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

with our great neighbor. Have we been
doing our duty in regard TO getting rs
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
wear have amounted to S3.413, 1896: from
the Atlantic ports we have received goods
to the value Of S479,0S51T To this must
be added the value of merchandise in
bond. The following table will give the
gross result:
Imports from Pacific ports. 81, ilSl59.3I
Imports from Atlantic ports. tl90sall
Imports fm Pacific ports lin bond = r9as9.Qa
Imports fm. Atlantic ports in bondt. tA,SosO
Total. S4.O4s,t65.7g
Our import. therefore, from the United
States amounts to very considerable sum
indeed 1t is just - per cent. Of ourTwhnle
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
bare 81. Sos, go. OF this amount the United
States supplied a very little over SlOOO0O0
Ii 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 of 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 1915. and over three times
what was her trade with the United States
at the same date.
A customer who consumes over four mil
lion dollars worth Of goods Is decidedly
good customer We would like to ask
what other 5000 individuals on the face
of the earth, outside the United States
consume a like proportion of goods manu-
factured 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 SI5
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 1910
Our population was smaller than now.
Certainly not over 5000. At that time
the population consumed Of foreign goods
only S26 pr o0pif0. 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 S53
per head. Could 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 locus
pocns or trying to make a story ont 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 today's issue.
The Reciprocity Treaty has been a boon
pecuniarily, TO Hawaii! But our critics
the other side Of the water must acknOwl
edge that Hawaii has done her utmost to
give ggid pre- 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 L. 5. have proiited. 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 he 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 cargocs 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 les
son can be learned from them. Hour
citizens will only learn one lesson, viz:
public and private economy, it will be a
very valuable one indeed