The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-08

Tho roor houses or throw them on
the charity of strangers. This is a
matter which concerns not a few peo-
nile scattered in the Departments but
rnanv hundreds are involved. There
has been q nakeshift arrangement for
some time by which the work OF these
aged and invalid persons has been done
by extra help. 1t was said not long
ago. that the work of one bureau could
he done by 200 efficient persons in the
mace of the three hundred and fifty
Dersons now employed. From the
President down, all are humane and
each one refuses to boldly advocate the
removal of these incompetents whose
only fault is that they are old and
sick. But existing conditions are not
lawful, and every one feels that some
thing must be done to change them.
The people living in the Eastern part
of the country are not unfavorable to
some form of pension. But those in
the western part are opposed to it, and
with some good reasons for their oppo-
sition. The salaries, in comparison
with those paid in private service
are liberal, and those who receive them
should save money. But office holders
have not been as a rule saving COM
from a class where great economies are
practiced The Federal Offices here
have been, for forty years, the grave
yards of disappointed men, men who
expected to become great statesmen
and orators, and political leaders. But
for one reason and another they have
fallen by the wayside, and are thank
full to retreat into these limited Ravens
of rest the Federal offices. Some are
contented to live out uneventful lives
without further effort. The majority,
however, try to add to their incomes
by outside work, by business which
does not interfere with their duties and
by many speculative schemes. Those
in the Land offices use their knowl-
edge of what public lands are for sale.
Some discover the value of Patents.
Since the establishment of Civil Ser
vice, many pass the examinations, and
out of office hours take course of
study in law or medicine or in science,
especially that of. electricity. After
taking a course of study they resign
office and enter business for them
selves. AS these office holders and
those dependant on them form large
part of the population of the city, they
fix a standard of economical living.
The prices of food are low though the
quality of the meats is not the best.
Rents are not high and land can be
bought at reasonable rates. OF course
in the fashionable sections prices of
all things are high. The markets
adapt prices to the means of their
customers There is no place in the
country where oysters and chickens
are so cheap. The city lies close to
the Chesapeake Bay which has enor-
nous Resources in fish and oysters.
In this city, more than in any other
place in the country, is the sharp but
quiet contest going on between plutoc-
racy and educated democracy. AL
though the millionaires drift mainly to
New York where the opportunities for
eXtravagant living are the greatest,
there are many rich people settling
here where they hope to make their
way socially more rapidly than in
New York, and many rich people
whose temperaments do not favor the
strenuous life of a great city. These
rich people, with fine houses and great
incomes, have to deal with the edu-
Gated class of comparatively poor peo-
pie who are in the government service
in professional positions. The problem
Ol Accepting between THESE
classes is working out with perfect
satisfaction. 1t removes the POSSIBLE
ty of the permanent existence of an
"aristocratic class" here or in the Re-
public. The rich class is finding out
that it's best entertainment comes from
it's contact with this professional class
whose life and prosperity is dependant
on it's best brain work, and it's ability
to make itself agreea BILE
Moreover, such men as DR.. Alex
ander Graham Bell, the late Dr. Boil
ton, and Clifford Pinchot who repre-
sent great wealth, and are themselves
leaders in scientific work, are uniting
the best from both classes. All this is
one of the delightful evolutions of
democracy, and tends to remove any
danger from the abuse of wealth.
There is the best assurance for saying
that Wealth will kneel at the feet of
Science" and Plutocracy will be a
harmless factor in American life.
Surely, we are only at the beginnings
of the discovery of knowledge and its
uses, and in this place more than in
any other are the temples being erect
ed and dedicated to its service. 1
heard a lady remark the other day
that ''in social life here there is none
or the shop talk which appears else
The air is full of the larger
events of the world. Here, one may
run across, any moment, one of the
men who are dealing with public and |
matters. Even the women
are interested in public affairs because
they are allied to the actors in them. |
From this comes attractions in social |
not found elsewhere. No
ri elf of he hi 10
out the same problems which
are being solved here. But in this /
place the Nation is throwing its
strength, and here the lead should be. |
A vast multitude of tourists enter and
leave the city every year, and each of
them leaves with pride in the Capitol
city, and joins in the national move
nent to make it the finest capitol of
the world.