Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-01-01
ANEW YEAR AND ANEW OPPORTUNITY

New Years Day, 1916, finds Hawaii hum
1ipk Fith energy and purpose, brimming with
optimism, happy in a remarkably prosperous
year behind and in the prospect OF one just
ahead.
The clouds in the sky are small, the expanse
Of blue charged with this gloriousy brilliant
sunshine is large. In common with the nation
and in fact a little in advance of most of the
states Hawaii has felt the tremendous surge
Of material prosperity and has benefited, from
the capital city to the most remote plantation
village. Not businesshouse nor home in the
Islands proyided there was foresight and
acumen ID the businesshouse, and industry and
thrift in the home has failed to feel the buoy
ant influence of material welfare coming on
top of two years Of uneasiness and depression.
The Industrial prosperity that is Hawaii s on
this threshold of New Year brings its special
obligations and opportunities Communities
hard-pressed in the commercial struggle have
1T least partial excuse for scant attention to
public improvements which are not strictly
ufilithriall. But communities whose banks are
filed with cash, whose main industries are
heaping up suTpluses for stock holders, whose
homes are considered incomplete without high
crude autos, have no excuse for inadequate
educational or charitable institutions; for city
inaffed by dirty, ill-kept, unpaved streets; for
spirit which ignores ethical culture and the
development Of things beautiful and inspiring,
This is not to say that such matters are wholly
it1iofed ii Honolulu, but there is always room
for Improvement, and American cities are,
recognized as Numerically often lacking in
such respects. Few have such naturally mag
nifcent opportunities as this Pacific port, and
With material prosperity abundantiy assured,
liam need be so engrossed in business as to-
thrust heedlessly by the manifold opportuni-
~ dor helping his city become more cleanly
and beautiful as well as more wealthy.
Il is atravesty on all this display of riches
TO- tin3 lextreme s.Rpyerty not infrequent inl
Honolulu The need is suggested Of a wise
Irorision for the; poor which will transform
them Into members of society able to make
/.cir way sin the world. And the territory
first duty is to its needy at home; after that to|
|koea in foreigp. lands, .sa.. .s~ = = S ii
Yet IN foreign lands the call of the hungry
and the homeless IS louder than ever before.
The same war which has brought millions Of
dollars tumhling into Hawaii's lap has taken
the food the clothing, the roof-tree from mil
Ions Of people. BY an means the fofTardingl
Of relief funds from the territory should bel
continued Hawai- has d fine record IN thfsf
respect--a record not only to remember but!
to repeat In q year and half the people of
tie islands have forwarded $4,000 to the war
sniferefs through the special relief committee. |
Taking the population of the territory at the
estimate for 1915, %, 210, Hawaii has given
50 cents per capita, and # the Oriental popu-
lation be counted out 80 cents per capita
through this fund alone. Perhaps as much
more was forwarded through private sources.
The United States as a whole has given only
seven cents per capita to1Belgian relief, where
Is Hawaii has given 20 cents per capita. This
seems like stellar record until one finds that
other countries have gone much higher. New
Zealand, for instance, not only is bearing
tremendous burden of actual participation in
he war, but has given $1.25 per capita for
Belgian relief.
But Hawaii's giving is not ended. The win
ter brings more terrible want to Poland, Ar.
uenia, Serbia, Montenegro and others of the