The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-01-19
GOOD TIMES UPON US.

On the eve of a general election it is
not out Of place to turn aside from pol
tics for moment and consider the !
actual condition of the country. HAY !
ing taken pains to investigate the sub
ject, we are prepared to say that the
prospects never were better or more
promising than they are to-day Busl-
ness is also on sounder basis than II
has been for years, the long period OF
depression that followed us as a reaction
from over speculation having given ample
time for adjusting accounts OF long stand
ing, wiped out bad debts, and put buslr
ness on a solid conservative basis.
There are many causes operating
favorably on our industrial and business
conditions. The output of sugar from
the crop of 1885 will largely exceed that
of 1884, which was the biggest yield
upon record Furthermore, the increase
of population by immigration promises
to be very considerable this year, thus
causing an enlarged home demand and
stimulating small industries, the result
of which tells most favorably upon bust
ness On the other hand, with rapidly
growing local demand, we note the fact
that imports fell off about 81 200, 900 last
year, which enabled merchants to work
off accommodations of stock, and now the
supply is so low that it barely meets cur
rent requirements. This condition OF
trade involves necessarily a renewal OF
imports and an activity in business such
as has not been seen in the past three
years.
Add to these causes tending to the inn
proyement of trade the fact that raw
sugars are steadily hardening in value,
and that the tendency is generally to
higher prices, and it will be seen that
there is great cause for hopefulness.
This will be peculiarly advantageous to
the Hawaiian Islands should the treaty
with the United States remain undis-
turbed, because although the yield OF
beet sugar will be very light in Europe
and the output of the SeAne crop in
Mauritius and Cuba Will be very much
under the average, the Hawaiian crop
will greatly exceed thaeDf FORMER years.
We are justified therefore in assuming
that period of increased prosperity has
begun for these Islands. That planters
are confident is evidenced by the fact
that they are expanding large sums OF
money on improved machinery, and that
they are sparing no expense in perfecting
their methods of cultivation. That
merchants and property owners are
equally confident is proved by the inn
proved tone of business, by building
operations now going on, and by pro
iected improvements spoken of. The
Government on its part is doing its ut
most, with the means at its command,
to improve facilities of internal commun-
ication, to render public property more
valuable and reproductive, to introduce
population of homogeneous character,
and to consolidate and strengthen public
credit And that investors, without ex-
ception. are satisfied that Honolulu has
a great future before it is demonstrated
by the fact that real estate, even at forced
sales i'm the dullest of our dull times,
always brought most satisfactory prices,
realizing handsome profits on the in
vestments The selling price of well
situated city property is on the advance,
and before the year is out We may antici-
pate 'freal estate boom" that will sur
prise even the more sanguine. Good
business property always brings high
rents and holders do not part with il
readily Indeed, there is no better in
vestment to be found than well situated
city property in Honolulu.
In these remarks we have confined
ourselves to existing conditions, without
reference at all to speculative results, but
these cannot be wholly excluded from
consideration. The expansion OF oul
commerce and increase of tourist trave
consequent upon the business enterprise
of the Oceanic Company, and the certain
construction OF an inter-oceanic cana
either across the isthmus at Panama o.
through Nicaragua, are points 10 b.
steadily borne in mind while estimating
the future possibilities OF trade at this
city So certain and favorable are these
contingencies that we are justified iii as
Stunning that real estate in Honolulu ha:
touched the lowest point it will reach 70
many vaarS