The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-03-05

DONG our QuIy III 1eSdlu 10 SetblIlS as
much goods as possible in her markets.
The answer to this query the tables give
in the most satisfactory manner. Our i'm
ports from the Pacific Coast for the last
year have amounted to S3,413, 1895: from
the Atlantic ports we have received goods
to the value of S479,0S517. To this must
be added the value of merchandise in
bond The following table will give the
gross result:
Imports from Pacific ports. 49, i13, 1891
Imports from Atlantic ports. 479,0s5I7
Imports FIN. Pacific ports lin bond). 129e5p.0S
Imports FIN. Atlantic ports Gin bond).@ f26,292 20
Total. S4,U4S, 1873
Our import, therefore, from the United
States amounts to a very considerable sum
indeed. 1t is just 70 per cent of oafwhole
imports: not very small percentage Of
our trade certainly. Some things we must
get in foreign markets, but this high per
centage shows that what it is possible, to
get from Madame Columbia we do.
In 1875, the year before the treaty, the
total imports of the islands amounted to a
bare 81, 505,670. OF this amount the United
States supplied very little over 81 100000.
1t will therefore be seen that the effect of
the treaty has been to increase the total
trade with the United States fourfold
within the space of eight years OF this
trade the Pacific Coast carries off in round
numbers something over three and one
half millions, or rather more than twice
what was the trade of Hawaii with the
whole world in 1875, and over three times
what was her trade with the United States
at the same date. H
A customer who consumes over four mil
lion dollars worth of goods is decidedly
good customer. We would like to ask
what other $4,000 individuals on the face
of the earth, outside the United States
consume a like proportion of goods manu-
featured or produced in that country
Certainly none of the other sugar produc-
ing countries do. Not Cuba, Porto Rico.
Brazil, British Guiana, Dutch Guiana or
Manila
The population of these islands are great
consumers. According to the estimate we
make of the population, every man, woman
and child in the community used SIS
worth of foreign goods last year. OF this
amount S53 per head was goods from the
United States, and SD per head from all
the other countries of the world In 1875
our population was smaller than now.
Certainly not over $1,000. At that time
the population consumed of foreign goods
only SIG per capita, and of this amount
about SIS per capita came from the United
States. In spite then of the increase in
population, the consumption of United
States goods by this community has risen
in eight years from SIS per head to $50
per head. Could a stronger argument for
the continuance of the treaty be offered?
These tables, then, furnish powerful
weapons ready fitted for the hands of those
friends who are fighting for the Reciproc-
ity Treaty We feel assured that these
weapons will be used and that yeoman
service will be done. The figures put for
ward are undeniable. There is no hocps
pocus or trying to make story out of
whole cloth. The honor of the gentleman
who is in charge of our Custom House, is
unimpeachable, and the figures to which
we have referred appear in to-day's issue
The Reciprocity Treaty has been boon.
pecuniarily, to Hawaii But our critics
the other side of the water must acknowl
edge that Hawaii has done her utmost to
give quid pro quo. In her effort she has
been successful; and many farmer in
California clinks the coin which has come
to him from his Hawaiian customers
Not only in direct ways has our neigh
Dor reaped an advantage Indirectly
money has poured from Hawaii; in the
shape of interest, dividends, insurance,
travelling expenses and money for school
ing the U. S. have protted 1t is almost
impossible to get correct figures in these
matters, the only thing to do is to measure
approximately: but from remarks of men
thoroughly conversant with business these
items we are assured are very large, and
the balance to be paid in cash is very
small. Here we must pause, there is much
of interest connected with these Custom
House tables. The increase of immigrants,
the increase in the number of cargoes in
voiced above $4,000, the increase in
fine imported stock, etc, etc. But we must
refer our readers to the tables themselves.
They deserve careful reading, many a les
son can be learned from them. flour
citizens will only learn one lesson, viz:
public and private economy. it will be a
very valuable one indeed