The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-04-01
WEDNESDAY APRIL 1st
BUILDING UP THE COUNTRY.

People are apt to overlook the prac-
tical work of government while ap-
plying themselves to the calculation
of abstruse questions of policy. They
take more pleasure in airing their
opinions in public than in promoting
the great work Of building up the
country which is in progress before
their eyes. Indeed, they not Unfre-
quently beIittle what others are
doing in this particular, and injure
the community at large by spreading
abroad exaggerated statements calcu-
lated to mislead strangers as to the
exact status of affairs. It is needless
to cite instances in support of this
remark, as many such must be
familiar to most of our readers. But
we deem it to be duty we owe the
public to present some of the salient
facts in the work of State building,
as 1t were, which are set forth in pub
lie documents, the accuracy of which
cannot be questioned.
When the rulers of any new coun-
try succeed in Improving the sanitary
condition of its aboriginal people. and
Increase the number of producers by
encouraging foreign immigration,
they are fulfilling the highest fnnc-
tions of government They are arti-
ficers of state--buildefsof nation; and
as such deserve encouragement and
commentator. Vast sums of bor-
rowed money have been spent by the
Australian colonies and New Zea-
land in bringing immigrants from
the British Isles and Northern Eu-
rope. Canada in like manner has
expended large sums of money and
given away q vast territory as q
bonus to immigrants. The United
States promoted immigration from
Europe by enacting its homestead
and presumption laws. The Hawaiian
Government, however, had no terri
tory to give away, neither had it
mucn money to invest in immigra-
ton; nevertheless it has accomplished
relatively more in the way of active
colonization with the means at it's
command than any of the countries
named.
Reference to the census returns for
1878 and 1884 show that the popula-
ton increased %, 1869 within the CEN
sus period of six years by immigra-
ton. This, of course, is small num-
her compared with the vast streams
of immigrants pouring into the
United States, Canada and Aus
traIasia; but as it was an in
crease of very nearly so per cent
on the total population of the
Kingdom in 1878, we think that the
showing is one of which any govern
ment might feel proud. And it is a
showing, also, which should satisfy
landowners and persons engaged in
industrial pursuits generally that the
Administration has not neglected
their interests.
AS the progress of the country in
every department depends upon in
crease of population, ii is to be hoped
that the Government will be sus-
tanned in their immigration policy,
which has for its ultimate object the
tying to the soil of permanent in
dustrlaI population. The labor re-
quirements of the country can be sup
piled in no other way with advantage
to all concerned. 1t is the interest,
therefore, of planters and employers
of labor to work tremendously with
the Government in this important
matter, and business men will readily
recognize their interest also in such a
policy. Trade must stagnate un-
less the population increases. By
introducing immigrants who Will not
only labor in our fields and work.
chops, but who will spend their
money within reasonable limits as
veil. the wheels of industry will be
accelerated, aud trade flourish and
Increase. These are the lines upon