The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-08-31
the REVERSE SIDE.

the most favorable impressions OF
the oceanic city. Those that are
writer's for the press, particularly
ones of poetical temperament, pro-
pagate far and wide pen-pictures of
the place of the most luxurious des-
cription. Driven about in few
hours stay on the best roads,
through the plcasantcst quarters and
the most picturesque scenes, their
accounts of the city represent it as
the acme of an elysian metropolis
of the living, day-dream vision of
repose for the highly-favorcd mortals
whom destiny has made its deni-
zens. These fowery depicturings
of Honolulu cannot be said to be
exaggerations. Their authors see
all that they paint. Whatever is not
real in their colorings is only what
their imaginations suggest of life
in the midst of such delightsome
material surroundings. 1t is the
truth they tell, but not the whole
truth. Indeed, it is not for them to
give such complete testimony. AS
to the actual experiences of life
here, they could at best give but
hearsay testimony. which may be
ruled out of court. Such hcarsay
testimony as their enthusiastic enter
tainers would give them could
scarcely be of nature to assist
much in giving shade to the picture.
We should be grateful to the re-
fined minds and facile pens that
celebrate the praises of our habita-
ton abroad. There is no occasion
for us to laugh in our sleeves for
what they omit to tell of the con-
ditions of life here ever-present. So
far as they go they are conscien-
tious witnesses. The elements of
beauty are here. Beauty herself
reigns over the whole scene of our
existence. She has thrones in our
charming valleys and on our en-
vironing mountain submits. She
bathes her feet in the sparkling
waves of harbor and ocean, and the
spray dances on the roaring reef at
the motion of her wand. She holds
receptions in the gardens and palatial
grounds of the town, picnics under
the lordly palms, and rests amid the
cool verdure of teeming suburban
plantations. There are here, how
ever, conditions of existence which
dull the senses of those who endure
them throughout the year, perpetual
summer though that is, to all the
outward luxuriousness and beauty.
Strangers within our gates for IA
brief day cannot realize those con-
ditions and need not be called to
testify of them. 1t is for the resi-
dents who have experience of them
to take them into practical consider
alton. They should be metamor-
phosed by public spirited enterprise
into conditions that would be some
what in keeping with all the delights
of the scene. 1t is possible to make
of Honolulu Il metropolis that, as a
desirable place of abode, will beggar
the most florid imaginations TO over
do the coloring of the reality. What
is required to produce consumma-
ton so devoutly to be wished! In
answer it is scarcely too high an
ideal that we present in the following
list of most manifest necessities =
/. Rapid transit.
2. Good sidewalks.
3. A hundredfold more light at
night.
4. Prevention of overcrowding of
buildings and their tenants.
5. Enforcement of strict sanitary
regulations, involving thorough
cleanliness in every nook and
Granny.
6. Enlargement, increase and per-
fection of popular recreation grounds
and breathing spaces.
1t is our deficiencies in such res
poets as these that our kindly visit
ors pass through without seeing or
revealing. These form the other
side of the picture.
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HONOLULU INSTITUTIONS.
AmnnU the institutions of thiS