The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-07-31
II H E
ABOUT A FREE PORT.


We have seen no mention in the pro-
ceedings Of the Legislature of a design
to make Honolulu free port. This, in
our opinion, is one of the questions that
should have been attended to, and it's
importance presented to members early
in the session. 1t may be too late to do
anything effective in this direction dur
ing the present session, but assuredly it
is the most important matter that could
occupy the attention of the Legislative
Assembly
The history of all free ports is identi-
cal. 1t means commercial and business
prosperity. 1t means higher rents for
stores and houses, an upward movement
in the value of real estate, increased
production, and the creation of a paving
market for local consumption. Incident
to these comes the development of the
import trade, affecting profits and reve-
nue. alike benefcially. In the natural
order of things local manufactures would
be established, and skilled labor, in
stead of seeking employment out of the
country, would be attracted hither by
steady paying demand for it.
This is no fancy picture. 1t is the in
variable experience of ports which de-
pend for their trade and prosperity upon
the removal OF embargoes on shipping
rather than on the imposition of dues
and charges If San Francisco had be-
come free port instead of remaining as
it is, one of the most expensive in the
world for shipping, it would to-day be
without a rival on the Pacific, but the
short-sighted policy pursued there of
extorting the last available cent from
shipping, is building up rivals within
the Golden Gate itself and adding to the
prestige of the Dominion ports in Brit
ish Columbia, as we'll as the Sound
ports.
We seek a better fortune for Homo
lulu. Lying in the ''fair way" of COM
merce in the North Pacific, it is by Ma
ture intended to be the maritime rem
devious of all the merchant navies do
ing business in that ocean. 1t has only
to abolish local charges on shipping, and
mediation, to have it's available water
space filed with merchant vessels The
supply of these ships would be a very
considerable item in the transactions of
the year. Every department of bust
ness would participate in its benefits,
and the small cultivator of land would
benefit perhaps more than all others.
1t may be argued, however, that for
eign tonnage would not visit this port
for supplies without the chance of OBJ
tanning cargoes. In reply, we say that
the amount of tonnage afoat seeking
charters is always very great, and that
were Honolulu free port it would be-
come a rendezvous for vessels seeking,
owing to its proximity to San Francisco
and the frequency and regularity of mail
communication with that port. But the
chances are good for cable connection
with the Coast, Australia and China, at
a comparatively early date. Were
cable laid between this city and an
American port, and were Honolulu at
the same time a free port, the latter
would unquestionably become the
greatest maritime station on the Pa
cific, north or south. And it is because
we look forward to the completion OF
this cable enterprise at no remote date
that we express a positive opinion that
the most important question the Legisla
ture could consider is that of constitut-
ing Honolulu a free port, and providing
for harbor expenditure in some other
way than by charges on shipping.