The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-05-18

More and more has this desire to de-
velop our own industries grown upon
those who have made money here, and
very little money now leaves the coun-
try to be invested abroad, while money
that was invested on the mainland is
returning here. The investors have
realized that it is more profitable to
have their money where they can watch
it, as it were, than to have it at dis
| lance where they have little influence
over its course AS the various planta-
are reinvested to bring further profit
to the thrifty owners.
This has produced a peculiar condi-
ton of affairs. People i'm expanding
their industries have a consideration
for their fellows, which is not usual to
find in the fiercer commercial struggles
else where. 1t is true that there is no
friendship in business. but there Is
great deal more consideration shown
between men here than there is abroad.
People talk of monopolies here, but
they are nothing like the monopolies of
the mainland. There is the remnant OF
a soul in an Hawaiian corporation,
which is utterly wanting in the great
corporations of other parts of the Unit
ed States. The man who falls into the
hands of a corporation away from here,
| must expect very different treatment
from what he receives here. This prob
ably comes in part from the fact that
the majority of the shareholders in our
corporations can have circumstances
explained to them, and readily under
stand the conditions that exist. The de-
sire to do what is right and honorable,
which, after all, is an attribute of most
/ Of mankind, is strengthened by public
opinion. No set of men, working i'm so
| limited a community as this, wish to
smirch their regulations and the motto
of live and let live" is pretty we'll fol-
lowed out, as far as it is possible.
What ever enterprises there may be
that can be carried out by own own
people, the better it is that they should
be carried out by them. 1t is to our
advantage that great enterprises
should be instituted and kept in the
hands of Island people as much as pos
sible. And in all government assist
ance, the leaning should be towards our
own rather than to aliens.
For instance our franchises are very
valuable. There should, in the first
place be very great care in granting
them. 1t should always be remembered
that franchise is something of value
which the State gives away, out Of
which some one else is going to make
money directly, while the State will
make money, if it makes any at all, in
/ directly 1t is plain reasoning that il is
to the advantage of the State to have
/ its franchises in the hands of it's own
citizens, rather than in the hands of
aliens to the state or territory, if only
her citizens can operate the franchise
/ successfully. 1t is also the duty of the
/ Government not to give away fran
chises Unfortunately, and to protect
its own people by not granting roo
many franchises. An exclusive fran
chise is to be deprecated, because then
it is not in the power of the State to
| keep the holder of the franchise in or
| der, but having granted franchise for
/ a certain object there is no sense in
| granting another for precisely the same
| purpose, before the first franchise Is
! operated. This is like applying the goad
| to a willing horse, and running your
! valuable animal.
/ The Government is not obliged TO
grant a franchise 1t can use it's dis
erection, and governments of the past
| have used their discretion. Competi-
ton is a good thing truly, but competi-
ton in the initial stages of an enter
| prise is very likely to kill or cripple
both competitors. For instance the
| railway from Honolulu to Kahuku is a
monopoly, but it is very doubtful in
/ deed whether if a parallel line We're
built it would be much to the advan-
| tage of the public, both could not make
money, and one would be eventually
| eaten up by the other, the result being
/ probably higher freights and higher
/ rates in order to recoup the loss. The
/ Cabinet has in this direction great pow
ers which should be used with the
! greatest discretion, and every consid-
I Grafton should be given to native cor
! porations in their initial stages.
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