The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-05-01
II H Il
THE KINGS SPEECH.

The speech from the Throne at the
opening of the Legislative Assembly yes
terday was out of the ordinary run of
royal utterances upon similar occasions.
As a rule, the opening speech in Consti-
tutional Monarchies is as bald and bar
rem OF ideas as the ingenuity of Ministers
can make it; but the speech which His
Majesty King Kalakaua addressed to the
Hawaiian Parliament yesterday was full
of Thought and suggestion. Without going
into details, it suggested the Ministerial
policy with sufficient fullness. Any in
telligent reader of the Kings speech
may comprehend the intentions of the
Government, and infer pretty accurately
the character and scope of the measures
TO be introduced.
Referring to the speech itself, we are
brought face to face with the financial
condition of the Kingdom in the fifth
paragraph. The ordinary revenue is
sufficient for all usual requirements
of the public service upon the present
scale of income and disbursements, but
a point has been reached when the
needs of internal development necessi-
tate additional expenditure, and this, it
is intimated, should be provided for by
loan. In other words, the expediency of
raising loan for immigration and speci-
fic improvement works is suggested.
This is the course pursued by other
countries, and their experience should
be a guide to this Kingdom. OF course,
it is for the Legislature to approve the
purposes for which a loan is to be raised.
The Assembly is keeper of the national
purse, and it should be well assured of
the necessity for borrowing before grant
ing authority to raise loan. Having
decided that point, its next duty is to
specify the purposes to which the Dor
rowed money should be applied. I'm
migration and permanent internal inn
provements are proper purposes for
which to borrow. A limitation, how
ever, should be put upon both
services; in other words, it may
not be prudent to attempt too
much at the outset National devel-
opment, by means of loans, should be by
easy stages, the expenditures being kept
well in hand The mistake in such
cases usually is in being over sanguine.
Legislative bodies are apt to be prodigal
in their appropriation of borrowed money,
forgetful of the day OF reckoning; and
therefore, while cordially indorsing Dor
rowing, we hold that it should be within
bounds and for specific purposes.
The allusiOn in the speech to the
health of the native people is cheerful
and we are pleased to learn that there
is some hope that the condition
of those afflicted with the horrible disease
of leprosy, which has become national
scourge, is under more assured control
with improved treatment.
1t is recommended that a Technical
Institute be established, to fit native
Hawaiians to take part in the practical
business of life This is u wise sugges-
ton, and should be acted upon approx
ingly by the Legislature.
Reference Is made to the great fire, by
which one-third of the Capital was des-
troyed; and the King expressed the
hope, which is joined in by all classes,
that such measures may be adopted for
restoring the destroyed portion of the
city as shall hereafter be recognized as
converting a national loss into national
benefit. This is one of the purposes for
which a loan may become necessary.
Most properly also mention is
made OF the fact that ocean steam COM
munication under the Hawaiian flag has
been successfully established. and the
promise is given that Ministers will
recommend measures for the encourage
ment and expansion of an enterprise so
essential TO the progress and prosperity |
of the Kingdom This is as it should be. I
If the commercial and industrial in |
terests of the Kingdom are to be devel- /
oped effectually it must be in this
direction, and by the means suggested /
in the Kings speech.
Going from the purely domestic points /
of the speech to those OF international |
interest, the country Will be pleased to
learn that the Hawaiian Kingdom is
highly esteemed among the Powers OF
the earth, and that the right OF Hawaii |