The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-12-24
A Chamber of Commerce.

In our issue of the 18th instant, we gave some
what briefly our views on the Importance and ne
cessity of reviving the now dormant Chamber of
Commerce in this city. We are happy to know
that the ground then taken by us is fully endorsed
by some of our prominent merchants, and we
hope to see immediate measures taken towards
the desired end the reorganization of the
Chamber in such a form that it will be permanent
and efficient. And firstly, it should be composed
only of the strictly mercantile classes, the men
who have interests at stake in the commerce.
trade and agriculture OF the country. Such men
are the proper ones to form such a body, because
their interests are the interests of the whole COM
munity. As the Chamber formerly existed, mem
bership was voted by reclamation, instead of by
ballot as it should be, and the consequence was
that a good many took. part in the discussions
whose interests in the questions brought up were
exceedingly remote, and whose only qualification
was a talent for speech-making. The Government
Ministers also used to attend, and take a part in
the discussions. All this we hold to be irregular,
and so sure as it is repeated in the reorganization
which is contemplated, will result, as it has in
the past, in the decadence and practical dying out
OF the institution.
@Fhe-Gfmmber of Commerce of the city of New
York, which is perhaps the most perfectly organ
lied institution of the kind in the world, is COM
posed exclusively of the leading merchants, repre-
sented sometimes, however, by legal counsel regu-
larly retained.
The New York Times, in a recent issue, speak
ing of the Chamber of Commerce, says:
"One of the most interesting and valuable of the
volumes which have recently been published is the
Annual Report of the Chamber of m of this
State, for the year ending May l, 1870. Like the
reports which have proceeded it, this is made up of
two parts-a record of the proceedings of the Cham
Der for the year, and special reports on the various
branches of trade, and statistics Of trade and finance
These latter take a somewhat wider range than the
reports and statistics of preceding years, having as
many as sixty distinct articles or papers. A great
variety of information relating to the trade Of New
York City. and of the country at large, is contained
in the work.
prefxed a history of the Chamber from May, 1866.
to May, 1870. This is a continuation of an historical
sketch written by DIR. Charles King, fourteen years
ago, and heretofore published. which brought the
record down to the former year"
The Chamber has a regular set of Bylaws, and
a number of Standing Committees, to whom
are referred all questions of trade, and
production. The published history to which we
have aIluded, mentions the amount of work the
Chamber has done, and the good it has accom-
plished during the fourteen years, showing how
the organization has directed trade, Influenced
legislation, and nodded public opinion, as hardly
any other Organization could have done.
During the late civil war, the Chamber exerted
It's powerful influence in sustaining the Govern
mem, both morally and financially. From the MEM
orable meeting of the Chamber, the day before the
uprising of the masses at Union-square-the Doth
of April, 186l-to the very close of the war, its ut
terances of patriotism were only equaled by its
contribution of material aid. Ii declared alike
by its acts and its words that the burdens and
sacrifices imposed on the loyal millions by the
war for the Union were exhausting neither their
resources nor their patriotism.
1t will be obvious from these statements that
a Chamber of Commerce here, composed of re-
sponsible men whose interests in the country are
large, would be one of the best, if not the very
best support that the Government could have, in
a policy for the good of all parties.
We need not again recapitulate the arguments
re have used in the former and present articles,
Fneed we particularize the disadvantages or the
abasS, and the petty annoyances which it would
Dc the province of the Chamber to set itself to
remove. They are sufficiently well known to all.
y e leave the subject here, for the present, and
9~santine will he Glad IN hear any suggestions
bat may be ma5s