Ka Nupepa Elele, Volume XI, Number 52, 9 August 1890 — LEGISLATIVE POLICY. [ARTICLE]

LEGISLATIVE POLICY.

If one may judge by the altnost innumerable pētitions for appropriatioiiB, large and «uinll, that are being duniped befōre the Lpgislature during the cousideration of t!io Bndget, th«a Ministry, Nobles tn>d Representives alike will bave a h»rd time of it to please their supporteis and eonstituents wliile tlioy preserve the credit of the <>ountry. Tlu* aggn;gute araottftts asked f<>r, if gzauted v worild entail disitster upon even a more" fortimate

aiul m<>re progressive State tt: :n Hawaii. Consf?quently, as pv»r «l»;ī must )>e cut aecoriling to tho cTotb we possesa, onr expenditure.s nmst : eontroUed by oor ineome ar»d assets, arfd pany, yery Di;mv. wonld be raids upon the Tie;ts«ry be po8tponed to a more opportime time. P;'obnbiy tliere are maliy o{.tliese rejected or snggestions for speuding i'aiioniil monies tbat huve intriiisic merit ;ind will in ponrse of tiine be adoptcd by fnture Legislatures when onr Treasnry is pletl»oric ; bnt, nntil tlmt tiine co!nes, tliere tuu»t be many disappointments , and mueh liai'd agamst those W J20 for the tiuie boing Uavo eontro! of the guidance of tlie nation throngh the Seylk and Cliarybdis of fihance and po]itics. with some very fcw exception« ( Ha\Vaiiiin migtrios have been sovery ephei»e]fa] in theii' l.en£th pf esistence, it Uas heeowe atn)ost a jpopular proverb that nearly ovory geutl«taau wlio obeys His Majesty's cooinian4 to accept a portfolio doeā go merely as «iu obJigatiori dua to the f5tate, and not fo»- pejfSoi}al »mbition. He is perfectly aware t1iat s<riye hp ever so hard to do his duty, or nmke personal or business concessioi»s of far greater importance to hiru than sharing a« & factor in th« destiny of a coiintry hifi reward is niarted out for him. Sooner 6r later he bonnd to be condemned by the will, abused by all and round!y rated as !ncompetent, even if he ««e.ipe the charge of dishonestj r . Ministers, therefore, ought to be case-hardened enough to excrcise their teioporary power in the teeth of opposit:oti, and to eome up to the scratch gui}Iingly even if d©feat stare them in the face, if they are sincerely fighting for the good oi the country. The legislators are *omewhat in the same predicament. Certamly lhey have ihe privilege of abusing and the power of " ousting " tbe Ministry. That is one advuntage! th€y possess, during their aoniewhai! %ri#f life, over their saperiors. But then they " dart death to theaiselves,i and to their foes but smart," for who, in uny conntry, after a Legig]uture is deHd, ever heard or read of its being cal!ed «n "lione5t one" by its political opponents or 11jd di.sappoint«d trīeiids uha pkieeā sa inuek faith 011 the promīseg Oie polle maele by those they elected. Of course when tU» miMenium visits5 this eKrth, all these th»»gs "wil! bo ch*ng#d, and al! politics will be forgotten in the allabsorbing !iarroouies of peaea *nd loYe. But, ontil tben, Ministera and Jejgislators aiast rise aud fall with or «ritbont nierit —be praised and abusml 0d in ge»erations past. They must put their shoulders to the «-heel, and tbeir axes 011 the and plow ,and hew away for their c*ouūtrv , s interest regardless of their own welfate, All th«t tliey ean do is to woik di!igently aud faithfu!ly for the autonoaiy of Hawaii, lilk»rty of thought and g 4 overnment, and the cousmninaticm of j ;su«»i» internal iuipiMvein#uts} t»si {be i t b ouutry ean with a lil>era! economy' «ttbrd, i