The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-04-09
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
S4TERD4Y. APRIL 9.
Live and Let live"


The Government organ Of this week, in a lead
ing article Of unusual common sense and sound
ness Of argument for that paper, utters some
iudicious advice. which it would be well for all
to remember. Had we space we should like to
copy the article entire, but have room only for
this extract, which will illustrate its argument
We occasionally hear persons say, " we can get such ana
we can il Honolulu that We are obliged to pay excessive
prices Tor almost everything herea 5 compared with other parts
Of the world" Many seize opportunities, eithST uiTOdSh Hieiia
going abroad or otherwise, 10 send small orders, and almost
on their own account, calculating, though not always proita-
bIy. 10 gain some advantage thereby. The small bundle i'm
~ srr,-J II Ne wapt 4 nice. of machinery. or mecIan-
zeal work Of any kind, We are quite apt TO send away for il,
saying, it cannot he done 81 well here, or, II Is 50 much cheaper
to have II done abroad that We cannot afford TO have it done
here Ii ; a til-acy that things got abroad are much neiter
than those procured at home,-It Is particularly so III regard 10
mechanical wCTk--as honolulu mechanics nav Ia OCCASION 10
fear Comparison, with the mechanics of other countries. in the
bic thai prices Of goods and Of labor should be higher here than
in England, or tie United States, and We should be willing TO
dr,rer l r,i. ;Is, Would he Necessary if we were 4 numerous
people, and had an Immense trade and large home competition
in business In this way we shall most surely build vi home
industries and create home employment, and every ones bust
ness prosperity will cOnduceIo that OF his fellow citizen and
n~eghbor's.
These Illustrations are true, and unfortunately
too common, and the advice given is sound. 1t
is only by endeavoring to help merchants or
mechanics established here that we can hope to
prosper, as a community, for the larger the bust
ness done by each firm, the less it can afford to
do the work or to sell for. Take, for instance,
the Foundry-one of the worthiest enterprises ever
established in this Kingdom. Its current annual
expenses, we will assume TO be forty thousand
dollars, and the amount Of Foundry work re-
quired in the islands at sixty thousand dollars.
Now were all this work done here, the Foundry
could afford to do it at about cost, after its
current expenses are met but if fifteen or
twenty thousand dollars worth is sent abroad
those who have their work done here must
pay more, and even then the establishment barely
meets its current expenses.
So with a mercantile firm a business of fifty
thousand dollars a year, allows it to sell its goods
at a certain percentage over cost. IL instead of
fifty, it can do a business of seventy-fve or one
hundred thousand, it can afford to reduce the
percentage charged over the cost. The same rea-
soning applies to every branch of trade.
Were the Government to adopt the sound ad-
vice of it's own paper, it would employ private
capital to establish steam, to do the harbor tow
age, to import its material and stock, to print its
newspapers, and do its other printing-in short
to perform all work required in every department
Of It's service, for the same reasoning applies to
all. \ steam capitalist engaged in carrying on
the harbor towage, might afford TO contract to
furnish ihter-island steamers for a smaller bonus
than without. \ printing office, already estab-
lished, and paying current expenses, can afford
to do all Government printing at Il small percent
age over the actual cost, and for one half what it
costs government.
Government imports it's own stationery and
school books Of every description, while firms
engaged in the same branch of business could
afford to supply 1t for as small or smaller cost.
The argument that it obtains it's books and sta
tionery free of duty amounts really to nothing,
for when duty is paid ON supplies sold to it,
it is merely taking money from one department
and paving it to another. The free importation of
it's stock, and supplying it tooevery Government
attache at below trade rates is a pernicious policy,
and Injuries those engaged in regular business.
:. Live and let live - should not only be the
motto but The practice of the Government. En-
courage merchants and mechanics in every branch
of trade, by patronizing them and paying a fair
profit for their services. The argument of the
Gazette writer, with a slight change of one or
TWO words i~iaEcized, comes home with powerful
rorce in this application
That IGoreTHneHtJ therefore. which does not employ its
citizens 10 supply its own wants, - tar as that is practical
and reasonable, puIsues a most short-sighted pol CS, and
M. that tends To the impoyerishnent Of I'll its individual mem
,ers. Yet it IS difficult 10 persuade iGOUsrnmeHI that ats
interests ail be promoted more effectUany by that which [
,rnmoIes the general good, where The latter must be attained
through any sacrifice Of personal advantage or benefit
Ch-apness Of price, rs well a. variety OF assortment, de-
ends upon the Iargeness of trade, and i is quite evident that
ghere sales are extensive the profits may be smaller with adj
antage TO both seller and consumer. SO also the smechanic,
tho is assured of plenty of work in his line, may cheaper his
by increasing his facilities and conveniences Tor
he doing Of his work and rs each improvement Tor doing 1t
10 enlarge his ability 10 do more, and also other Glasses
T work, by the natural progression Of business, the lG0reTn-
isnfl receives enlarged accommodation in the supply OF its
Tants and at cheaper prices
The Australian steam Line.