The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-07-24
II H e
SATURDAY
July oath.
THE LEGISLATURE.

The Legislative Assembly yesterday
devoted most of its time and attention
to discussion OF the foreign policy of
the Government, on an item of $4,000
for expense of foreign missions. 1t had
been pretty exhaustively debated in
Committee of the Whole last Wednes-
day, and the discussion was resumed
yesterday in committee by the Minister
of Foreign Affairs, who argued that the
vote was necessary unless it was the
purpose Of the Legislature to abandon
the foreign policy to which the country
had been committed for several years.
This was not expedient in his judgment.
Several important missions had been
recommended in the report of the For
eign Minister (His Excellency Mr.. Glib
SOM, but upon reconsideration some of
these projects had been abandoned, and
instead Of $4,000 as originally asked for,
the vote had been reduced to $50, 900.
Ii this money was not actually needed
it would not be expended; but he
thought it would be bad policy to place
the Government in a position that it
could not meet any exigencies that
might arise The expense of represen-
tation at International Exhibitions was
borne on this vote, and he thought 1t
most desirable that Hawaii should be
properly represented at the Jubilee Ex
-pFopfIaSions Under this head IN former
years was fallacious. Although $4,000
had been appropriated for the expense
OF foreign missions in 188O-S2, close upon
$4,000 had been actually expended, as
he had found by examining the stubs in
the foreign office.
Mr.. Dole followed in an argument in
opposition to the vote, in which course
he was sustained by Messrs. Thurston,
Brown and KaIua. Several of the speeches
were delivered wholly in Hawaiian. The
point OF the Opposition argument was
that the Government of this country was
"a one horse affair, and that it should
confne its efforts to purely local matters.
leaving international questions to the
Great Powers. 1t was too small and in
significant state to hold or express an
opinion upon any matter outside its own
territory. Singularly enough, the country
and it's government were belittled in
every possible way, and its credit called
IN question in the assumed interest of
economy and the protection of the public
credit. Just how this kind of talk was
to sustain the credit of the country it is
difficult to imagine, although it may be
perfectly clear to those uttering it.
His ExceIlency Mr.. Gibson defended
the foreign policy of the Government in
an eloquent speech, which will be found
reported in our resume of Legislative
proceedings. He indicated its wisdom
from results, and drew historical com
parsons in reply to Mr.. Dole, to show
that Imperial Rome, and the Prussian
Monarchy which now stood at the head
of Imperial Germany, had each had
very small beginnings, and that COM
pared with the powerful states of those |
times they were also lone horse" affairs. |
This was not the estimate of Hawaii by !
the great and friendly Powers which had /
admitted it into the family OF nations, !
and received upon terms of dis
consideration its Sovereign
and His diplomatic representatives.
An allusion by His Excellency Mr..
Gibson to the outlay for immigration,
and the beneficial influence in this direc-
ton of the diplomatic efforts OF the Gov
eminent, called up the Hon. S. q.
Wilder, who opposed the vote with con-
siderable warmth, and declared that it
simply meant ''more show, more fuss
and more feathers" Considering the
past history of special missions accredited
1y this Government, and the expendi-
ures connected Herewith, this was
ather a cool declaration on the part of
dr. Wilder. Similarly also was his at
ack on the credit of the country, postu-
ated upon former treasury balance of
300, 900 odd, which was obtained not
rom excess of revenue over expenditure,
,ut by the sale of Government land.
f this had been done by the late Adj
which was a buyer instead
/ seller of land, perhaps the condition
the Treasury would be different; but
7hatever its shortcomings may have j
cen, wrecking the public estate was not ]