The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-05-23

HASpy
MIR. EDITOR 1t is hardly ever necessary or wise
to pay for the " natural and inevitable" To pre-
pare for it, and be ready is wise, but not always to
hasten its ~consummation. That the natural aud IN
evitable commercial and political dependency of these
Islands upon the United States docs not alarm A. u.
or myself, is perhaps because to some extent we
should be favored by such a consummation, and if
our interests alone were to be considered, we would
regard it with but little concern. 1t was not al
luded to in my communication of last week as a sub
ject of alarm to us, but as something to be seriously
considered by those who were to regard other inter
ests as well as the commercial interests of the Islands.
1t was alluded to rs inevitable, but not to be rashly
FASTENED. When our trade is entirely with San
Francisco, and not direct with the great markets Of
the world, it is evident that to San Francisco will ac-
crue handsome profits, commissions, charges, &C.,
which we shall pay. Of course to those in trade this
is of but little moment, as they expect to adapt them
selves to circumstances but to the national welfare
it is an important consideration.
On the question of what will make up to the
steamers the loss of subsidy when the time expires,
A. z. seems to have based his figures upon the whole
eighteen trips, while it must be remembered that this
subsidy is only to provide for eight. And if the cal
culation is right that they can reasonably look for
such an increase of trade, it is certainly unreasona-
bic to demand a subsidy in addition.
Docs \. L.. suppose for an instant that planters
could get a fraction of a cent per hundred pounds
more on new contracts with two steamers than with
one? When the last contracts were made we based
our figures upon five dollars per ton freight. BY
steam it would be six or eight dollars.
If, as A. z. says, there would be no advantage in
shipping by an intermediate vessel, he proves how
likely we should be to have an opposition vessel put
ON at any time.
Who presumes that the United States Government
had in view the cheapening of our rates of freight in
establishing this line? The objects of the United
States Government are plain, and We have no need
to supplement the provision which it has made for its
purposes, Why should We not reap the benefit of it
without any payment whatever?
MI. \ z. lays down as a principle that steam pre-
vents scarcity and high prices, and thus reduces the
cost to the consumer. And yet he expects steam to
operate exactly the reverse in our favor by creating
high prices and increasing the cost of our products
to the consumer. "To buy in the cheapest and sell
in the dearest market - is the first principle of the
/. wealth of nations" Thus we are asked to expend
all our efforts in combining ourselves to do both in q
dear market.
How steam is going to bring labor from a place
Offering such attractions as ~ H., with Ruskinian
IOfNA $3.50 k-s
it be true that California presents such attractions
for immigration, the Hawaii conch shell, even with
the HahO's steam whistle as an accompaniment, will
be blown in vain. The worst of it is for those in IA
vor of steam subsidy that it is true.
We have capital enough in the country now for our
wants, if we could only find its holders confidence.
Our case differs from the financial crisis in England
in that, in England, it was largely produced by a
lack of confidence in the honesty in many of the
schemes for investment offered to the public. Here,
it arises from the fact that failures have been occa-
stoned by overstocked markets, and capitalists can
easily see that a small increase in our production
would lead to the same result again.
We have capital enough to carry on all the pro-
duction that is now safe and profitable. Our ma
chinery, though not yet brought to the perfection it
might be, is fully equal if not better than that of
Manila, Central America and Peru. Our drawbacks
are the cost of labor (none of the imported is cheaper
than the native,) and the higher cost of maintaining
laborers here than in those countries.
If it is not too soon to prepare for the wave of emf
9 ration which 4. T. expects to reach our shores,
in what better way could it be done than in n
system of public improvements, by which our lands
would be available?
In this discussion many reason as though upon
this subsidy hinged the whole question of steam CON-
with San Francisco. We must remember
that it is not so-that the United States Government
have initiated this matter, and will see that it is
carried out. If the addition of another vessel will
produce the results well predicted by 4. T., it is
plainly for the interest of the Company to put on
such a vessel, and there is no doubt it viii be done
1 only regret that circumstances prevent as careful
a reply as the article OF \ z deserves. If his enthu-
siasm leads him to color highly the picture he draws,
il is nevertheless rs elaborate and thoughtful an ex-
position as We could have of that side of the question,
must be based entirely upon imaginary re-
suits. III. \. p. c.