The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-04-23

Nh EDroR:-There seems TO be a good deal Of
rumpGs about the price of exchange. l am a
planter am sorry to say, and have a good deal
less of exchange to sell-or my agent has for me
than wish had or than l expected to have this
year, and that seems to be the case generally. Ny
sugar was worth SIS more ion in San Francisco
on the lst of January last-and then It was low
than II was on the lst inst; falling of Of Il pei
cent in three months. At the beginning Of the
wear the bank paid "a per cent premium for my
drafts and now pay i've; difference OF only = :
per cent. The importers and consumers OF gro
ceries horses cattle, clothing lumber, silks. laces
aud iewery think it very hard TO have to pay this
additional 2i per cent. When was building my
works had to almost beg for carpenters and ma
sous to work, rs we'll as for lime and some other
material and pay very high wages and high prices,
and whyy because mechanics and materials want
by me were also wanted by others at the same
time and we're scarce. jus; 80 with horses, mules,
oxen. beef-cattle, and mutton sheep: all were in
demand and the supply was short. Did anybody
having labor material, supplies, or animals TO sell,
hesitate about charging the highest market prioe'
IL they didi did not see them. Now have Little
exchange to sell and l could sell large amount
if had it, II is payable in U. ;. gold coin in San
Francisco, and am paid here for 1t in silver coir.
which cost something like 81 cents TO the dollar IN
that CITY. The silver was allowed to come in free
Of duty and only about per cent TO import.
Somebody's eIehanSe-not to say ta1es-has gone
to pay for a good deal of that coin. and so between
the low price of my prpduce and the payment for
silver, exchange Is scarce and high; but Is as
high rs il ought to be or the circumstances war
rant. Why should l. planter, stand all the risks
and losses, and not take the gain which have
legitimate right TO. Is exchange to be treated on
q different principal from money or anything else
used in busincssy II by and by when my crop is
all in and sold. and bat little sugar is being ship
ped, 1 should want to some money in San
Francisco is it not likely that / will have 10 pay
more for a draft than am getting for my drafts
n0Wy And surprising that cInnot get draft at
ALL for I am told that not hong since Bishop d Co.
absolutely refused to sell, saying that they had al
ready drawn for more than they had remitted,-
what can remit? On HAvHiian silver, the loss
would be very heavy, because that is not current
there aud its bullion value is not superior 10 that
Of Mexican dollars VIII then be called wise or
stupid-a just man or n ~mud' for having sold
my drafts fof less than they were really WORTH
Viii the Minister of Finance give me gold 70
ship away in e1chang for silver of treasury certi
cate. II be will, think al find a marke; for all
thai he can furnish not with me, but with others
At the risk Of being tedious will give you
few items Of my experience. which vii show
ShoihGr OF not do take risks and stand losses
some Of my cane will have paid taxes tWioe,
once last year when it vas young, and again vhtn
it will be nearly ripe this year in addition to the
yalue Of the land. Ny buildings arl1 machinery,
and everything movable arc also taxed at full
cash value. part of my cane which was taxed
a. a Young crop failed utterly for want Of rain,
few acres we're burned accidently or purposely,
and the ground had been replanied at large eI-
pense. Ihe cost Of lob~f has been extremely high