The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-04-26
LOCAL STUDY.

Professor Huxley said that if the in
crease of knowledge did not alleviate
human suffering, the sooner a comet
swept the earth out of existence, the
better it would be.
Students in social science are finding
out that while general knowledge has
great value, the clear and exact knowl-
edge of local conditions is even Of
greater value. Men today write long
articles about the school, the church.
the saloon, as they conceive them to be-
without giving any attention to the
actual church in which they worship,
the schools in which their children are
educated, or the saloon around the cor
ner'' They are like the English ply
stefan who wrote at great length on
the existence of bacilli in India, but
neglected the study of the bacilH of
typhoid fever i'm his own cesspool,
which carried off his wife and children.
If any community ever needed a
close, scientific study it is our own.
Here is a singular mixture of races, a
little Babel in it's way, rag-bag full
of curiosities, odds and ends, a museum
full of the queerest humanity, above all
is a Government founded on q political
theory of the Anglo-SaXon type, of
which 80 per cent. of the people who
dive under it know nothing, either by
racial instincts or education, and scat
tered all about the premises is an un-
comfortable amount of social dynamite.
No one seems to be making a close
study of this affair, that affects our
prosperity and happiness. The plan
tiers, the merchants, the mechanics the
professional men seem to regard it as
an interesting matter, worth looking
into if we had time for it." But all seem
to agree practically in ignoring the
study
1t would be expected that a body Of
intelligent men, such as are the mem
bers of the Social Science Society here,
should lead in the much needed inves-
tigation, and by a series of patient,
continuous examinations, develop and
perfect a knowledge of our social con-
ditions. 1t is rather singular that it
has not done so. President Hosmer
tells the public, through the society,
about the latest discoveries on the
Euphrates 1t is interesting of course,
and if the society exists for recreation
only, or the consumption of literary
cocktails, which give a temporary feel
ing of balminess, it is perhaps proper
enough. There seems to be an environ
ment of this well educated and serious
bodyofmen, which prevents or discOur-
ages the greatest of all social studies,
that of the locality in which the society
exists. 1t seems to urge those, like
President Hosmer, who are capable OF
making original investigation, to seek
some distant ''Parphar or ALBANIA" for
study, instead of exploring and argu-
ing the facts that exist here, and
have everything to do with our social
and political existence. 1t is local, and
not foreign study that is the impressive
need of the hour.
The society may reply it is not the |
business of the press, or of the public |
to criticise it's methods. But the teach |
ings of its theological members are
always to the effect that responsibility |
to God and mankind never cease, I'M
der any conditions. Even if the society |
exists for pleasure only, and it surely |
does not, it must adjust itself to the |
needs of the times. The very best
method of advancing society is to be-
gin at home, with a thorough under
standing of local conditions, unless ev-
erything is to be left to blind chance.