Hawaii holomua = Progress., 1894-12-04
An Insult.
Hawaii invited to be Pest house

San francisco must be the most
chilly and most brazen affair in
It's line on the face of the earth.
Some time ago Mayor Ellert
wrote a letter to Colonel Srreck-
els in which he asked the great
sugar king to use his influence in
persuading the Hawaiian govern
ment to establish an internation-
al pest house for lepers and in
crease the leper baccillas and
bacterias IN Hawaii nei by gen.
eral exodus from California to
Molokai OF the unfortunate per-
sons afflicted with the dread dis
ease.
Colonel Spreckels presented
the request but be did not urge
the acceptance of it or even its
consideration.
Now the wise men of San Fran
cisco have commissioned chief
Crowley to open negotiations and
it is understood that he has open
ed negotiations with the govern
ment and expects an answer with
in few days.
We can only consider the pro-
position as a gross insult to Ha-
waii, to the Hawaiians, and to
the general intelligence of our
community.
For years we have been told
that all inducements should be
extended to tourists. That Ha :
waii nei ought to become sec
ond Switzerland and that tourist
travelling properly conducted
should make us rich and happy.
Are the California lepers the
kind Of tourists we seek?
Is it by stamping the Paradise
of the Pacific as an international
pest house that we will gain the
tourists for whom Mr.. IL. Al
Thurston has made guava jelly
and psnoramasf
1t is evident that the people
who run the little shebang called
San Francisco do not know Ha-
waii yet.
Mr.. Crowley whom we admire as
police officer and as most ia
nous chief of gallant force has
undertaken most thankless
task.
No government in Hawaii will
dare to grant or even entertain
the request of the San Francisco
authorities. The very men who
have sworn to uphold Mr.. Dole
would execrate him and his gov
ernmeut if they dare to further
increase the danger of contagion
from an unlimited importation of
deceased people. We. who
live in this country say as little
as possible about the curse hang
ing over us. We do not propose
at this time when millions have
been spent for the purpose of
ameliorating it not curing the sad
conditions of the afflicted to
stand before the world as coun-
try hopelessly and constantly the
victim of an incurable disease.
Let Mr.. Crowley go back to his
rich State, and let him tell the
men who sent him that little Ha-
wall is foremost in its endeavors
to stamp out the disease.
That the public purse has al
ways cen opened for that pur-
pose. That no legislature
or q m j istratio n ever
hestitated in appropriating
all moneys needed and never be-
grudged one cent spent on the
unfortunate fellow citizens. And
let him tell his authorities in
that rich State that what poor
Hawaii can do. the State of Cali
fornia ought certainly to be able
and willing to do.
1t is a pleasure to remember
that neither Mr.. Dole or the Board
of Health can take any steps
In the matter even If so
inclined. And for the honor
of Mr.. Dole and Mr.. Smith
we will state that even
their bitterest enemy will refuse
to believe that they would accept
the proposition of the San Fran
cisco authorities. But it will take