The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-12-17
"C1ap-Grap.'


In our last issue we alluded briefly to a kind of
valedictOry article, contained in the previous
weeks Gazette, which assumed that the whaling
business of the Pacific was a thing of the past,
and which babe a cheerful farewell 10 the portion
of Hawaiian commerce dependent thereupon.
The island business, we were virtually informed
by that article, now rested on so firm and wide a
basis in the form of sugar cultivation, that no
further care need be devoted to any other branch
of trade whatever. In other words, that the
only transactions which should henceforth occupy
the mercantile community here would be the
shipment of sugar and molasses from the country,
and the importing of ligt apparel for plantation
labOrers.
1t would be foolish Ia shut our eyes to the
very great importance of an industry which has
already proved very profitable, and whose pros
pective advantages are in the direct ratio of the
extent to which it can be carried on. But we
are not thus stultiied We do not SO obscure our
vision. We assert that it is to the interest of
commerce generally, of the sugar trade particu-
larly, because it happens to be the largest branch
OF our commerce, to maintain and encourage
every business which can be lucratively carried
on; and the worst enemies of sugar cultivation
are, though they may not mean to be, those who
would pursue it to the neglect of other business,
or who would encourage it by placing other
commerce at a disadvantage. Such a policy is
indeed most blindfold, and if our criticism thereof
be properly denominaRd :" cIap-trap,'' we are
content to place so sensible q term at the head o.
our remarks.
The Gazette admits that the large whaling
business, formerly transacted here, formed the
foundation of present activity. This is fact. The
supply of whaling fleets required the import oil
merchandise and stores to a large and profitable
extent, and from this source we have derived the
capital which has developed a now very consider
able agricultural industry. We are not indebted
to foreign investors for very much of the money
which has turned our marshes and upland plains
into fertile sugar fields most of the dollars so
employed are the profits arising from trade with
calling ships. 1t is in this respect that we even,
now enjoy an advantage over other countries, DOS
sessing land quite as suitable, and a climate quite
as favorable as ours. Natural advantages thew
may share with us; we cannot help that; but
the motive power, the vital breath of trade, is
ours, and that is the circulation of capital. A
large importing trade is of very high value to us.
As long as we can exchange our own productions
proftably for those of other countries, and in that
proportion only, our commerce rests on an advan-
tageous basis. Surprising that for a time the re-
turns from our sugars exported should largely ex-
coed the imports we require, and consequently
come back to US in cash for a while doubtless
the agriculture of the country would be greatly
enlarged and improved. But in our case the
manufacture of sugar is not one which can be in
creased Indefinitely, by the application of capital.
Pal = certain point of quality our ~prniaets are