The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-01-06
TIL e
WEDNESDAY January St
pOMEsTIc EXPORTS FOR lse5.

By permission of the Minister of FL
nance we publish in another column the
report of the Collector General of Gus
toms, giving detailed statement of the
exports of domestic produce for the last
quarter of 1885, together with COM
two past years. These tables show very
satisfactory results. The total increase
on the year 1885, as compared with the
previous year, was $3.50, 755. Estimating
the decrease in imports at one million
odd, although this may be somewhat in
excess of the actual amount, we have in
round figures trade balance of two mill
ion dollars In favor of the country IS
compared with 1884. Yet our business
men complain of dull times, and money
unquestionably is not In such general
circulation as when exports and imports
more nearly balanced each other.
The reason why was ex planned by US in
q previous issue. The country has been
liquidating its indebtedness abroad in
CURED through individual extravaganza
and rash speculation; it has likewise
been drained of a large sum by absentees,
and the changed conditions of business,
resulting from the sudden contraction,
added to the fall in the price of sugar,
had the further effect of producing q
conservative feeling which induced
habits of thrift and economy. But the
country has been steadily progressing all
the time, adding to its fixed wealth and
increasing production by the application
of improved machinery in the manu-
facture of sugar. There may not have
been SO much show as in some previous
years, but there has been more solid
progress.
The statistics we print, however, do
not show this at first sight. There has
been q decrease in the quantity and
value Of exports under every head ex,
cept three, namely, sugar, bananas and
wool but in these three the increase haf
been SC great as to offset the decrease in
others by nearly million dollars. In
sugar alone the increase over 1884 was
more than 1900 tons, nearly tht
amount of the entire sugar crop nine
years ago. The sugar export during
1885 was little over $4,000 tons.
And this brings US to the point tina
the Gazette, . writing for political effect
In it's issue of December 29th, took us t.
task for estimating the crop of 1885 a
between 90, 600 and 100000 tons. 1t ad
mitted that the season was exceptionally
favorable, so much SO that in all proba
bility another like it might seldom occur
vet the Gazette" doubted if the crop Q
1886 would yield $4,000 tons, and depre
Gated the injury we were doing the countr
by circulating exaggerated crop reports
Inasmuch as the crop of 1884, whic
was exported in 1885, was IA 900 tons il
excess of the yieldef 1883, exported j
\ 1884, IL is not unreasonable to estimai
the increase in the crop of 1885 over tn:
of 1884 at from Is, 900 to 10000 ton
taking into account the increased are
cultivated, the exceptionally favorab
season, and the more general use of in
proved machinery In the sugar mill
There was nothing exaggerated in OF
estimate. 1t is conservative one, 9
the result will prove unless some III
toward event happens.
The money value of domestic expor
last year attests the wealth of the cour
try. We have total of IS, 958, 1868 take
from the soil and exported to foreig
markets, by population, all told,
SO, 57S. There is no other country in ii
world of like population which can sho
ANYTHING like this proof of material pr,
gress, and we were quite justified
writing as we did in the article obiecte
to regarding the wealth and favorab
outlook of national affairs.
The decrease in the export value
rice and paddy of 2,171 ,971 pounds
accounted for in part by short produ
ton, owing to severe weather, and to Il
creased home consumption, 1921 Jap
nese and 1888 Chinese having bee
addedto the population in the first eleve
months of 1885, besides 278 Portuguese