The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-11-18

| PAOSChC CouuIUIOn OF the sugar
things to that which has nrevailed
here of late years.
IL must now be shown whether the
country can stand adversitv better or
worse than it bore prosperity. The
great profits formerly made in snoar
led to profuse, almost reckless, ex-
pendltures, which must now cease.
Besides the employment given to
skilled mechanics, sugar profits We're
by, many distributed generously in
publ!c, and still more in private.
charities. Rarely have I seen anyone
VINO was interested in sugar who had
not Kept regularly at some good board
ing school from one to twelve or fit.
teen Hawaiian pupils. Much of this
ald is likely, now, to be withdrawn.
But with all the good that came
from prosperous times, there was much
that was not good. On the one hand
came jealousy toward the nouveaux
riches, on the other came Indifference
to public interests.
Perhaps the necessity of rigid
economy will lead to more conscien-
tious attention to public duties.
The Mckinley bin may, after all, be
to Hawaii blessing in disguise. To
use the expression by which time is
declared on board of man-of-war, let
us "make it So"
We need but little legislation. The
land system should be so shaped as to
| increase the number of small land
holders. Every land-holder is con-
sentative and friend of good gov
| eminent.
A treaty is required to be made
with the United States, by which Ha-
Waiian sugar can be refined here and
admitted there free of duty. In no other
way, except the deplorable way of
flooding the country with cheap
Hindoo labor, or by heavy direct
taxes which would drive away cap
ital, send up exchange and increase
the cost of imported goods to ruin
Gus rate, can the revenues of the gov
eminent be collected.
| Whether property qualifications for
mobiles and electors of mobiles shall be
withdrawn or not, will be one of the
great questions for legislative debate
This provision is not especially re-
CURED by the wealthy, but is in the
| interest of skilled labor and of small
land-holders, as opposed to the in
terest of an unemployed or floating
population, and ignorant labor which
| cannot earn 90UU year.
But perhaps the most important
legislative result to be reached is, to
emancipate civil service from politics.
If office-seeking shall be the great OBJ
ject of electors, the main benefits
which ought to be got from repre-
sentative government are lost.
The course of events during the
party changes in the last four years
is discouraging to those who hunger
and thirst after the spoils of office.
Some think now that only repub-
lican form of government will permit
rotations in Office and give a chance
for boss politicians; others5 claim that
by accomplishing that change, an
neXation to the United States will be
produced, and that then will be the
heyday of the average politician.
1t is safe prediction that no change
of the present form of government
will be made, unless by the method
and with the formalities required by
law, and that this implies only peace
full changes and such as are desired by
the head of the government as well
as by the great majority of the voters.
This prediction is based on two facts:
first, that there is no occasion or pre-
tence of excuse for any but regular
and legal procedure, and, secondly,
that irregular procedures are under
the close surveillance of at least two
of the great powers.
1T is likely then that Hawaii will
continue to enjoy, in some form or
other, constitutional, representative
government.
Among the best friends of the Ha-
waiian race there are those who think
that a legislature composed of two
separate houses, the lower house
, having sole charge of the national
purse-strings, would be rather an in
jury than a gain.
It is true that deadlock in legisla-
, ton may at any time arise with two
houses. But hasty, ill-advised legis-
lation is worse than none at all. 1t is
about the only radical change re-
, quired in order to give symmetry to
the Hawaiian constitution.
, Every country which is worthy OF
good government will sooner or later
obtain it. Nations, like individuals,
have their peculiar difficulties to over
| come, ever increasing with the fresh
complications of social life.
{ England has her colonial and In
, dian questions to work out. She is
: happily done with civil service and
free trade discussions, but home rule
is ever with her.
r Tariff, currency, foreign, immigra,
l ton, trusts, caucus, civil service and
the negro furnish the American prob
+ lens of the day. The problem OF
: Hawaii is to find it's equation of the
/ races. These diverse, social elements
/ which are here to stay, are not as
s incongruous as they appear.
The Chinese and Japanese are
| watching with observant eyes Ha'
f waits great object-lesson of Constitu
: tional Government. They are docile
s people; all their traditions are IL
0 favor of obeying the established laws
\ The Portuguese are assimilating witt
@ Hawaiian institutions, and encour
: aged as they are by the precepts o
e the Catholic Church, will always b'
+ found on the side of law and order.
Even those who shout the loudes
Il against sugar barons, admit that the!
are necessary evil, and that rice
/? coffee, banana and castor oil nobility
= will not fully take their places.
r Hawaii with its liberal constitu
!, tional government ought to have be
. fore it as fine political destiny as tn
e United States, England or Switzer
r land.
d Whatever may be the diversity o
opinion concerning this or that meas
# ure. the strength alike of the Ha