The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-12-07

patriotic grounds as because it had been
made a national object by the royal
speech. And so indeed they did, but
with very poor results, which leaves
them open to the charge either of in
competence or insincerity. Considering
that they had strong majority at their
back in successive Legislatures one does
not well know which charge to bring
against them. We are inclined to think
that they were really sincere in their eff
forts to carry out this policy, but lacked
judgment and ability to accomplish any
thing. This is the more charitable con-
structiOn to put upon their conspicuous
failure.
Be this as it may, nothing effective in
the way Of immigration was accomplished
till the present Ministry came into office,
and it was entirely owing to Mr. Glib
sons action in bringing the subject into
public prominence, and discussing it be-
fore the Chamber of Commerce in 1868
that a recommendation was made by
that body to the Legislature which, in
response thereto, appropriated 500, 900 to
promote immigration. No use was made
OF this vote for immigration purposes.
Again, in 1872, Mr.. Gibson advocated
the formation of a Planters Labor and
Supply Company, with capital of
$4,000, to promote immigration, and
had $25 600 of this amount subscribed
when the project was killed by the OPP
position of the very party now in antag-
onism to his Government, and instead of
the organization contemplated, an I'm
migration Society was formed OF which
he became Secretary, and in this capacity
made very able report, outlining the
policy he has since carried out as
Minister.
In 1881, the year before Mr.. Gibson
took office, a member of the Govern
ment, Mr.. w. N. Armstrong, was APP
pointed Commissioner of immigration,
and accompanied His Majesty the King
on his tour around the world. Mr.. Arm
strong was the best and most capable
man his party could select. Having the
prestige of the Kings presence in his
favor, it was thought that he could not
possibly fail to make satisfactory arrange
ments abroad to increase the nation"
by immigration. But he did fail, and
failed moreover in the most absolute and
humiliating manner He failed also in
quarters which have since been success
fully opened; failed in an intelligent ap-
probation of the conditions Of the coun-
tries through which he travelled in their
relation to the purposes of his mission, as
his re port abundantly proves.
Mr.. Gibson having proposed in the
Legislature that certain islands in the
Malay Archipelago should be looked to
for labor immigrants, Mr.. Armstrong, on
his return, reported that this proposal
was not to be considered; that the Japa
nese were not an emigrating race; that
they should not look to the empire
of Japan for immigrants; and that
so far as India was concerned, it would
never do to bring its coolies, because they
would be surrounded by too many con-
ditions by the Indian Government to
make their presence in this country de-
sirable However, Mr.. Armstrong
was so far stimulated 10y the
planting interests that despite his
report he introduced bill in the
Legislature of 1882, providing an ex-
penditure OF 100000 for immigration.
This bill was, in fact, introduced as a
matter of urgency by the Government,
it being in anticipation of the Appropri-
alton Bill. But Mr. Armstrong and his
colleagues were unable to carry it, and
Mr.. Gibson, who had persistently urged
upon the Legislature the necessity for
providing means to promote immigra
ton, came to the rescue of the Govern
ment, and succeeded in having the bill
tabled to prevent its absolute rejection.
And when, in week or two after, he
was called upon to conduct the Govern
ment, he made so convincing an argu-
ment ~ favor of immigration, that the
Legislature, which would have thrown
out the immigration bill under the
former Ministry, passed two million
loan bill, half million of which was
to be applied to immigration, and the
balance to other public purposes.
This is all matter of public history. 1t
is not tale of imagination like Oppo-
sition charges against the present Gov
eminent. 1t is a record simply of the
meddling and muddling of the political in
competents who, under various combina-
tions, managed to control public affairs in
this country for so many years.
And what followed? Why simply
this: The Gibson Administration
borrowed about 100000 under the
Act of 1884, of which 100000 went for
immigration, and they Increased the
nation" by introducing ten thousand Por-
tuguese and about two thousand Japa-
nese, besides establishing such friendly
relations with Governments of Lisbon
and Japan as will insure constant sup
ply of most desirable immigrants in fu-
ture. In short, the present Government
have borrowed more money under au-
thority of law, and introduced more peO-
pie to the Kingdom than all the Govern
ments that preceded them put together,
although they were hampered in a va
riety of WAYS, and met with INSCRIPTIONS