Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 261, 18 ʻAukake 1891 — Page 4

KA LEO O KA LAHUI.

"E Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono."

 

KA LEO.

John E. Bush.

Luna Hooponopono a me Puuku.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1891.

 

OPIUM AGAIN.

 

Yesterday morning the community was somewhat startled to hear of an opium seizure having been made, and many were the congratulations among the friends and supporters of the Government and of the Police Department in particular at the sleepless vigilance of Marshal Wilson and his force; that the seeming cessation of opium seizures was only an ominous truce to afford that gentlemen to at once break up the balance of the opium smuggling.  To be sure in doing this, opium has gone down to about seven dollars a pound and is a drug, in the market, - something unprecedented in the history of the illicit business.  And then, as we understand it, it was only allowed with the view to lull the smugglers and pounce down upon them after they had gorged themselves with their profits, so that it would be a satisfaction to make a pull and fleece the robbers.  But our astonishment was increased, when we were told that the seizure was made by Mr.  W.  Sheldon lately of the Port Surveyor’s force, that the opium, a hundred half pound tine, was found in the stable of Col. John Holt the late appointed Port Surveyor of Honolulu, and a cousin of the Prince Consort.

We had our misgivings that the appointment would redound to no credit to our friend and fellowtownsman, Mr.  Holt. As the post was one full of temptation and snares, and was also a descension from the honored position in which he was in, as a member of her Majesty’s Staff.  Let it not be understood, however, that though the opium seized was found on Mr.  Holt’s permises, he himself had anything to do with it, oh, no, we think to much of the Colonel, and of the high regard he has for his position near her Majesty to believe that he would be implicated in anything of a cloudy nature, unless perhaps he has been unfortunately mislead by others behind him.  However, except the finding of the opium on Mr.  Holt’s premises, there is nothing whatever to lead us to believe that the vile stuff was ever known by him to be at all near his permises.  And this is still more likely to be the case as the opium was seized from a Chinaman who is said had been lately in the Colonel’s employ, and knew the premises thoroughly, and where to stow it away snugly and safely.

 

THE LAND.

 

We notice that the Minister of Interior proposes to sell the lease of many thousand acres of land in Hawaii.  This means that rich men will secure this immense tract of land for a long term of years and it will be lost to the people.  No man of moderate means can have any chance to buy or lease public lands as long as it is put up in lots as it is at present.  It seems certain that this method is pursued on purpose to debar the people from enjoyment of public lands.  In these cases it is usual for a bargain to be made with the Minister of Interior by some corporation or millionare for a certain piece of land at a certain price, called the upset price.  The sale at auction is a mere form.

When it is a question of large sums the people are not to be considered.  A while ago a piece of land comprising 6,000 acres was sold in Hawaii.  How many men in this Kingdom could put in a bid at such a sale?

If the Minister were a friend of the people or a well meaning and intelligent man he would offer the public lands for sale in forty and eighty acres lots.  Then our people might get homesteads and become independent and useful citizens.  We need a class of small farmers and diversity of industries; but this natural and desirable development is prevented by the shameless corruption of officials.

 

DIVERSITY OF INDUSTRIES.

 

Our brother Daniel of the Bulletin frequently attacks this classic subject for editorial compositions and struggles valiantly with the difficulties of English diction and a congenital lack of grey matter in the cortex of the brain.  Even this is not an altogether safe topic for a journal owned by a stock company and whose editor is instructed not to raise opposition and to refrain from disturbing the somnolence of the public.  Recently the Bulletin suggested the fishes as a suitable class of animals for canning.  This aroused the morning Silurian and the Bulletin has had the finger of scorn pointed at him and insinuations have been made that he does not know what he is talking about.  We will not discuss any of the diverse industries that might be established here, but discuss shortly the reason why the sugar planters have a monopoly of all the resources of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

The which is a necessary element in most industries have been grabbed by the missionaries-by begging inheritance, mortgages, trusts and various sharp practices known to pious lawyers and money-changers.

