The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-04-23
A Practical Suggestion for Relief.

Practical Suggestion for Relief.
ED. p. c. ADvERTIsER-Sir: In pres
ence OF such an appalling calamity as
has laid great part OF our city in dust
and ashes, any attempt to give politi-
cal or partisan character TO the criticisms
which the disaster may evoke, would be
particularly out of place. / believe few
men neglected to make use Of such OPP
portunities as they found on Sunday
last, in fighting the foe that made havoc
OF our streets; and surely in the midst Of
such a whirlwind OF fire, every man who
did his best, did his duty. l fear, how
ever, there may be danger OF our giving
partisan character to the sympathy
which the misfortunes of the victims of
this disaster should call out. In some
OF our discussions, our Chinese residents
and their countrymen receive scant con-
sideration or sympathy Such treatment
is hard to justify at any time, but it
would be a disgrace to our civilization
and to our religion if we permitted any
such bar TO the exercise of our humane
sympathies now.
The instincts of private benevolence
and the prompt ard generous action of
the Government, have met the pressing
wants of to-day, and fortunately there is
neither cold nor famine to be feared
But undoubtedly there is an amount of
distress and ruin, especially among the
Chinese, which cannot be properly re-
lieved by any private contributions, or
any votes which the Government can
undertake. Few of the Chinese have
escaped without severe loss and many
hundreds have lost the fruits of years of
toll and industry. The light has passed
from many an eye, and the hope from
many heart, as the result of years of
patient drudgery persisted in that cruel
fire.
Honolulu is noted for its liberality, and
it has never had such an opportunity of
exercising that liberality as now. There
are many who have lost nothing-or next
to nothing-in this disaster, and 1 am
confident that a slight appeal to their
sympathy will meet with a quick and |
generous response, showing that our
sense of the claims of charity is not |
measured by the nationality or the Ian
guage of our neighbor in his distress.
1 should be glad to see a good COM
mittee formed Immediately, with Mr. |
f. w. Damon among its members, to |
investigate thoroughly all cases of great |
est need, with authority to relieve each |
case in proportion to its severity, and to
the funds placed at the disposal of the |
committee.
To carry out this idea, liberal fund |
must be raised, and those who have suf-
fered little will probably feel that spec
ial effort is demanded of them in an
emergency such as will probably never
present itself to them again.
If this proposal finds a generous re-
Spouse, will gladly be one of five con-
tributOrs of 1000 each, or one of ten
contributors of $500 each, and venture
to think that subscription list so COM
menced would be literally supported. l
trust that this proposal may be consid !
cred of sufficient interest to justify the
calling of meeting at an early date for
the Inauguration OF a general relief fund,
and the appointment of committee for
carrying it into execution. l am, sir,
your obedient servant,
THEO. II. DAVIES.
Honolulu, April %, 1886.