The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-03-01
MINISTER DAMoy's REPORT


of the most concise and satisfac-
tory documents that mas been
published toy "a Government de
partment. IT. is what may be
considered "a popular report in
that Minister Damon has made
his statement OF the condition of
the public treasury short and to
the point. The average reader
gets tired of wading through the
mass Of figures usually contained
in Il department report and rs n
rule puts off the perusal and
study To more convenient sea
sOn-and rs a rule never reads
il. \ clear analysis of the stu
alton has been given, and To those
who wish To- 20 more into detail
the different reports from which
the Minister took his figures and
drew his conclusions are nj their
disposal.
The most satisfactory feature
of the report however is the de
mOnstratiOn Of the healthy con
ditiOn of the national finance.
During the year 1896. every obi
CATION has been met, and the
country begins the new year with
ample revenue and debts paid up
To date. In the comparative table
of receipts and expenditures for
the years 1886 "A decrease of
expenditures amounting to S1O4,
9232T is shown. This does not
necessarily indicate n decrease in
the running expenses of the Gov
eminent since in 1895. the chOle-
IN and the rebellion called for
something over S157, 900. At the
same time whatever increase of
expense there may have been in
the various departments is the
natural result of the growth of
the country, of increasing de-
mands upon the departments and
more men to do the work. The
item, support of Military" which
has been an ever fruitful source
of contention shows Il decrease of
over So, 900 and it is To be hoped
that each year the conditions will
be such as to allow an equal or
possibly larger amount saved in
this department.
I'm the Customs bureau we find
the figures that are at present in
teresting the people at home and
abroad As was predicted some |
weeks since the returns of the
Finance department show that |
the year 1896 was the banner |
year i'm the commercial history |
of Hawaii. our imports amount |
ed To $7,164. 361.40. exports SD,
5l5. 23O13, making total import |
and export business of S22,619, |
791 -. which is an increase of |
more than SS.OOO.OOO. over 1895 |
and of S2.JT4. 16O.92 over 1890. the
best previous year. OF the total
business 1926 per cent. was
transacted with the United
States AMI ia the carrying trade
American ships did S2.j3 per
cent. of the total business. 1t is
worthy of note i'm this connection
that a large number of the yes
sells registered under other flags |
than American are controlled by |
American houses and Il large pro
portion of the income from the
ships of other nationally goes in
to American pockets.
Anti-AnneXati0nistS may howl
as they wish, figures tell the
story. Not only is the United
States the princiIsl market for
Hawaii's products. but the people
of the States derive almost the
sole benefit from Hawaiian pur-
chasers. The balance of trade is
largely in our favor. and we do
not consider this fact anything
to be ashamed of. Should the
Sugar Trust succeed in securing
legislation detrimental TO this
country, it will strike Il blow at
shipping and Ameri-
can manufactures which the bu-
siness men of the Pacific States
can i'll afford TO receive. Kill the
sugar business of Hawaii and you
kill the country; Kill the sugar
II tho 4 r1,nr.i |