The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-01-02

The approach of Christmas and
the New Year has done but little to
stimulate trade. This is the chronic
cry. On all siths complaints are
loud that there is nothing doing.
Yet if one strolls through the busi-
ness parts of the city he will see that
everybody is busy, that goods are
being handled and shipped freely
and that most of our merchant
princes wear smiling faces. 1t is
true, no doubt, that the good old
times have passed, yet there is a
constant and steady stream of busi-
ness still effected in the city of the
Golden Gate. There are croakers
everywhere-you even have them in
your little tropical city, and perhaps
with more cause. Here there are
chronic croakers who growl con-
tinuously if they don't turn over
their thousands a day. If they did
they would still cry for more. Busi-
ness is no more dull in San Fran
cisco than it is in other parts of the
world. Competition is more keen
and the days of eXorbitant prices
and high profits are at an end.
Therein lies the trouble. New and
younger blood is daily stepping in to
compete with those who fondly
imagined that they ruled the
roost.'
THE WEATHER
is always a prominent topic of con-
versation. Now it necessarily must
be so. This is the ninth consecutive
day on which rain has fallen steadily
and almost continuously. Over five
inches of rain have been registered
since 10th inst, and there are ample
prospects of more to come. Farmers
were complaining that they wanted
rain. They got it and are not con-
tent. They say that they have had
too much. Which is the greater
growler, the merchant or the farmer?
Give it up-ask an easier one. Rain
has its advantages, especially when
it comes in deluge. 1t cleans out
the sewers and purifies some of the
stagnant holes with which our city
testers. 1t has also its disadvan-
tages, inasmuch as many of the dens
and cellars in Chinatown have been
flooded, with the result that John
has been compelled to cart his be-
longings into the highways. Passing
through Chinatown this morning 1
saw heaps of f9tid rubbish, supposed
to be clothes and furniture, that had
been dragged from the underground
dens and were then lying ON the
streets, emitting rank, steaming
odors. They were veritable piles of
rottenness that would have disgraced
dungheap.
CHRISTMAS TIME
has approached almost unheralded.
There have been few public an
nounccments of the customary grand
displays of holiday goods, and but
few specially decorated windows.
One or two stores containing fancy
goods and toys appear little more
attractive than usual. There are
some trivial attempts at decoration
with pines and berries, but nothing
more. Nobody speaks of Christmas
or the coming New Year, even the
saloon keepers say that nobody vii
drink. This last fact seems to ten(
TO the belief that there is scarcity
of coin. Still we all live, we can al
buy our geese and turkeys and ea
our Christmas dinners with relish
The appearance of poverty on TIN
streets is almost nonresident. Well
dressed men and well-dressed womel
can be found at every turn. Th
clothes must be paid for, conse
quently there must be money here
and the dry goods stores at leas
must be thriving. Shortly after tn
New Year you may look for solu
ton of
THE TREATY PROBLEM.
This indeed is linotty question am
a sore point just now. 1t is gen
orally conceded that the Hawaiia