The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-08-18
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY, AUGUST Is.

eminent had granted 20 u. u. ffarris, Esq, Ger
tain privileges in the gathering of pull, pia, and
fungus from the waste government lands on
Hawaii. In the Polynesion, we find the terms Of
the contract as given officially on the part of the
Minister of the Interior, as follows:
L. The Minister grants to C. C. Harris the exclu-
sive privilege, for sir months from the Both Of July
last, to take from all the government lands in all the
districts Of Hawaii as much pulu, arrowroot and fun
gus as they can collect during that time.
2 c. C. II. pays TO the Department Of the Interior
one hundred and City dollars monthly during the
continuation Of said privilege, and is to render to the
Minister a statement Of the quantities of these arti-
ces collected by him during each month, and such
other statistics connected with the business as may
prove useful.
8. This privilege does not extend to any govern
ment land which may be leased or sold by the gorern-
menf subsequent TO the date Of the grant, but only to
lands in its possession Mt the time being; but c. c. II.
to have the refusal OF such land or lands on the terms
offered by any other party. Also right of native ten
ants to gather for their private use to be respected.
4. STIMULATES for the renewal Of the privilege at the
expiration of the time. cseteris paribus and mutandis
mutatis; with an increase o: payment proportionate
to the increase Of the business, 10000 pounds q
month from the government lands being the basis Of
the present arrangement.
To understand the operation which this new
order will have, it is necessary here to state some
facts relating to the traffic in pia, pulu, and fun
gus. The gathering of these articles has been
from time ~immemorial comp:on to all who chose
to obtain them. The government lands are said
to embrace about three fourths of all the lands
on which these products exist to any extent. On
every part of Hawaii there are retail dealers. who
trade with the natives, some of them principally
on credit. A shop dealer or a peddler will sell
all he can to u native, who promises 10 pay in re-
turn pia. fungus or pulu ct 50 much n pound.
These articles, therefore, constitute, i'm some sense,
the currency Of thai island, the shopkeeper taking
them as coin in payment for his goods. The
traffic is not confined merely to one or two firms,
but nearly every dealer in merchandise. deals
more or less in them. There are on Hawaii over
forty storekeepers and peddlers, and though a few
of these may not deal to any extent in the arti-
Giles specified, from the fact that they are not
located in favorable districts, yet as a general
thing pull and pia are received largely in pay
ment for goods by the foreign traders, and fungus
chiefly by Cinnamon, and on this latter class,
who as traders are generally inoffensive and
quiet citizens, the operation of this contract will
be exceedingly oppressive and impolitic.
The practical effect of this new edict Of
the government will be to utterly destroy the
business of from thirty to forty dealers on Hawaii
for the benefit of one. Here, then, we have a
monopoly granted to the detriment of the trade
and interests of a large class of worthy persons,
who are now left to shift as best they can. Is
not this a gross injustice? Is it not openly in
violation of the constitution? Are the public
interests thus to be sacrificed by the government?
The assertion that any man who chooses to avail
himself Of the privilege granted to c.. G. Har-
ris; can do so by leasing or buying the govern
ment lands on which pull grows, is utterly false
and unfounded, if the official statement of the
contract is reliable, inasmuch as that gentleman
has the refusal of the lease or purchase of any or
all the said government lands, at The same terms
offered by other parties, which, if we know its
meaning in common usage, bars all other appli-
cants.
Viewing this transaction in this light, is it not
a gross injustice to private interests? Is it not
openly in violation of the rights guaranteed by
by the constitution? Every foreigner who is en-
gagged in trade on Hawaii, entered into his bust
ness with faith that the government would not
deprive him unawares of those privileges which
custom and usage allowed him. The granting,
therefore, of any monopoly to one person or even
two or three, where there are others with nipple
capital, ready and willing to comply with the
terms on which such monopoly is granted, is un-
constitutional and unjust. The constitution is
explicit on this point, and we quote it:
ART. IA. The King conducts His Government for
the common good; for the protection, safety, pros
perity and happiness of His people; and not for the
profit, honor, or private interest of any one man,
family or class OF men among His subjects. There
fore in making laws for the nation, regard shall be
had to the protection, interest and welfare not only
OF the King, the Chiefs, and rulers, but Of all the
people alike.
The 9Th section of the new Code, published in
another part of this paper, also expressly declares
that any act done in contravention of a prohibi-
tory law as null and Uoid. The article in the con-
~stitution quoted above was evidently inserted to
restrain the government from granting any mono
poly or privilege to the injury of the interests of
any of its subjects.
For some time past the government or its
officers, have thought that some revenue ought to
be derived from the produce of the public lands
on Hawaii. That certainly is right and just.
TO. this end, the governess of that island last
fabued the gathering of pulu on the public
lands. This act was not approved of by the gov
eminent here, and the tabu was repealed, as un-
Just. But in principle, the present act is more
unjust than the former, inasmuch as, instead of
'abuing it to all, it fa6us the traffic to all ercepf-
ing only one firm.
But it will be asked, if it is right for the gov
to derive a profit from the product of its
ands, how shall it be effected p Certainly it can
y done in some more just manner than by ruin
IN the business Of thirty or forty merchants for
he bo@t 81 one firm. There are different ways 4
n which - same end could be attained without
njnst5cs okeny one. First, by inuing licenses |,
0 satk1r1kee2srtieles, fixing thsutat whatsver
r - @ Pr aa1un. may - found {