The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-06-27
The Arcade-EGAN G. co.
Leader Of Low Prices.

have absorbed the tin ware ira e.
They are now getting into the bust
ness of tin roofing, gutter working,
etc. AS yet they have done little
in the plumbing line, but l see no.
thing to prevent it eventually. In
whatever branch Of our business
they once get into competition with
them is out of the question. am
not member of the Anti-Asiatic
Union, but l signed the petition.
Mr.. Emmeluth stated: l have
been ten years ut the tinsmith trade
in Honolulu, and in business for
myself since 1882. don't do much
in the plumbing. l rely on the tin
smithing. There are several Chinese
firms engaged tinsmithing here.
White men cannot compete with
them and make wages. From 1873
to 1883 the business was fourishin
in this city. Gross sales of ii
ware for 1880 $4,000; for 1873
$4,000; but they have dwindled
down until now it is hard to realize
gross $1,000 year. know the
figures at which Chinese sell their
goods in town. l have price list.
In many cases they sell at less than
it costs meNto produce the article
when l was paying men only from
So. so to So per day to produce it.
A comparative table of cost prices
of his ware and selling prices were
produced by the wtness.) 1 don't
say that they. compete with me in
every class of my work, but they
are rapidly taking up every branch
of it. | am hopeless for the future.
don't believe that the white man
can successfully compete with the
Chinese.
Mr.. Phillips states: l do plumb
ing business, very little in the tin
ware line. l have been in business
here for six years. have not di-
rectly felt the effect of Chinese com,
petition, indirectly may have. l
heard Mr.. Motifs statement about
the competition with the Chinese,
but that is more particularly in the
tin business. My line of work has
been in the higher branches of the
trade, such as the plumber work for
the best sorts of new buildings in
the city, and the Chinese as yet
have not begun to compete. I am
aware that they do small jobs such
as repairs, etc., they may have
done new work on some second rate
new building of their own, but l
can't say that feel the effect very
much. Chinese are very apt at
| picking up smattering knowledge
of our profession, but we try as
much as possible to prevent them
from seeing our methods. / don't
exactly lay the fact of the dull trade
to the Chinese, for things are dull,
anyhow. A foreigner cannot com
pete successfully with a Chinaman.
My safety is in the fact that they
have not yet got into my line of the
business. After Chinaman gets a
start in business he buys none OF
the raw material he uses from a
white man, but imports through
some Chinese house.
Mr.. Bushee states: / am in the
employ of MIR. Mott. 1 have seen
and felt the effect of Chinese COM
petion and we are gradually feeling
it more and more. We employ four
mechanics at q rate of wages vary
ing from $3.50 to $3.50 per day.
The rate of wages is a little higher
than in San Francisco. / account
for that that living is higher, and me-
chanics get more pay here in general
than on the Coast or in the States.
Chinese will manufacture, that is
sell, the same class of goods from
80 to so per cent lower than we
can. We cannot manufacture the
same article and sell at the price
they do, and have q margin. We
could not do it and pay wages. We
employ four natives, they are moi
exactly mechanics, but half mocha
mic and half helper. They can dc
small jobs themselves, they are paid
from S1.50 to 1925 per day. Chi
nese tinsmiths used to buy quantr
ties of raw material from us, but
they gradually dropped off, and now
they get all their material through
Chinese importers. L believe the
most of the Chinese manufactured
goods are sold to foreigners, the
natives do good deal of bushes:
with us. There is one Portuguese
plumber here, he is employed at the
Hotel. Many people in town would
employ Chinese to do small jobs Of
plumbing on their houses, but an
not aware of their doing any worl
on new buildings. There is no poin
in the business, where the Chinese
will not eventually be able to sue
cessful compete against the white
for they will sooner or later be abl'
to do as good class of work as w
do. ] did not sign the Anti-Asiati'
petition, | never saw it.
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r LEGISLATURE OF 1883. 1.-THE Daily
IL and Weekly Bulletin" contains tn