The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-06-23
GUEST Of HONOR At
COMMERCIAL CLUB
(From Saturdays Advertiser)

Secretary Garfield was the guest OF
honor at luncheon at the Commercial
Club at noon yesterday and made a
speech that was in many respects a
notable one. He is the second member
of the cabinet who has been the guest
of the club. fact to which President
George W. Smith alluded in introduc-
ing him.
The spacious dining room of the club
was more than filed, and Secretary
Garfield had a most attentive and ap-
preciative audience. Perhaps nothing
in the speech was more heartily ap-
plauded than his statement that it was
constructive and not destructive cri-
ticism that was useful. The applause
was hearty too, when he spoke in
praise of the three men who have held
the Office of Governor of this Territory.
MIR. GARFIELD'S SPEECH.
Mr.. Garfield's address was not a
long one, but it was most satisfac-
tory one to those who heard it. He
said:
1T is true that the Secretary of the
Interior comes close to the people of
the Territories, and I want to come
closer still. My purpose in coming
here is to get first hand information
regarding the political, social, indus
trial and economic conditions which
prevail here. While the Interior De-
partment is not the department which
ton with the Territory, it is the one
to which communications on all sub
jects come, and which refers these to
the various departments and bureaus
having charge of the particular mat
ters. Thus it knows more completely
than any other what matters are of
concern in the Territory. It is the
medium of exchange for all things Ha-
waiian.
FIRST HAND INFORMATION.
"Thefore 1 want to get as much in
formation regarding this Territory as
it is possible to do.
1T is gratifying to find that You are
harmonious; that there is here CO.
operation and coordination. If that
were not so, it would probably result
in the creation of confusion when eff
forts are made to present matters at
Washington. But with your Chamber
of Commerce and your Merchants As
sociation, and this organization, each
having its own line of work, you can
get the most possible from combined
effort
During these first few quiet days
of my stay here, I have seen very
much that has interested me. 1 have
learned much of your schools and
racial problems and industrial ques-
tions. l go now to make a tour, not
for inspection, for time will not be
given for that, but for tour of inves-
tigation of the industrial conditions On
the other Islands.
MEETS ALL CLASSES.
In trying to get at conditions here
l am meeting all classes of your peo-
pie. 1 am meeting the men of large
enterprises, and as we'll those who are
striving to work out their success by
their own efforts. No one set of men
can continue in control of the indus
trial affairs of a country without
trouble. 1 do not mean that this is
any justification for attacks on big
men, on successful men. In the strug-
gle for success, those who succeed will
have much and those who fail will
have little. But the more men have, !
the more responsibility they have. We
ment of our civilization and social re-
lations that we do not recognize that
property and wealth is merely for the
benefit of the man who owns it. In
its use the public have an interest. |
The antagonism that there used to be |
has in large measure changed to CO. |
operation. Each side has found that |
it can learn much from the other |
There is common ground where they |
can both meet. There is not an i'm |
passable barrier as it used to be |
thought there was, nor an unbridg- |
able chasm. That common ground is |
found in just such organizations as
this. Here men of widely different |
ambitions meet.
THINGS AS THEY ARE.
Il want to get hold of things as they |
are. l do not want to see them in any
roseate hues, but in the true light of
your own sunshine-liquid or other |
wise. You have certain phases here |
of race and labor problems. l have |
read much of Hawaii before 1 came |
here, but 1 find that l knew little. To |
know any country or people, one has
to come in touch with things as they
are, and with the men who do. Your
governors have all been men of ability, |
devoting their efforts to the good oil
the Territory. 1t has been my good
fortune to know them all three, and l
know that they have each tried to
present matters at Washington in the
right light. But in spite of their ef-
forts, 1 find you have been misjudged.
There is always two sides to every
proposition. 1t is double edged and
dangerous except to those who know
and desire to use for the good of the
community. Your Governors may not