants. 1t was more pro-
ftable TO run sheep over that vast estate than
10 rent it in little homes on which hardy
population might win at best precarious live
lihood. One Scotch peer, in whose hands
was immense wealth and the power it gives,
thought 1t better TO exercise his power for sell
fish pecuniaIy ends than be content with a
small profit and thereby help to improve the
temporal well.being of hundreds of families.
on the southwestern coast OF England are a
number of small almost barren islands. A cen.
tury ago they were the resort of smugglers and
men lawless in many directions. The women
and children who lived there were very gener.
ally ignorant, vicious and so degraded tina,
their coast-lne neighbors had "given them up
as bad job These islands were the pro.
perty Of an English peer who received no rent
from them. They were visited about twenty
years ago by a wealthy and philanthropic Eng.
lishman who thought he saw way to make
these islands profitable to their owner and their
residents. lie purchased long lease, visited
them and had thorough understanding with
their more OF less lawless occupants He
started a number Of fisheries, built substantial
and comfortable dwellings, inaugura,ed a sys.
TEN Of garden cultivation, evicted tenants who
would not work, and encouraged those who
would by obtaining fair wage for their labor
and fair prof, on their fishery product. lie
gave them schools and compelled attendance
He built chapels and encouraged worship. lie
regulated the liquor traffic and instituted lega
justice. Without the absolute power Of wealth
he could have done very little. Unfortunately
few public men Of any country have at once the
administrative grasp, the long purse and the
generous heart Of the philanthropist Just
quoted. His name is unlikely to live long il
history. His work has been quietly done, and
on scale too small TO attract the notice il de
serves. Besides his name was agains, him.
lie was only one OF the Smiths. In America,
At about the same time, another Of the same
hastily named family, Gauitt Smith, the New
York Aboli,ionisi, was attempting just as phil
anthropie scheme in his vast estate in north
ern New York. lie tried to found there ar
IDEAL community. Freedmen from the south
poor whites from the north, foreign immigrants
from many lands were being settled in good
homes and having preached TO them the gen
erous doctrine Of mutual helpfulness. But
GaIrir Smith made the mistake OF doing him
self too much Of the helping. n road was to
be built, his money did mosi Of il. Ifa schoo
house OF a'ehureh Was needed, his purse made
up any deficiency in the building fund. With
the vey bes' Of motives, he ye, did positive
harm in helping people too much. in sappins
iheir self'reliance, in encouraging them to in
pose on good nature. And the sehrme fell
through. leaving It's founder with shattered
fortune. SO it is no, enough thai great wealth
shall be dedicated to good. Il must be inielli.
gently dedicated.