Nuhou, Volume I, Number 2, 28 February 1873 — Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel. [ARTICLE]

Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel.

Wlien the wagoner was crying out to llercules bccausc liis cart was stuck in tlie mud, tlic god told tlie whining man to get up and put his shoulder to tlie wheel; so possibly the godclcss Columbia, if whilst oiir " one horse n cart is -stuck in a rut ? andwe.are crying otit to her w T e are ruined, and to Come over and lielp us, slie might comfort us with tlie sanie answer.' Our coiidition is not so bad but what industry, economy and good management might remedy many of the evils. It is painfurto see a man or a eommunity liaving no liope of success in life 5 but from some outside help. Such a one leans upon a loan, a legacy, or other expectation s and lacks strength in proportion to his leaning upon a financial crutcli. We havc our hopes in reciprocity or annexation; measures that may have their merit under certain conditions; but we may lose 1 our heritage in dawdling expectation belore they are Coitsummated. Tliese are not things to be got merely for the asking. Is America a loving parent indulgently eager to grant iis what we may ask ? We spent perhaps 540,000 in suing for reciprocity before, ahd the door was shut in our face r anel if you try again you inust send an agent with at least $10,000 in his pocket for his own use, and lie may, be he ever so wise and faithful, spencl that, aiid eome bāck with empty hands, anel say lie needs $10,000 more. And as for annexation; if King and people, native anel foreign |,were all imited in praying for annexation, we /have no satisfactory assurance from Amoi'ioe», W'M-il'.l arrange her contmental policy, and accept the government of this groupin the PaeMe. So long as We are not going to employ a foreigri opposition teamster (a Britisher for instance) to drive: our cart ānd get it out of its rut, Columbia will most likely say to usj "get up anel put your slioulder to tlie wheel. Go and stay on your plantations and look sharp after their eeonomie management. Combine intelligently and get rid of your mutual jealousies and rivalries, and subscribe your means to procure labor if needed. Bell your sugar in Honolulu for a uniform price and avoid a multitucie of charges, get out of debt and be independent, and a clay may eome when we may bo m.ulually glad to unite our political Jbrtuhes. ,J , 5 That day has not yet eome. We may see i.t, native and loreign alike; but uiifeil we mu so see it,' is it safe to start an " annexatioii party," and consequentlyx give rise to a "native party;" thē fQrmer incited for mere speculative pur|>oses, and the latter leading to a cessation of all organized I industfy. Let us work, let us dis<3uss and eome to a mutual good understanding of our eondition, and not be so mueh oeeupieel in' crying out for lielp and in waiting for soniething*4o turn up. We inUst put our shoulder to the wheel and get our political cart out of the rut of cliques, anel with a| new driver and a fresh team make good | time oii the liigh way to prosperity. OiU* great neeel at this juneture is new men, not tied up by any inlluenee or interost whatever; who know how to drive, and who will drive onward^ a