The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-11-27
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER %.


Protection tn Home Industry.
The meeting Of the = Hawaiian Trades Associa-
tion,' - of which we gave notice in our last issue,
took place on Monday evening ut the Armory.
The weather had every appearance of rain, and
owing to this fact no doubt, the attendance ut
the meeting was quite small, and did not exceed
twenty-five persons, including three of the
Gazette staff.
At half past seven O'Clock, Mr.. L. L.. Torbert.
President Of the Association, called the meeting
to order, and after stating that no speaker had as
yet been procured to address the Association,
said that with their permission, he would read n
short essay which he had prepared on the subject
of tariffs in general, and u protective tariff in
particular. lie then proceeded to read n carefully
prepared and soundly-argued essay, in which the
relations borne to each other in the state by
agriculture, commerce aud manufactures were
clearly set forth and exemplifcd. Mr.. L. also
gave n brief history Of the system of raising
revenue by n tax on imports, which. in the lapse
Of time, by being made discriminating, became
protective to- home manufactures. He then pro-
ceeded to apply the principle to different nations,
under the different circumstances of their growth,
showing that there was n time in the history of
all modern nations when protection for home
industries was an absolute necessity. This view
was illustrated by frequent references To noted
periods in the commercial and manufacturing
histories of England and the United States, with
which Mr.. L. was evidently quite familiar.
Now in our case at these islands, said the
speaker, - our prosperity depends altogether on
sugar plantations and the whaling fleet. Aud r.
it should happen that both Of these should fan
us-which is by no means impossible, AMI in the
case Of whaling quite probable, and ut NO very
remote period-witbout manufactures of our
own, we should most decidedly 90 to the wall
lie advocated the fostering of home industries
BY government aid directly, as well rs by n tariff.
Ins;anced the one article of wool which is raised
here To- "A more limited extent than it might be.
We do not manufacture q pound Of our wool.
Bot we pay foreign countries for the privilege of
selling il in their markets, and then we pay
foreign artizans to make it into blankets and
cloths for us, and to make 1t up into clothing for
wear. So that in the end most OF the profits Oh our
wool 60 abroad and stay there. With assistance
frOm the government, n wooden mill could be
made n success here, and a great deal OF money
that is now sent away every year, would be
retained in the country to develop Its various re-
sources and to rear and support nm Industrious
population.
Some opponents of protection argue that il it's
adhcrcnts succeed in barring out competition
from abroad, they will Immediately raise the
prices of their goods, and thus the consumer
would be oppressed. The answer to this is, that
competition Mt home will always keep prices
down b fair rates, and that combinations for the
purpose OF keeping up prices have never in the
II ---l - =, - l. .--~m~ Al. .t..
Association desire an advance in the prices Of
their productions beyond present rates. They
cmphatically disclaim any such object. What
they want is, more work, Mt the present ntes of
compensation. Without undertaking to give Mr..
Torbert's exact words, the foregoing is the sub
stance in brief OF his essay, which was listened
70 with deep attention.
Mr.. Young Of the Honolulu Iron Works, fol-
IAowed in n few well considered remarks, in which
he showed how his own particular business would
be increased by n discriminating tariff, and re-
peated some Of the facts in regard to the iron
business on these islands, that had been stated by
Mr.. Hughes, in a former citizens meeting.
Mr.. George Clark, (boot and shoe maker,)
spoke Of tine desire that existed among the natives
TO learn trades. There was scarcely n day that
passed in which he bad not an application to take
an apprentice. Bot the great quantities of for
eign made articles imported here cheaply made
lit useless for our own mechanics to attempt to
eenlarge their business, and give employment to
the natives as they would like to-. And 50 it was
in various other trades with protection to war
rant enlargement, hundreds Of young Hawaiians
could have the opportunity for which they are
now seeking, to learn some useful trade. And it
was n mistake to suppose that prices would go up
with protection. He was prepared to show how,
under = discriminating tariff, and consequent in
creased production, a pair Of boots that now cost
$l4. could be made for Sl2. or even SO.
Repeated calls were made by the President for
remarks from any one wishing to shy a word for
q free trade" but that doctrine appeared to have
no friends in the meeting. At half past eight,
the Association adjourned, to such future day as
the President may appoint BY public notice.
The question of Protection Va. Free Trade, is
one that has Tor years in the principal commercial
and manufacturing countries in the world. occu-
pied the attention of statesman and philosophers.