Government land has been fraudulently sold and leased in immense tracts far beyond the means of common people.  The land is owned by a few rich proprietors who will neither cultivate the land nor sell to those who might wish to do so.  It is like the aristocracy in England making large tracts of land waste for their amusement in hunting, while the common people went through life in a state of chronic hunger.

It is not possible to get land for farming near the market.  The best that is open to the agriculturist in this kingdom is to take a lease, but the rent and the feeling that the tenant has only a temporary interest prevent the establishment of industries.  Again all district outside of Honolulu are subject to the exactions of transportation companies and it has frequently happened that independent efforts to establish a business has been frustrated by exorbitant charges unjust discrimination and active persecution.

The missionaries are so narrow and jealous that they use every effort to strangle and drive out every one whom they see trying to make a living in anyway except as hirelings.  Every attempt at independence meets the determined and bitter opposition of the bloated money-bags that call themselves missionaries.  Some years ago there were a number of small plantations.  Where are they know?  They have been absorbed and the owners robbed under courts and laws calculated for such purpose.  Now plantations are consolidating, two or three under one management.  Is not the country in a bad way?

 

DEATH’S DOMAINS.

(CONTINUED.)

 

It is a serious question if any good purpose was served by allowing three hundred persons to visit the settlement and mingle freely with the lepers.  It cannot be doubted that many cases will date from that day.  It is impossible to come in such intimate relations with the lepers without being contaminated with the disease.  The office of the Board of health was besieged with applicants for passport and many were issued there and at the wharf and on board, and many went without permits, many of those who had them made the trip without being called on to show them.  It was practically free to all who could get on board.

What most surprised the writer about the management of the settlement was the fact that the patients there receive no treatment for leprosy.  They are fed and the desease is allowed to develop and run its slow course to the grave uninterfered with.  They are only treated for any current trouble.  The lepers desire to have a physician to treat leprosy.  The one who addressed the Queen said: “From the four corners of the earth we see glimmering lights imparting good news to us that there is yet hope for us who are afflicted with this dreadful malady.  Bring them hither.  Here we are in death, this is our grave.”

It is true that there are many reports of the efficiency of certain remedies.  But as the father in charge at Kalaupapa said it would be almost impossible to subject twelve hundred lepers to continuous treatment.  It would take a hundred doctors and tons of expensive medicines.  But there are a great many mild cases that ought to be treated at a hospital near Honolulu.  It is agreed by medical men that incipient forms can be benefited and the progress of the disease arrested.  In regard to Calmagoora oil all who have used it report that it heals up the leprous sores.  It has the advantage of being a cheep oil of commerce.

Ought not the Board of Health to ship a few barrels to Molokai.  The gargun nut, and calicylic and pyrogallic acids are known to reduce the tubercles; and electricity to be efficacious in resorting the sensibility of the an esthetic parts.  With the remedies much can be done, and if no cures are effected patients can be prevented from becoming total wrecks.

When the settlement was first started in 1864 the condition of things there were immeasurably worse than now.  Food, clothes, shelters were all wanting.  Lepers rotted without an effort being made to help them.  The diseased appeared in its most malignant form and ran swiftly in dreadful course.  The mortality was as high as 23 percent, that is, the average life was only four years.  Now the mortality is only eleven percent and the average life about nine years.  This improvement is mostly due to better treatment.  This has been accomplished and more can be done.

Is there hope for a cure?  Decidedly there are the best grounds for the belief that a certain remedy will be found within a few years.  The hope is founded on the work of science.  Science is founded on exact knowledge.  Careful study and accurate observation careful and intelligent experiment are almost sure to expose the cause and discover the remedy.  The way is open.  In the course of human development it has frequently happened that some discovery has opened the way for vast strides in advance.

To be Continued.

 

ONE WHO KNOWS.

 

I was very much amused, when I came down from Maui, by reading Mr.  Logan’s paper of the 15 ^th inst.

