The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-05-17
WE CAN LIVE IF THE TREATY DIES.


the reciprocity treaty with the
United States, as indicated in the
Kings speech at the opening of the
Legislature and more fully set forth
in the Foreign Minister'S report to
the same body, is spoken of disap-
provingly by some and commended
by others. Those who disapprove
entertain the belief that this country |
is so entirely dependent or the
United States for past, present, and
prospective prosperity that abroga-
tion of the treaty means disastrous
and hopeless ruin to our agriculture
and our commerce, without which
our national existence must GER
tainly cease, and therefore our
Government should, leap in hand"
beg that the treaty be not abrogated.
Those who endorse the position of
dignified independence assumed by
the Government are of opinion that
the country could live, and thrive
and prosper with the treaty abo-
lished, some going even so far as to
say that the treaty has been more of
curse than blessing to the islands,
and that it would have been better
for this country to-day if the treaty
had never existed.
These views-that of the "treaty
at any price, party and that of
those entirely indifferent to it-are
extreme. The treaty, in financial
sense, has been boon to many of
our people directly, and indirectly
to all. To be sure, the cost of living,
contrary to the expectation of those
not in the habit of calculating the
inevitable effects Of certain causes,
was enhanced; but the value of
labor, skilled and unskilled, was
proportionately increased. Money
became abundant, flowed freely,
entered channels where it was pre-
viously little known, and reached
individuals to whom it had been a
scarce commodity. All classes of
the community secured a proper
tionate share in the general distribu-
ton. Some acquired aflluence,
others attained to comfortable cir
cumstances.
But even in a monetary sense the
treaty has not been an unmixed
blessing to Hawaii. 1t sent rents,
both of private residences and busi-
ness sites, up to pitch that busi-
ness never warranted. Lands ac-
quired an inflated value, and were
sold and leased at prices double
and quadruple their intrinsic worth,
when measured by their capabilities
of production. Some people, not
keen enough to see this and too
stubborn to admit its truth when
demonstrated, placed their money
where it was of but little more SER
vice to them than throwing it into
the harbor. To-day these men be-
moan their folly Besides, there
were sugar plantations in the coun-
try that paid well before the treaty
that have become insolvent during
its existence. Cheap sugar was nc
impediment to profit with economic
cal management. But the increased
prices under the treaty produced
high notions and general eXtrava
gance, which eliminated in ruin.
The operations of the treaty have
affected the native people similarl,
to the foreign element of the popu
lation. They have got more TO
their lands, their produce, and the
labor, and are in consequence
many of them, now more comfort
ably situated; while others, temple
by big offers, parted with their pos
sessions, and becoming demoralize
by the sudden possession of SO muc
coin, quilted their regular avoca
tions, became addicted to eXtrava
gance, and are now without home
of their own and destitute of casl
So the treaty, while comforting il
calculable benefits, has been a
tended-nOt necessarily, neverth'
less attended-by evils. Would il
abrogation be an unmixed evil!
would ruin to the islands be the r'
suit? Certainly not. Much as "
value the treaty and desire its COZ
tinuance, it is not indispensable