The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-07-06

period of one hundred years, not SO long
as the days of the lives of some of her
oldest children, has the Republic STEP
ped forward with the stride of young
giant, to the front rank of nations. In
deed, such seems her dormant strength,
that foreign nations begin to look upon her
as a young and crude bully. She has, as
yet, thank God, shown no such DISPOSE
ton. Her people have, as yet, found suffi-
cient outlet to their tireless energy in the
internal development of her seemingly
endless resources. What wonder that
Americans have been sneered at as ma
ton of dollar-getters."
When Warren Hastings was accused
of peculation in India, he exclaimed,
"Why, Sir, when / think now of my
opportunities, | am astounded at my
moderation" So when we think of the
opportunities upon every hand presented
to the acute and active-brained Ameri-
can, we are not astonished at their col
lossal fortunes. To the pessimistic
moralist and statesman this increasing
accumulation of large fortunes and the
combination of capital into companies or
trusts" cast the darkest shadow upon
the otherwise brilliant prospects of the
serves watchful solicitude. Large for
tunes, however, are rarely transmitted
in America. They usually, like water
in dam when rent is made, scatter at
the death of their accumulators.
In most monarchial countries, the
ambition of the millionaire is to found q
family with his fortune In America,
the maxim is reversed, and it is for the
family to make the fortune. Where large
fortunes are quickly made is but sign IF
general prosperity. proper enumera-
ton in the United States would show
that every large fortune makes ten
fold as many smaller fortunes and
completeness. Vanderbilt made colos-
sal fortune, in large part, by consolida-
ton and, therefore, economical manage
ment of system of railways going West,
and yet he made it possible to reduce
the cost of the transportation of barrel
of -four l 800 miles to the Atlantic coast
from two dollars and half to fifty cents,
thus saving to the people $50, 100000 a
year on the transportation OF flour alone.
By the very cheap system of railway
rates, it is to-day possible for work
ingman by one days labor to pay for the
transportation of enough food for his
family of four persons from the plains of
the far West to the Atlantic sea-board.
These energetic, hard working American
rich men are deserving of all praise. 1t
is not in the accumulation of money that
the evil lies, but in the spending of it.
DESTINATIONS and luxurious living, and a
desire of vulgar display are the vices
that ruin the young and undermine so
ciety. AS a rule, these vices do not be-
long to the men of selt-made fortunes,
but to the idlers who inherit them. And
if the fair temple of American liberty is
ever to be shaken; if the simplicity Oh
its official and social life are to be sneered
at, it will not be by those who organize
but by the half-Europeanized and brain
less cosmopolitanism of so-called leisure
class, which God for bid should ever grow
up in the country.
Let Americans get rich-the more the
better. Let capital combine, if by its
combination its promoters and managers
are enabled to give higher wages to the
workingman, and cheaper products tC
the consumer. This is the true test o.
a benefcent combination. This test be-
ing complied with, the genius o.
American liberty should not, and will
not, interfere by law or enactment o.
whatever nature to stay the hand of lib
erty of action Of its citizens. But any
| unholy combination or trust" or any
organization which, by virtue of Its
money-power, seeks to raise the price Of
things higher than their natural range
should be and will be strangled by &
| grip that none know how to give better
than the American people.
Il i HO<~ Low. hi.
material, this money aspect of American
life; yet the times seem to demand it.
1t has been held up as reproach t.
the national character. Has it not filled
her marts with commerce? given life
and vigor TO her internal arteries of trade
and conduced to the general we'll being
The rich men of no other nation, especi
ally those inheriting wealth, have done
| nothing like the amount of giving to var
ious institutions for the public good
Every year witnesses benefactions from
thousands to millions donated by ricf
men to schools, churches, hospitals ant
universities.
But what has this to do with the 4tl
of July or the American democracy
you may ask. Much to do with it. Tn
activity and general prosperity of tn
people, extending through the entire ex
istence of nation, is good test of he
form of government and of the virtue ant
intelligence of her lawmakers.
A few years ago one of the most emf
nent Americans, perhaps the most emf
nent of her living literary men, delivers
in England polished address upon tn
American democracy. I have forgottel
his exact words, but in substance, if M
mind serves me, he took the view tina
until the United States had done tn
highest in art, in science, and in litera
ture, he could not count her institution
as complete success.
Humbly, but emphatically, beg
!, differ from the dictum of this distinguish
ed American. Had she done nothing else
should she do nothing else, but to plac
, upon higher plane of living than hitt
erto attained by any other nation, eithe
, ancient or modern, her 100000 {
people, should pronounce her instltl
tions complete success.
We're the various nations of Wester
: Europe united under one government
t the people would not differ in race, lal
guaee or religion more than the origins
8 constituents of the United States. Thet
D heterogeneous elements, having,it is tru
e so many things in common, yet differir
so widely, it has been the destiny of tt
o American commonwealth to take,
r harmonic, to assimilate into nom
e genous people. So marvellous is the a
r | sorhinC power of her people that in mo