The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-05-15
OLD MANS
VISIONS
A Coast Critic on
HaWaii'S
Ways.
especial to The AdvertIsero

paper Man" and many OF the articles
have been about Hawaii and Hawai-
ians. The former journalists writings
ward the leading people of the Islands
and particularly toward the Dole ad
ministration- He says the Honolulu
residents are scandal-mongers and tina
lies are of frequent circulation.
Here Is what the old chap says about
the time when he was mixed up In
some steamship and subsidy deal many
years ago:
Heretofore I have told OF the bad
faith intended by the then Minister OF
| the Interior OF Hawaii towards the
/ steam line about To be established be-
tween San Francisco. New Zealand and
Australia, and OF how the Minister was
| clrcumve nted and Inundated. Ha-
wall. for long years. had a hard name
for financial and political trickery. and
Il Is by no means certain that annexa-
ton and the accession to power OF the
missionary party have improved II as
much as had been hoped for. For ways
that are dark and tricks that are vain
the Dole Government Is about as pc
culIar IA the Heather Chinee. Presi-
dent Roosevelt has evidently been so
informed. for he has invited the Gov
ernor TO Washington to explain things.
which he can be depended upon to do
with the utmost FEASIBILITY. and in the
end the President will not know who
to- believe. IL Will be eminently safe
for him to doubt all sides. a statement
which reminds me OF a little story.
When the negotiations were completed
~ ~.
line within three months. the duty be-
came incumbent to- appoint agents at
the different ports of call, which l did
except at Honolulu. On my return to
that place i had in mind three firms.
any one of whom would no doubt have
flied the bill acceptably. They were
Hackfeld & Co. Adams & Wilder. and
Theo. Davies & Co. The advertisements
In the Colonial papers which had
reached Honolulu gave away the secret
that / had the agents to- appoint. and
my visits TO the firms named gave
away the further secret of the direction
In which 1 expected to find the man
wanted. I tried to prevent the latter
secret leaking out. but failed. In Ho-
nolulu everybody and everything leaks
out. either truths OF half truths. but
more commonly downright lies.
My experience of bad faith on the
part of a Cabinent Minister was not
to end. very much regret to say, with
the attempt of DR.. Hutchinson TO with
hold the Hawaiian subsidy by a trick
On reaching New Zealand 1 at once de-
livered. my credentials to the Cover
nor. Sir George Bowen. and to the
Prime Minister. Sir julius Vogel. who.
In some sense. was to New Zealand
what Cecil Rhodes afterwards became
E-fa IL
iitical enemies may. IL yet remains a
fact that by a bold and daring policy.
pursued with matchless ability. he lift
ed New Zealand from obscurity into
the very front rank OF British colo
MES. He gridironed the colony with
railroads. which are now paying inter-
est and building up a sinking fund;
he connected New Zealand with every
where else by steam. encouraged the
development of internal resources and
external trade. and was seeking au
thority from the Imperial Parliament
to extend New Zealand's domain among
the islands as far north as Samoa when I
physical infirmities compelled him 10
retire from office. His successor. Sir
John Sheldon. has won renown a
domestic and sociological reformer, but
he Is not an empire builder as were
Julius Vogel and Cecil Rhodes. IL hap ,
pened TO be my good fortune to know /
that Nogei. TO use a homely but ex- |
pressive phrase. was dead gone" on
the San Francisco route. He was so. |
because II made Auckland the first pot
OF entry. and the last OF departure for
ocean-bound mails-a matter at that B
time OF very great Importance to the /
Antipodean colonies Those who could /,
not read his policy by it's developments
did ~ hs. ar "a - ].
a steam line up the Pacific to connect
with our transcontinentalr railroad. and |
IL was our purpose to make him be- |
iieve. as at that time I did believe /
myself. that the only way to get IL
was TO contract with an American |
company. for assuredly our Govern |
ment would never permit so promising |
a channel OF commerce to fall into the /
hands OF foreigners.
With Sir Julius Vogel thus impressed.
were promptly opened I
had left San Francisco at so short a
notice that my principals were very
hurried in drawing up my AUTHORIZE
tion TO act. / had their power of at
torney empowering me TO execute n
contract on their behalf. subject. how
ever. to the conditions embodied In
private letter OF instructions delivered
to me on that date. II was the bcst
they could perhaps do under the cir
but IL terribly embarrassed
the negotiator. Vogel wanted to see
the private letter OF instructions" be-
fore he discussed terms in order to
'atisfy himself that was acting with
n my powers. IL was not a reason
able request, because II called for n
display of my cards without showing ,
ne his. 7 demurred. and persisted I'M
4 aarrfaI Int hrtt tha
that when the contract
vas duly executed / would show him
he letter OF instructions as a guaran-
zee Of good faith. That understand I
ng being reached. we settled down TO ;
business. For three weeks we were at ,
: hammer and tongs. each fighting for ,
very possible advantage to his own