The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-04-02

self confident pilot OF haWal Is dllominS
the national ship to drift to inevitable |
ruin. Hawaii holds her place among the
nations of the earth solely on the ground |
that the Western civilization and Western
methods of thought have seemed to take
root in her. She is really a pretty toy;
no one would willingly hurt her, but she
is so fragile that even a careless heel
might crush her into powder, and the
world. even those Of it who are most init
mately connected with her, will go on as
quickly and comfortably as il she had
never been.
Fragile. therefore, as Hawaii is, it be
hooyes her to take care that her course
NAV be such as shall command respect
and confidence Unfortunately she has
not taken such course. A seeming halo
of glitter and spangles Is upon her, but
her basis is not sound; she cannot stand
the fierce shock which Is inevitably com
ing. and during her years of prosperity,
poor ignorant creature. she has been forg
ing her own chains.
Breakers ahead Well may the me
chanic. the laborer, and he who IS poorer
than they. the needy professional man,
give utterance to this cry. Breakers
ahead! Yes, and very mighty waves in
deed; and how are we going to stem them?
The wave of a heavy exchange has
swept upon the humblest classes in our
community. We would like to ask first
who has caused the present condition OF
financial affairs. second. who has to pay for
it?
In answer to the first query we can say
emphatically, the present cabinet; and
when we say that We ought to say the
Premier. for it is he who is and who has
been the Cabinet for the last two years,
the other members being but puppets in
his hands.
The Hawaiian Islands have now q silver
currency. pure and simple, and the un-
fortunate people who live on the group,
are paying for that most expensive OF all
luxuries. sil0er coinage This Is the fault
of the men now in power. The act OF 1880,
under cover Of which they have carried
out their scheme, says:
SECTION l. 1t shall be lawful for the Minister
| of Finance. and he Is hereby authorized to pur-
chase gold and silver bullion with any moneys
which may from time to tine be IN the Treasury,
and to cause to be cone therefrom gold and silver
coins of the values following that is to say, gold
coins of the value of twenty dollars ten dollars, five
dollars and two dollars and fifty cents; and silver
coins of the value of one dollar fifty cents, twenty
| five cents, and twelve and one half cents.
| SECTION 2 All such coins shall be of equal
weight and fueucss with United States gold and
silver coins of the same values, and shall bear such
| impress or devices thereon as hls Majesty may
| from time to time approve.
Approved this 14th day Of August, \. D. 1850.
KALAKAUA Ii.
The Act contemplated no such thing as
has been done by the present cabinet; il
was a gold and silver coinage that was con
templated: gold for the standard, and sill
yer merely for convenience Of currency
We have instead an so cent dollar a.
standard and convenience both.
Now. who has to pay for this nice little
business? Assuredly the consumer. The
Door man who earns his living by tn,
sweat Of his brow; the poor man who ha!
only his brains to offer for sale; the poo
man of every condition and kind whom
you can name through the gamut OF need
ness and the scale IS extreme, for it in
cludes most of the workers on earth.
What has been the effect Of the late coin
age measures of the government? 1t ha'
been to increase the rate of exchange il
really appalling ratio. An importe
who lately paid but g on 500 dollar
worth Of goods free Of duty, has now t
pay Sc, and may have to pay SO, there
nothing to prevent his paying nineteen!
When he has reached that sum, and onl
then, he Will be able to export the KalG
kaua dollar to pay his debts.
There is no necessity to look far to Sc
who is going to pay for this. Not certain
" the importing merchant, who, guagin
his prices by the market, simply puts u
his goods 2 per cent or Is per cent as tn
exchange may be. There has been som
talk Of the small trader, but excepting til
, loss Of custom he will not suffer 1t
the small consumer, the mere wage earne
who will suffer The man who earns te
to twelve dollars week Is the man VIII
! is going to pay for this game; from hi
it is that the last penny is going to b
wrung; his labor is not going to be wort
, a cent more, and his food and every othC
, necessary is going TO increase so much
cost that he will be barely able to kee
, soul and body together
r IT is well for our bone and sinew
, consider where the present course of even
+ Is carrying them. They hear now the on
p cry Of the small trader about the rate
exchange; soon they will feel the pressn
b themselves. Let it be remembered the
I lildl uNAllllS ii Sttl5Ol VI NtulltCtutllS
0 prosperity the Premier has SO mism
naged the affairs of the nation, that Il
b poor man, the laboring man, Will !
5 forced to remain poor; that the count
+ was and is managed for few, an olga
. chy, instead of for the many That H
waii is really, though not confessedly,
private estate for select few, who gil
e little plums to such dependents fro
b abroad as will be subservient to thel
q This is Hawaii as she DOW is. and consi
ering this view Of her condition, who W
: not cry "breakers ahead Who can be
IS callous as to see this beautiful countr
e this most interesting nation handed ov
q to destruction. Let the cry rise up the
> let the nation rouse itself from letharg
q let the Hawaiian and his white broth
9 join hands and let them sweep away t,
+ rottenness; let the cry ring out, and
! all good men and true rally to the SOU
n of BREAKERS AHEADIl