The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-09-05
THE CHINESE ELEMENT IN BUSINESS.

" Buy in the cheapest and sell il
the dearest Market" is an old. ant
generally, correct rule of business
If John Chinaman sells cotton fol
nine cents and Mellican man .
sells the same goods for ten cents
then, on business principles Johns
cottons ought to be patronized and
the Mellican mans left with the
moths. A great deal has been said
and written on the relations of the
Chinese population in this country
to the country's interests and destiny.
Many views are expressed, and much
diversity of opinion exists on the
question whether the Chinese cle-
ment enlarges the volume of the
country's trade or only stands in the
way of its greater development by
other people. If it is really ques-
tion of Chinese occupation versus
unpeopled solitude and desolation !;
some answer, better be occupied by
the Mongolian than left uninhabited !;
Others say, no, better have unoccu-
pied lands and houses open to immi-
grants of better class who, under
present conditions, are prevented
from coming in and taking possess
sion. Without offering to decide
that question, at present, to our own
or to our readers satisfaction, we
consider it due to the enterprise of
the Chinese to say that many of their
methods are so eminently successful
in their results that other nationali-
ties would consult their own interests
by taking leaf or two out of Johns
book; and it is also due to the in
terests Of civilized fsociety to lay
before the public few of the facts
and causes that operate against the
success of the white mans enter
prises. And first among the ele-
ments of Chinese success is their
cohesion as people. Their bust
ness with other races is only to secure
patronage; while, in dispensing their
custom, they take care to give the
preference to their own countrymen.
When a failure occurs, the creditors
of the broken down firm are care
fully excluded from the Chinese
ranks. 1t is almost invariably the
white merchant that gets " stuck"
The insuperable difficulties that meet
the non-Chinese creditors of Chinese
insolvents afford presumptive eyi-
dence of collusion among them for
the purpose of fleeing those outside
of the Celestial ring. Instead of
heavily stocked establishments,
which indulgent creditors viewed
as good collateral security for ac-
commodation, imposing but beggarly
arrays of empty boxes have been
discovered. Traders who demand
immunity from payment of their
lawful debts owing to business re-
verses over which they claim to have
had no control, are expected to make
good their pleas by showing their
accounts to all whom they may con-
cern. The Chinaman is practically
exempt from this very mild restric-
tion, by keeping accounts in his
own awful hieroglyphics.
A large share of the patronage of
white families is dispensed in Chi
nese stores to the detriment of other
traders interests. The pale faced
races are expected to support the
institutions of civilized society with
both time and money. Collectors
of funds for religious and benevo-
lent purposes count on liberal contr-
buttons from all nationalities except
from the Chinese. Exempt from
contributions to civilized institutions,
and exempt from the plainest re-
quirements of civilized life in modes
of living, the Chinese merchant un.
dersells his rival and thus COM
mands the patronage of the very