The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-11-22
THE DAILY
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER %, 1888.

term will appear strange to good many
people, but it is easily explainable and
we think it is perfectly applicable In
! many places where the landings have
been very bad the Legislature has voted
a certain sum for landings. The planta-
tons which have been situated near the
landing have supplemented the sum by
| perhaps a smaller one, an equal one, or
in some cases a larger one. In certain
places this supplemental expense has
been steam crane. The Assistance"
has, however, in many cases, been a
| lump sum, the plantation having also
advanced lump sum and the govern
ment owns its proportion in everything
about the landing. Now, see the result.
A landing, which has been improved at
considerable public expense, is regarded
| by this or that plantation manager as
| his particular property. A tariff is estab-
| lished and rates are charged for the get
| ting of freight up the cliffs. From in
| formation we have received these rates
are exorbitant. We have been informed
| that in several places the smallest par
eel is not lifted for less than 25 cents
and that larger freight is in proportion
Anyone will readily see how powerful an
| engine for influence, if not for eXtOrtion,
such a state of things may provide to
any but the most balanced mind. Take
| the world through and you will find that
you may give the best of men the oppor-
tunity and they will become both un-
scrupulous and arrogant. To be thor
oughly balanced is given to fewsave such
men as Herbert Spencer or the late Pro-
| lessor T. H. Green. Men will wish to
] punish this man, to thwart that, because
| in their self conceit or their self right
| eousness, and we have both forms of the
disease finely developed here, they think
! he ought to be- They have no idea of
individual rights of the citizen. They
may talk largely of freedom they may
most earnestly desire that reforms should
take place which will give others, save
those Immediately under their sway, the
greatest opportunities for free personal
action, but narrow it down to the per-
sonal issue and you find them the merest
husk, the veriest charlatans. But this
after all is the epitome of the world, past
and present, and as far as reasoning
human intellect can foretell it is likely
to be to the end of time.
But to return to the actual wrong just
now being done. Should not the gov
eminent, having expended public money
certainly not purely for the private
ends of the plantations-shouldn not the
government, we say, step in and regulate
the prices charged for getting freight into
the hands of the individuals to whom it
belongs? From our point of view there
is no "should" about it. We feel NOR
ally certain that the proper word to use
is must" The proposition can no
longer remain a proposition; it takes the
form of an axiom and should be set forth
thus: "The government must regulate
the scale of prices charged for getting
freight into the hands of the individuals
to whom it belongs" The case is clear
on the side of the people. Public money
has been expended for that; the public
should therefore have its quid pro quo,
it's equivalent. The plantation agent,
manager or owner may turn round and
say, " But if you had not my assistance
you would have to do without alto
gether?" Very true, and if the whole
construction had been at the plantation
expense that would be a very good case
but it has not been, and the ease and
facility with which the plantation ships
it's freight has been obtained in part by
public money, therefore the public ought
to have its share in the facilities given.
This matter has been argued again and
again. 1t is for ever coming up. 1t has
been fought out in Europe, it has been
argued out in the United States. It is
the question of what the monopolist can
manage to make when he gets the
chance. In the particular case to which |
we refer it interferes with trade. The
extra freight charged makes it impossible |
for any outsider to compete with any |
particular prediction of a plantation |
manager. The laborer has to pay the |
prices charged at the favored store, for it |
is impossible for anyone else to compete. |
Had this subject been ventilated at the |
time of the Legislature, we feel sure that |
it would have been regulated, but even
now it is quite in the province of the
Minister of the Interior to make enquiry |
into it and we very firmly believe that |
he has it in his power to regulate the
matter to a very considerable extent. |
The mere matter of newspaper publicity
will have its effect also. Attention should |
be given at once, for a distinct wrong is
now being done.