The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-08-19

Mr.. EDITORIALS means OF ascer-
tanning public sentiment upon the
subject, L desire to suggest, tenta-
lively, that the present is an appro-
pirate time for the organization Of a
Public Improvement Association in
Honolulu.
Regardless of our political future,
there seems to be little doubt but that
we are upon the eve OF a great devel-
Opment. a few years ago we had but
one steamer line-.he through line
from Australia to San Francisco. Now
We are connected by monthly steamers
running from Honolulu direct to Van
couver, Victoria, Seattle, Portland,
San Francisco, Japan, HOngkong,
Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand and Aus
tralia, by six different lines. The
Inauguration of new line last
month, from Portland via Honolulu,
to Japan and China, with a cut of 80
per cent. in first class passage rates
and a still larger reduction in steerage
rates, has scarce caused a ripple upon
the surface of Honolulu public
thought; and yet this new line and
the Canadian line now only a little
over a year old, with the prospect of
It's speedy development into an eight
cen knot service, are great steps in
the development of Hawaii. They
are forerunners of what is coming. 1t
"a a matter of moral certainty that
with or without the Nicaraguan
canal, the day is close at hand when
there will be direct steam commune
cation between San Diego and the
Orient, and between Hilo and San
Francisco, while the existing lines
will have increased their speed, and
with the opening of the canal an I'M
limited vista is opened to view.
These are not the only signs OF de-
yelOpment. There are no surer in
dices to the state of business in COM
munity than the building trade and
the real estate market. There is not
a builder, carpenter or architect in
town but has all the work he can
attend to. Not even in the hey-day
Of the Reciprocity period of develop
ment did the lumber yards sell more
lumber than they are selling today.
The iron works is running over time
and cannot get men enough to do its
work. The Record office recorded
more transfers of real estate during
May, June and July than during any
previous months OF its history.
The coffee industry is developing
with q rapidity greater than has at
tended the development OF any other
industry in this country. Five years
ago there were but a few self cared for
patches. Today there are upwards of
200 plantations being planted and Gull
tivated in the most advanced methods.
Under the impetus of the new land
law, making land more available, and
of the assured profitableness of the
industry which results are demon
strating, the increase of this industry
during the next five years Is going to
be something beyond all precedent.
The development of this one industry
will alone give life to the business sit
uation which will DE acutely felt for
years to come.
What has all this to do with Pub
lie Improvement Association?
1t has this much to do with II: With
all this bright prospect of business de-
yelopment; with the certainty OF
constant increase of tourist travel,
which means steady stream of gold
pouring into the city If we will give
them half a chance to spend 1t, Homo
lulu is not living up to her advan-
tages, nor keeping abreast of the pro-
pressiye communities of the world.
Just let me enumerate, for example,
very few of the points wherein we
have great opportunities aud are doing
little or nothing.
A PARK SYSTEM.
/. With unrivaled opportunities for
park development, our efforts in that
direction are limited to Emma Square
an ill-kept little back yard; Thomas
Square, a thicket, invisible from the
adjoining street for q greater distance
than 100 feet; and Kapiolani Park,
five miles from town, belonging to
private corporation, with its choicest
portion appropriated to private uses.
With bathing and water scenery
unrivaled in the world, although Ho-
noluIu has frontage of nearly seven
miles on the sea, there is not spot on
all that beautiful line of sea coast
where tourist can watch the marvel
Gus combinations of coloring In sky
and water, or a tired mother take her
children to play in the sand, or where
a picnic party can enjoy bath and
the sea breeze, without trespassing on
private property or paying toll FOR the
privilege.
All this can be changed with the
expenditure of but little money. How?
BY the creation of Park Commission,
by the dedication TO park purposes of
the land on the east side of the mouth
of the harbor, which belongs to the
Government; by the development of
the new beach road into a first-class
driveway with a fringe of palms,
grass and shrubs all the way TO Wal
kiki; by cleaning Off the lantana from
Punchbowl and planting a row of al
garoba trees along each side of the
drive all the way to the top, and de
voting the interior of the crater TO
park purposes.
AHfhis can be done by the cOHccH-
trotiOD Of public opinion upon the
subject; and this Is what a Public I'M