The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-10-13
Clan Boston Versus The Truth.

Clan Boston Versus The Truth.
Mr.. EDITOR: Most OF the literature
Of disgruntlement which has disfgured
the columns Of the Bulletin for the past
twelve or fifteen months has been either
so inexpressibly silly, or 50 transpar-
emily malignant, or both, as to hardly be
worth either reply or notice. a com
nunication, however, signed Clan
Boston," in yesterdays issue Of that
journal contains such large amount OF
gross misrepresentation, not to say
downright lying, presented in decent
literary form and concentrated in a mod
crate space, that l feel disposed to make
a few comments thereon.
Starting out with a brief reference to
what he calls the attempt TO boom
these Islands as a desirable residence for
white immigrants" the " Clan" afore-
said proceeds to announce that " Hawa-
iian trade is decreasing, and that most
of our enterprising foreigners have left
and others are leaving" and 50 on. How
is that for a starter? ii man can make
what may we not expect of him by the
time he gets through half column.
Before he finishes his task, the observing
reader will discern that the "Clan" is
fully equal to any expectations, however
extravagant, which his opening senten-
ces may have excited. We are not told
exactly what is meant by " Hawaiian
trade" whether it is the amount Of ex-
ports and imports, or the volume of bust
ness done in the islands. In either case
it may be freely admitted that Hawaiian
trade is not as large as it was few years
ago, and for two perfectly obvious rea-
sons which the Clan" omits to men
ton, viz. {: the diminished price of our
one great staple, and the natural and
necessary reaction from the OVer-trading
and general expansion which attended
the high price of sugar few years ago.
For these reasons Hawaiian trade, both
foreign and domestic, has decreased, but
that it is now decreasing is a state
ment open to very serious doubt. If the
Clan" is in possession of any facts or
figures to justify such a conclusion either
the Bulletin or the ADVERTISER will no
doubt be ready to afford him all the
space required to put the same before the
public.
But the statement that "most of our
enterprising foreigners have Lett is so
utterly wild and reckless, so absolutely
destitute OF even the semblance OF truth,
that the EXTREMIST charity can only re-
gard it as the result OF either one of two
things, viz: dense ignorance of the
facts, or a determination to make out
case by deliberate Justification if neces-
sary. 1t seems almost a work of super
erOgation to notice so monstrOus an as
a1r fT of nclv h,,, l.
our enterprising foreigners? Are they
not our merchants and capitalists, the
owners and managers of our plantations
and ranches, our intelligent and capable
professional men, and the proprietOrs of
our various mechanical and manufacture
ing establishments? If those are not
our enterprising foreigners, pray who
are? And which and how many of these
have left, or have any intention of
leaving, SO far as their intentions are
known? Let me ask which of our lead
ing mercantile firms have failed or given
up business? How many plantations
and ranches have been abandoned, and
where are they situated? Has the
Foundry closed its doors or Lucas shut
up his shop, or the Hotel gone into
bankruptcy, or any Of our dozen or more
of island steamers failed to receive re-
munerative patronage? By no means.
Certainly trade is not as brisk, nor
money as plenty, nor the evidences OF
general prosperity as conspicuous as
when our sugar was bringing from thirty
to fifty per cent. more than it has aver
aged for the last year or two. But let
us not therefore disregard notorious
facts or seek to pile up the agony in this
eXtravagant fashion.
A little later on we are told, among
other things, that "the public works are
comparatively at a standstill. and arti-
sans and laborers have consequently in
suhiciency of work" Also that ''the |
necessaries of life are too ex-
pensivA," and that one reason of this is
1.-The avy duties and taxatiC- neces-
sary to maintain host of Go, eminent |
etc. Now il the CLAN
really halls from Boston, where people
are supposed to know all about some
,hings and little about everything, he
ought to be familiar with the following