The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-12-04

IN A QUANDARY.

The Independent Opposition is-in a
quandary. Having no policy Of its own,
it is furious because the Government does
not furnish it with one Who binders
the Opposition from discussing public
questions? 1t has been discussing them
necessarily since last Legislature, but
the trouble with it is that the voters pay
no attention to what it says. 1t is not so
much the Indifference of the Govern
ment as it is the Indifference of the peo-
pie at large which is disconcerting the
Opposition. Their arguments have been
run threadbare, and their accusations are
nearly moss-grown with age, yet no
body seems to be influenced by
the iteration of the one or the
venerable antiquity of the other.
The Kings Government is carried on
efficiently; the public funds are properly
administered; and, despite dull times,
the community is moderately prosperous.
Under these circumstances is it surpris-
ing that the Government and its sup
porters do not invite the budding poll
ticians on the Opposition side to pub
lie discussion of policy?
The country would be pleased to
know what policy the Opposition would
favor. OF course we are aware that it Is
not very clear upon any point, but one
or more of its able leaders might ex-
press their own views upon what they
think should be4he future policy OF the
country. increase the nation is the
policy of the Government, and it there
fore follows that the Opposition would
seek to weaken and belittle it. This is
their aim beyond doubt as disclosed in
their newspaper organs; but we should
be better pleased if some aspiring gen
tleman had the courage of his opinions,
and were to explain to the country the
steps that should be taken to attain that
result This is apparently the one point
upon which Opposition writers are
agreed, and it would be interesting to
know how it is to be accomplished.
Until some deliberate and authorita-
tive declaration of policy has been made
by the Opposition it cannot expect any
one to pay attention to its carping criti-
cism of the Government. AT present it
simply looks as if an organized raid was
being made for office. Reform is the
watchWord but a change of Admins
tration is not reform, neither is it likely
to produce it. Taken by results the
present Administration is far more sue
eessful than any of its predecessors. 1t
has accomplished more, with very
limited resources, in the teeth of an I'M
scrl1puIous and influential Opposition,
than any Government that went be-
fore it. To turn out Ministers who
have done so well and put in their places
new and untried men from the Opposi-
ton, would not be reforming the Gov
eminent 1t would be introducing an
element of weakness from the start, and
however honest and well-intentioned the
new men might be, there is no telling
what their weakness and inexperience
might lead them into. The country is
well served by the present Ministry, and
it knows it. There is little likelihood,
therefore, of any change of Administra
ton; but as we are soon to have con-
tested election, in which the Opposition
will fight for the spoils of office, it would
be as well if the country were apprised
of its views before that political event
transpires. 1t is now in order for some
leader to speak for his followers and tell
the voters just what they mean 10 do if
elected When that has been done we
doubt not his manifesto will induce dis
cussion; until then there is nothing
whatever to speak about.