The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1921-12-30
THE OLD AND THE NEW.

Popping frecrackers, nterspersed with louder detonations from
exploding bombs, footing horns, resonant blasts from steam whiS-
ties. Ginning bells. lifting musice, the dance, flying confetti and gen
cral hilarity will welcome the birth of IA new year at midnight to-
morrow. They will be the requiem of "a dying year as well and the
same sounds and similar sights marked the advent OF 1921. The
JOY of its passing will be as mconfned as was that which marked
its coming, for the year has not brought all the joys and the hopes
that were looked for when it was so madly welcomed and youth
hives in the tomorrow and ever finds that realization does not wear
the bright and attractive garb of anticipation. Thus it is but nat
ural to cast aside that which has been found Disappointing and
reach out to grasp the new, the novel, the unknown. Only the good
and the desirable are seen ahead and in prospect. The i'll is cast
aside with the dead year as if it never were nor had been.
Thus it is that the annual New Year holiday is one of gayety,
happiness, a careless, care free day when the world lives for the
nonee in its hopes Of good things in Store and judges the future
not by what it has found in the past but by what i. S hoped to find.
1t is a new turn'in lifes road and tempting scenes and vistas appear
in the ofing.
The dying year was one of reconstruction, of getting down to
brass tacks" again and it was not easy nor has it been pleasant.
Iardships were greater than had been expected and in many res
poets 1921 has been one of unpleasant disappointments.
One great achievement started in 1921 may make the year pre-
eminent in history the conference for the limitation of ornaments,
perhaps the longest and most decisive stride civilization has ever
taken. Aside from that no great advance has been made by the
nations of the world.
This country has suffered business depression and unemploy-
mcnt in its efforts to return to normally. There have been industrial
disturbances and threatened strikes from which the outstanding de
in the railroad labor disputes. How much 1921 has done for in
dustry, what its lessons will mean to the employer and to the en-
ployed, and how they will be needed, 1922 and the years to follow
Politically, the Republican party has come back into power
and holds the reigns of government in firm hands that have shown
their skill in guiding successfully in past years.
For Hawaii the old year has been especially disappointing. 1t
has brought diminished crops through labor shortage, a steady and
continuous decline IN n pflcc OF raw sugars TO III lowest inquire
known in a decade. With such a state Of affairs came disappearance
of bonuses, decreased wages and salaries and vanishing dividends,
decreased incomes in all directions. Public improvements have lag
ged if not halted but the lesson has been taught to those who were
willing to learn, a lesson of self reliance and independence of the
need Of economy in all affairs whether public or private, community,
business or individual.
So young 1922 enters with no very promising estate to manage
bequeathed to him by his predecessor and with a task of building
up and construction to be faced. He is a "hard times baby as it
were, but that need not make folk pessmists for there may be a
gold spoon in his mouth" after all and the young vssage is more
pleasant to look upon than the wrmkled, care worn face of the
departing year. From the New Year not nearly so much is looked
for and hoped from. That will mean fewer disappontments with
the passing days. He comes casping in his chubby fists a gift of
hopes for Hawaii of a duty on Jaw sugar that may bring better
prices and of relief for the labor shortage, of a stabilizing of the
money market that may make sales of bonds possible once more and
renew the era of progress and Improvement.
And as the old year tOters onward there is reason for optim-
ism, confidence, happiness and for joy in the hope that the darkest
days have passed or are passing with it and that the turn of the road
back to general prosperity has been rachel or is only just ahead.
For each one 1922 will be just what he or she makes of it ac-
cording to the attitude that he or she takes toward it. Each can
make it happy or sad, bright or somber, for himself or herself and
for those about him or her as the will directs, for true happiness is
ever within the reach Of all who will grasp it or labor for its at
tainment.