Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-03-04
THE ARROGANCE OF WEALTH

Tram HNh lhllcn upon lHe nnouluCTS VI lnt |
Chronicle man. Ever since George Francis
went out Of that business, the great public has
listened in vain for the prophecies that were
wont to flow from his lips like water frcm the
nuzzle Of three-iuch hose. The great public |
no longer listens i'll vain the spirit of propb
ecy has descended in bulk upon the devoted
head of the Chronicle man.
The Chronicle of February 9th contains an |
editorial Of the above title. The wealth of |
arrogance it displays its rs striking as the
arrogance Of wealth which arouses the ire of
the irritable Chronicle man. This fellow, who !
is in state of chronic irritation, asserts that
Claus Spreckels has conceived the idea of
establishing mercantile house of his own in
Honolulu, under the name of "Wm. G. Irwin
& Co. " for the purpose Of controlling the
entire business OF the islands, and ndds
=" AS all the sugar raised there comes TO this
market, in which he is the only purchaser,
voc beiide any planter who will not first con
sign his sugar TO the house Of William g.
Irwin & Co."
The Chronicle man may have taken his cue
from Congressman Hardy of the ninth Sen
atorial District of New York City who evil
IDENTIFY took his in the beginning from the
Chronicle, and has introduced at Washington u
bill relating to Hawaiian sugar. Mr.. Welsh the
Philadelphia sugar reiiner, n bosom friend of
Congressman Hardy, urged the latter TO sub
nit to an interview that the minds of tie peo-
ple might be enlightened on the mucl vexed
question of Hawaiian sugar. "There are
eight hundred sugar plantations in the Sand
"wich Islands about three hundred belong
"to Claus Spreckels and in various ways, he
"conirols most if not all the others
The Chronicle man having set this startling
statement ahoat, receives it again from the
lips of Congressman Hardy, whose knowledge
OF affairs in this kingdom is apparently limit
ed ; but otherwise he would probably not
have found his way into Congress and would
certainly not have introduced the bill above
mentioned, we prepared to accept the
situation. For the benefit of Congressman
Hardy, who, We trust, will notify the reporters
in due season, we will state that there are, in
tho Hawaiian Islands, plantations having
sugar-mils on the premises, plantations
having no sugar-mills on the premises, and
sugar-mills that are run independently, rccev-
ing the cane from whatever quarter it may be
sent. OF these plantations, with and without
mills and of mills, apart from the former,
there arc but eighty-t,ro, all told. The agen-
ces of the above are allotted as follows To
the firm of "Wm. G. Irwin s. Co."-or
Sprcckels firm, TO quote again the Chronicle
man thirteen only; TO Davies g. Co., twelve /;
to Hackfeld s. Co., twenty. The rcst are dis
tribuied among ten responsible firms. One of
these firms is agent for ten plantations, another
for seven, two other for FIVE and four respect
lively. But the heart of the Chronicle man
bl-eds at the arrogance Of wealth. With an
eye single to the miserable future of this
kingdom, he offers his sympathy to the suffer-
ing citizens whose doom, lie considers, is
inevitably sealed. He says, and We hope the
gentleman referred to duly appreciate the
patronage which he gratutously bcstows, lie
says-"One Of the oldest and most respectable
mercantile houses in Honolulu is that of Hack
field & Co. This firm has during very many
| years held confidential relations with some OF
the largest plantations upon the Islands,
| advancing from time to time, as occasion
| required it, from two to three millions of dol
lars, they receiving and disposing of the
sugars raised by their patrons. The house OF
! Davies & Co. is another of the same character
| The gentlemen who control these houses have
in some way fallen under the displeasure o.
Sir Claus Sprcckels, and he has determined
as we are Informed. to punish them by refus-
ing to have pound Of the sugar cousgued t1
their respective houses.
If this purpose should he carried out thcs,
houses, together with those plantations whicl
they are carrying, may be ruined this year
to the end that the hJuse Of William q. Irwin
g. Co. shall be built up next year. Meantime
Spreckels is extending himself as planter al
over the Islands in way that. If the treat,
is not disturbed, he will have all the planter
and their mercantile hackers in the Hawaiial
kingdom completely at his mercy.
How long the people whose interest.
are thus imperiled will stand supinely b,
whilst their sure destruction is being encon
passed remains to be seen. Though it may b
that only Hackfeld aud Davies are menace,
this year, who can tell whose turn il will b
next ?"
We trust tho Chronicle man will not con
slider us ungrateful when We venture TO adj
courage in consequence of the sympathy il i
beginning to feel for US; its patronage
depressing; il is ever humiliatng; but il /
not necessarily fatal. Our res, is not broke
o. nights; we eat, drink and are merry a