Mr.  Logans new writer rather startled me.  It is not difficult to place him.  If the unfortunate stock holders in the evening sheet want an editorial occasional, they ought to revise and superintendent the ebullitions put forward.

Professor Totten claims, that the millennium will arrive in November 1899.  I rather admire him, but I fear that he is making a mistake.  Since the appearance of the Bulletin editorial I feel justified in believing that the millennium is a great deal nearer.

Neither the kangaroo nor the beaver wrote those two columns in the evening sheet of the 15 ^th inst.

Who wrote it?  I plank it down to Mr.  Mott Smith the gentleman imported by Mr.  Sam Damon to be Mr.  Parker’s Minster of Finance.

When Mr.  Logan ran for noble for Maui, he excelled in promises to his supporters.  Mr.  Logan now appears as the responsible editor of the editorial rot, which he had printed in his paper of the 15 ^th inst.

I wish in my communication to leave out the name of Her Majesty.  But when her friends-God save her from them-deliver the kahuna “racket” I think, that I ought to tell you, that Her Majesty never takes any steps of importance without consulting a fortuneteller-a wahine haole-whose words are paramount to her.  If the fortunetelling lady selected the present cabinet for Her Majesty, my faith and my one dollar do not find its way in that direction any more.  Her address by next mail.

Probably Mr.  Parker supported the Ferman fortune teller specially attached to the executive staff when he was “ana@@naing”.  Mr.  Cummins he wanted the assistance of both Hawaiian and foreign witches.  The result of all this was the translation of the Chilian letter dated in May and published in Mr.  Logan’s paper for a valuable consideration last Saturday.  Let me ask the ex Vice Consul now presides in the Foreign Office who taught him to spell Chili as Chile and who translated the interesting letter from Mr.  Balmaceda.  Mr.  Waikapu’s relation must have had quite a time of it.

But where is the Cabinet?  Measuring out room for Her Majesty’s luau in the palace yard.  The Preimer has been “absent” for about two months, and now his busy brain is worrying over the arrangement for the celebration of the Queen’s birthday.

The natives will all be seated in a tent, but the planters and Mr.  Parker’s friends will be in the dining room upstairs.  I shall particularly watch Messrs.  E.C. Macfarlane & Co.

Mr.  Parker’s island speech has been referred to.  I believe Paul Neumann wrote it for him.  I have got it down in short hand and shall sent you a copy, when we get nearer to the next election.

FIGARO.

 

ON DIT.

 

That the Queen’s Premier has been lately mouthing a little speech written for him for use during Her Majesty’s tour, by some lawyer or literary preacher, which proves conclusively the position of the government.  It has a kind of Sunday School tone with touching allusions to “property.”  We intent to quote and comment, in both languages, hereafter, so that his countrymen can take in his full bearing towards them.

That it is not at all surprising that the royal equipage turned over, when we hear that an ex Minister was with the Queen at the time; especially as the dropping of the ex-miinster’s hanging portrait nearly preyed him to death.  So much superstition together was sufficient to overturn any vehicle.

That the present Premier is a failure, contrary to our hopes when he took office.  We thought he was the stay of young Hawaii, but his record proves that he does not care for the welfare of his countrymen, but like his predecessor plays second fiddle to a cunning coterie of white politicans.  He does not yet know the difference between Hoomaemae and Lahui, but will learn a lesson some day not far hence.

That Mr.  Thurston has gone to the Coast, where we hope he will imbibe some notions of liberty and honor during his sojourn in the home of freedom.

That the Heir Apparent, Kaiulani, bless her, is to be congratulated, especially during the absence of the Father Apparent, to the Throne, that Her Majesty’s carriage accident did not end disastrously.

That the Bulletin takes credit to itself of having growled at one platform brought before the Mechanies’ Unton, but it cannot claim to have had any part or @ in shaping the platform which it expresses its approval of.  It was ever thus with the Bulletin for it never did have courage or freedom enough to originate anything.  If it ever had the ability.