The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-01-31
COL. SPRECKELS AND THE SILVER
QUESTION.

Little justice has been done to the
prompt and kindly action taken by
Col. Spreckels to abate the alarm as
to redundancy of silver coin. Even
some Of those who had not previously
taken extreme partizan views on
this subject have been disposed to
shake their heads and believe the
theory started by the arguro-pho-
bists that Colonel Spreckels was
wholly insincere in his action, and
meant to force all the silver paid to
him for exchange back again on the
community by some underlined and
1--WE may add unimaginable process.
Something similar was said about
the Government when it arranged to
accept silver for all sums due to it.
BY some machiavellian method said
silver was 10 be thrust back again
into circulation, whether wanted or
not. The exact process by which the
Government and Col. Spreckels in
tend to dupe the public and defy the
Currency Act has not been specified,
but as It is well known that q certain
number of persons in this commu-
nifty look upon Mr.. Gibson and the
Colonel as twin incarnations of Me-
phistopheles they no doubt let loose
the reins of Imagination and are mo-
mentarily expecting to find the gold
in their own pockets and safes turned
into Kalakaua dollars some fine
morning by process as mysterious
as are, to people of ordinary intel
IOct, their own mental delusions
about Gibson, Spreckels, silver COIN
currency, etc., etc.
Col. Sprecke1s is entitled to the
thanks of the community for step
ping in at time when, for interested
or spiteful motives, certain indi-
viduals had succeeded in producing
something like q panic about silver
coin. He has but sentimental in
tesest in the Kalakaua dollars, halves
and quarters. He was burdened with
none of them if they were burden.
There was not single legal
or moral argument to cOerce him
into the course he adopted. But
he has faith in the country and like
all the cooler-headed portion of the
community, sees that the silver ques-
ton is being made a handle of by the
"malignants" for party purposes and
as a means of wounding the feelings
Of the King and hurting the reputa-
items of his Ministers. Moreover, he
could not. but observe how his own
name had been maliciousIy dragged
into the controversy by men envious
OF his position, his social influence,
and his fine business tact and energy.
He has shown himself quite ready to
give ga Roland for an Oliver to
those who ventured to discuss affairs
with him, and he has shown it by
something more cogent than words,
more convincing than any currency
theory yet propounded-by valiant
deeds. "Give me your silver" he
says, in effect. AZ am not afraid of
it. You do not know what you are
talking about when you tell me there
is more silver money here than is
needed"
If the churlish Opposition press
have nothing pleasant to say to him
In return for what he has done, he
need not care. The small traders,
whose silver everybody was brighten
ed to take, are blessing him. A
man who has the courage of his
opinions is always liked, but one who
TO show his faith in his ideas will
step out of his way as Col. Spreckels
has done, and in his own indi-
vidual person dare to do what
our bankers and merchants, all
put together. have not dared to dc
collectively, is promptly accepted as 8
here, and bis deed will be remem'
bered and applauded long after he
and those who hate him SO are mould
ering in their graves.