Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-10-04
UEIpTNH EfCH OTHER.

BHLpTNG EdcH OTHER.
II ever there are times that "try |
mems souls"-at least the souls OF
average men times OF financial crisis |
arethose times Thepocketneryeis isnever
so sensitive as when trade is dull prof
its small, bills payable pressing and |
bills receivable not to be pressed. Com |
mercial Hawaii is passing through just
such crisis now and there can never |
be better time for calm examination |
and serious reflection. There are a
great many reasons for the unhealthy |
state of affairs now existing. Ii would |
take too long and DC probably tedious
TO tell all the reasons If we, or any
one else, knew them all. But we think
a brief examination Of one factor in the
existing business complication which
is now hurting nearly every trader and
nearly every trade patron, will set some
Of us to thinking and perhaps help
us to correct the crying evil we
are about to mention.
1t is the practice OF many residents
of these islands to import from San
Francisco and eastern cities goods and
products of various sorts, for their prl-
yate use. In nearly every instance this
is done to the disadvantage of some
local trader here If the action had
merely that effect it would be harmful
enough but the injury Qike every in
Jury hurts more persons than one. No
trader who pays traders license and
EMPLOYS clerks and other assistants
can afford to sell as cheaply with a
small trade as with large one. He is
often compelled because OF competl-
ton to sell as low as another who is
doing better in the same line, and
must recoup by shaving salaries or by
stinting himself Groceries, dry goods,
clothing, books, stationery, drugs and
all sorts Of miscellaneous articles come
in, through the mails and express, by every
steamer. Each purchase may be in It
self small, but the aggregate is an
nually enough to support one or two
general merchandise stores. The
writer may as well disarm criticism by
admitting that he has committed the
very ofense he now denounces. He
did so thoughtlesly, as scores OF good
citizens do, thoughtlesly, every month.
Now no one can fail to see the injustice
OF it after examining the subject atten-
lively The dealer, his clerks, his pat
Ill Il nr lN
As if this were not bad enough, the
government itself continues this policy
of several years past. The part of the
community that we pay salaries to, IN or
der that they may protect our rights and
buildup our home industries, go out ofthe
country to buy material they ought to
buy of local dealers. They buy build
INK material, Office stationery and
printed blanks for the government de
partments, etc. There are things we
know of and there are doubtless many
others in the same direction. Now ii
the cabinet ever gets into the hands o
men who are at once honest, intelligent
and public spirited, we may hope toI
reform in the practice above Indicated
In the mean time, we who are no
in the ring must set good example TO
those who are some time to be atthe heac
of affairs-whent the disgraceful crewnov
in power are things of the past
These islands are very small-in are;
and in population We have com
munity Of interests. Very few are in
dependent, financially, of some on,
else. If we help each other general
there will be plenty Of work at livin
wages for all of us who are willing /
work; and plenty of remunerative busi
ness for mos, of us who are in trade
But we cannot be continuousl
prosperous nation-even with goo'
prices for sugar and cheap and goo
plantation labor-unless we "pull tc
gther" in business dealings, This art
Gle is but one part OF big subject; BIT
it is worth thinking about
As the government Of this kingdor
is at present constituted, it is impossibl
TO maintain civil service at the higl
est point of efficiency The countr
can never have efficient servants unit
it has trained them, and they cannt
be properly trained unless they can b
sure to remain in Office during goo
behavior, and do remain in office mar
years. We believe in so radical
change in the constitution of the kin
dom that neither king nor any oth'
official shall have power to pu. men
or out OF Office without satisfaction
reasons-a although we recognize Il
propriety, even the necessity, OF glvir
the heads of departments the power
suspend subordinates. The emplo
ment of competitive examinations do
not always secure the best men to {
government positions but it is the be
plan ever devised, because, on tt
whole, the fairest Favoritism and u
certain tenure of Office are the Nv
evils OF the Hawaiian public servi
to-day Two years from now we oug
10 have a well digested law on the su
ject-a law that shall provide for I
examination of public officers and tn
shall remove, or reduce IN rank, Il
heads of departments when their unt
ness is demonstrated. Much recent
has been done to simplify the profile
of civil service in the United State
Independents who count on electi
to the next legislature, and all the
dependent mobiles, ought to famillarl