The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-02-08
Il PACIFIC
Commercial AO6rrtisrr.
SATURDAY. FEB. :.


to place the political AFFAIR." Of the Kingdom on a
working basis; the commercial and agricultural
affair, however, 50 vastly important and with
out the success Of which our Government must
drOOp, present anything but a satisfactory ap-
pearaucc. Let Us look az the situation. The
one great interest Of the country
ing and making,-is languishing, and must con-
tinue 70 languish, unless we can by some means
compete with other sugar-growins countries in
chea pness Of production. We have not tie labor
az tie requisite rates. IT this condition Of things
i not son changed for the better, our chirf in
dustry must greatly ialter and diminish, and the
Consequences to all interests throughout the en-
tire country, will be disastrous. What and where
is the remedy? One must be found, and speedily,
and we naturally and properly turn to the new
Ministry If our new King, for theadoptiOno Of some
active measures Of relief for the country, thus IN
danger Of rctrogressiOn. VIII the Ministers be
equal to the emergency, and exhibit the needed
qualities Of holiness, energy and wisdom? We
cannot but ardently trust that they will. Itonly
remains with His Majesty advisers TO inaugurate
a foreign policy which shall make the present
reign pre-eminently prosperous and illustrious,
or on the other hand, by a close adherence to the
old policy OF inactive conservatism, suffer our
waning fortunes to eliminate in pecuniary and
political eclipse.
We believe that the time and the circumstances,
are to-day more than ever before favorable for the
accomplishment Of the one only national measure
that can turn the tide of adversely that il now
advancing upon the country, into one of unex-
ampled pTosperity-the negotiation Of 4 Treaty
Of Reciprocity with the United States. In That
country, those who were the former opponents Of
the measure in the Senate are no longer in power.
The President, who has just been reelected, is
believed to be personally in favor of the project,
and we have just had ample proof afforded us
that his administration desires to be on the most
amicable terms with this Kingdom, and is anx-
ious in every possible way to assist us in advanc-
ing. At home, we have just entered upon a new
reign, with a new regime, under most happy and
encouraging auspices.
This, therefore, is the golden opportunity for
us 10 make a determined, a vigorous and an ex-
traordinary effort to secure the desired boon of n
reciprocal treaty with our nearest neighbOr, who
is also for that reason our most powerful friend.
In addition to a Royal Commission, clothed with
ample powers to conclude the desired treaty, We
earnestly believe that the accomplishment of the
/ ODJetI sOuRuL hOulu Dt uloo hAtucotlOihhOig hetot
ened and assured by the presence in Washington
of His Majesty in person. The effect of a visit
to the United States 10y the King of these Islands,
! on such a mission, would in the present temper
of the people and Government of that country,
be of untold advantage to us. lie, accompanied
with a suitable attendance, would be the nations
honored guest, and the obstacles that distance
and unfamiliarity now oppose to the granting of
our requests would be dissipated and removed.
But our punctiliOus conservatism may here put
in it's objections, to the effect that such a course
on the part of His Majesty would be undigniied
or unkingly. Fully assured as we are that our
Sovereign, the peoples choice, Will be willing
and eager to undertake and promote any measure
that will clearly be for the best interests of His
country and people, we cannot but view any such
objections rs frivolous, and sayoring of the Obso-
lete prejudices of a past age. But in history even,
we can point to illustrious examples of crowned
heads who, to seek the welfare and advantage Of
their own dominions, have visited foreign coun-
tries. One of the most notable, and opposite for
our purposes, was that of Peter the Great of
Russia, who spent years in England and Holland
in order to fit himself on his return to direct the
unskilled energies of his own country. \ few
years since, Queen Victoria visited the Emperor
of the French at CberbOurg, amidst great state
and ceremony, and the result was the negotiation
Of q commercial treaty between the two countries,
to the mutual advantage of each. In modern
times, the meeting of sovereigns to consult on the
interests and welfare of their respective countries,
has not been infrequent.
While we arc convinced that n visit by His
Majesty to the United States would be n measure
well calculated to subserve the interests Of the
country in very important particulars, we do not
however urge it as a present necessity we have
rather advanced the suggestion at this engrossing
~juneture in our affairs with a view TO it's thought
full consideration and possible future adoption.
But is urged by those who assume to doubt that
the United States will grant us reciprocity, that
we have nothing to give in return, or as a q1id
pro quo for the release on their part of the duties
on our products, the e%xaction of which now so
much retards our prosperity.
The commercial relations now existing between
this country and the United States, are of a more
intimate character than they were when this
matter was agitated some few years ago. The
advantages then possessed by more distant coun-
tries in being able to supply us cheaply with
many articles has, in a great measure, been lost
by them in consequence Of the advanced price of
In Dor as well as that of iron, fuel, and other raw
material. Again, the Pacific coast has developed
it's resources astOnishingly within the last five
years, and Is now manufacturing and growing n
superabundance Of articles suited to our needs,
which would find their way to us if increased
industries, stimulated by reciprocity, should
create a demand for them. That demand would
of course increase in exact proportion to our in
creased exports. all of which would 60 to the
coast. Last year, the total value Of all goods
imported by us was 81, 764, IFS, 81. of which over
half, or about one million was received from the
United States. Each year increases the facilities
OF the Paci6c coast for furnishing US with goods