The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-02-27
TRADE P|LIK|A
Business Hardships of
Quarantine.
J. G. ROthweII Writes Of the injury
Being Done the Average
Trader in Honolulu.

Editor Advertiser; The public " the
Territory OF Hawaii have before them
a problem OF unusual gravity and scr
iousness, in the present visitation a.
bubonic plague; a subject worthy in
deed of strict attention and earnest IF
fort on the part of every individual
Persons OF every nationality and
class have devoted much time and enes-
gy to the general stamping out of tho
disease, acting in conjunction and hsar-
mony with the Board OF Health and thu
Citizens Sanitary Committee, with
the result that the plague lis practically
conquered, and can no longer be con-
sidered to be epidemic, condition that
should lend encouragement aud add
to the effort of those who have been
and still are engaged In the suppress
sion OF the scourge, which now appears
to be fully under control, certainly as
relates to the epidemic form.
But there are other considerations
pressing which although not as urgent.
call for immediate attention; indica-
lions of complaint and IestiveneS6 are
becoming current among those whose
financial and trade interests are being
dangerously imperilled and menaceds
men whom the present quarantine
regulations bear upon with perllous
effect to their commercial existence;
such men are giving and are expected
to give the time of their paid employees
to the general cause without complaint
but unless some relief soon be given
many of them will be compelled to re-
duce their staff of employees, with the
result that they will not then have men
available for inspection work.
So far as can be learned, not soil
tary case of plague has been traced to-
the shipment of goods Of American or
European origin, and there seems to-
be no sound reason why the strict quar-
antine, which bears so heavily on the
merchants of the city, should not be
Immediately lifted or greatly modified
That there is danger in shipment of
Oriental freights has been proven, and
the precautions against this class OF
goods are not questioned, except that
they have been woefully insufficient
but even in this merchandise, 1t has
not been satisfactorily shown whether
or no the disease. has been communf-
Gated by fumigated, or unfumigateG
goods, or both; nevertheless during the
past few days Oriental merchandise has
been pretty thoroughly distributes
from the wharves to all parts of the
town.
The vital question u.s. what is the
danger from goods of American and
European origin, and Is 1t still neces-
saryto tie up the island trade SO tightly
as to seriously menace the financial
standing of all purely mercantile in
terests, and to persist in a course that
is bound soon to result in disaster to-
many? 1t is not recorded that any
cases have resulted among the wharf
laborers who have handled the many
thousand tons of freight on the
wharves: the only cases that could pos
sibly come under this head are one or
two among the laborers who had been
engaged in handling goods at the Aafa
warehouse, but 1t has not been shown
that these men did not contract the dis
ease by accepting and partak!ng OF
some of the eatables in Chinatown, and
in view of the immunity of the men on
the wharves. the inference is fair that
these particular cases were so commu~
nicated.
To continue to enforce regulations
under present circumstances as they
are now being enforced Is only to ad-
vertise conditions that do not exist
and others. particularly abroad win
certainly not consider us in any better
situation than we represent ourselves
to be.
The time has come FOR ns to do bust
ness with one hand and fight the plegue
with the other. and the suepeet'on Is
now made that It is In order tn enlarge
the schedule of goods that NAV he SAFE
" Distributed in accordance with the
dictates of exnerience. and the neces-
stiles of trade. and tn withdraw I'M
reasonable restrictions. which ran only
result II longer continued in financial
disaster.
]. G. RoTHwELE-