The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-01-16

tend against: power and money are on the
side OF the existing government and the
struggle which Is coming on at the next
election Will be no child's play. The Pre-
mier. whose policy has been so vigorously
combatted by the Opposition Press and
whose acts have been so sternly criticised,
not from personal dislike, but from an
honest and honorable feeling that they are
dangerous to the prosperity Of the coun-
try and that they are politically vicious,
has on the one hand the full support OF
the King. whose power as a sovereign Is,
comparing small things with large, consid-
erablv greater than that of any Constitu
tional Monarch, and, on the other hand,
has the avOwed support OF Col Spreckels,
with the great wealth and influence which
he yields.
But need the Independent Party be cast
down because it has formidable opponents?
We think not The strength of which the
ex Mormon Minister can boast, Is not SO
real as It seems to be-He has obtained
an ascendency over his Royal Master by
Wandering to whims which a more patriotic
Minister would have thwarted. He has
the support Of Colonel Spreckels because
that gentleman believes that certain state
mems WHICH luNt bttAA AAAtlAAN ~ AAAAAA ~
the Premier are correct: but he Will be
quite as ready as the most ardent reformer
amongst rs TO assist the opposition when
be finds that those statements are not cor
rect That some OF those statements are
not correct we propose to show: that
strong indictment can be brought against
tie present cabinet we propose to show.
and when we have done that, we expect,
and we have every reason TO expect that
Colonel Spreckels, though he may still dis
agree with us. will own that the opposi
ton TO the present government Is not
based on merely personal grounds, but Is
founded on legitimate causes for dlscon-
tent. and that as such he will give 1t his
respect if not his support.
-
First and foremost of the things that
the Independents complain Of Is the ms
management of the lepers Wemay grow
rich and we may become poor, we may
succeed or we may fail materially, but as
long as we have health in our homes we
can at least be content and get some hap
piness. When however. we have a dread
disease like leprosy menacing, not only
the bread winners, who have to take their
chances in the battle Of life, but crawling
insidiously towards our children, It Is not
to be wondered at that we should denounce
those. who having the power in their hands
to protect us from the disease, either do
not exercise II or else only use 1t in such 4
spasmodic manner as to make 1t practic
tically worthless. And before proceeding
further we must at once lay down that II
Is no palliatiOn of the conduct Of the pres
ent cabinet that they have done no worse
than their predecessors. Two wrongs do
not make right, and the argument some
times used, that other ministers have been
careless affords no screen for these men to
hide behind.
II Is a fact, proved during the Fitch vs.
Thrum libel suit, that school mistress was
known to the authorities as a leper, and
was permitted to continue teaching
1t is a fact acknowledged by the gov
eminent physicians, that segregation at
Is a farce, DR. Fitch has himself
OF the inadequacy Of the ar
However much we may differ
from DR.. Fitch as to his theories, we must
give him credit for good organizing capac
ity and had his plans, will regard to a
double fence been carried out, the people
in charge Of that asylum would have had
some chance of being able TO do their duty.
Upon the President Of the Board of Health
rests the blame, and inadequacy Of funds |
cannot be pleaded by him as an excuse |
Tor not having performed his share of the
luty.
But it is not only in this that the Presi-
lent of the Board Of Health has erred. |
We are informed. and our information |
Ices not come from the mere hearsay of |
he street corners, that permission has been |
given for a patient to leave the hospital |
when physicians have said that the man |
was in condition dangerous to those with |
whom he might come in contact: and that |
when tins was represented to the PresI- |
lent Of the Board Of Health. he SAID that |
;, would assume the responsibility Of let
ing the man go,
Taking these few facts, and numberless
lthers might be adduced, we ask, has the
government done its duty in the matter of
eprosy7 The answer can take only one |
'orm and that is MOI To those Of us whose
OF Is cast in this country. who have to |
lring up our children in its schools, who
ook forward to our sons and daughters
marrying here and bringing up in turn
heir children. this matter of leprosy is q
rital one. A mothers blood turns cold
when she thinks Of her little ones being
exposed to even the bare possibility of
contracting this dread disease; when she
nows that only n few days ago, out of one
# our public schools leper child was taken,
when she looks around and sees homes
hat have been rendered desolate by the
nsidious destroyer. who kills not swiftly
md suddenly. that is merciful. but by
inches. changing what was fair and lovely
o what is repulsive and loathsome and
making life one long agony And the
Hood OF every father and mother must
,oil when they are told that the man who
alls himself President of the Board of
Health takes it upon he responsibility 70 Ia
dangerous lCpsr got Is this protecting the
,eople7 Is this conduct which merits sup
,ort from any one who is humane, and
Who has children of his own, and therefore
an enter into the feelings Of mothers and
athers7 We say mo- thousand times
TO- II is conduct which cries aloud for
cprobation and for punishment. and the
nen of the Independent Party ask that
'eprobation and punishment he visited on
rs head.
We had intended to 60 fully into the |
financial matters of the government, but
he data in the hands Of outsiders are suffi-
ient, The reports published have been
and meagre, but they have
,een quite sufficient to show that great
have been committed. a
was shown TO Colonel Spreckels
When he was down here on his last visit,
nd with that statement he expressed him
elf satisfied The public however, have
iad no opportunity of seeing that state
nent, and are unable to judge what kind
( one it was. Without at all under
stimating the financial abilities of the Col
mel, it must be plain that many things
onnected with government expenditures
annot be Judged by couple of hours ex-
of balance sheet prepared for
special object, and that before the out
ide public can agree as 10 the value of the
document, they must have an opportunity
{ seeing it. This much the public Do
now, that the government has been in
traits for money. that tins Is not a healthy
ondition for a cabinet to get country '
lto. and that it cannot claim the conf
ence of people on the ground Of such