The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-30
F. w. D0hrmann Talks
to Merchants.
TELLS OF SAN FRANCISCO
Distinguished Business Man Of That
City Outlines the Fight
Made There.


where he gave an interesting talk upon
the work of the Association and the
possibilities for such an organization
in this city.
Among those present were Geo. w
Smith. 4. w. Jordan. Fred. Lewis, H
+. Wichman, J. II. Soper, Chas. Grid
Ter, M. Brasch, w. w. Dimond, ]. @.
Rothwell ]. F. Soper, w. w. Hall, f.
A. McInerny, John NJ. Webb, T. j.
King, III. w. Schmidt, c.. II. Paris, w
Lishman, l.. +. Pinkham, f. C. Mac
farlane and S. Lesser.
HE LIKES HAWAII
Mr.. Dohrmann was introduced by
George w. Smith. Mr.. Dohrmann open
ed his address by stating his pleasure
in addressing fellow citizens not only
of the United States but of Hawaii, IA
he was almost persuaded to come back
to Hawaii and reside the rest or his
days. He had been such q short time
in the Islands that he had only caught
glimpses now and then, which gave him
but a superficial view of the conditions
which existed. He spoke In feeling
I rms of the spirit of public pride and
| charity which he had observed on every
hand. The hospitality of the people
was a revelation to him and ne would
| return to San Francisco with feelings
| # undisguised pleasure in having been
here.
| he stated that he would give an out
line of the history of the organization
and experiences of the Merchants AS
| ISOLATION of San Francisco and would
leave II to the local merchants to apply
the lessons which had been learned
| there. He knew the conditions of the
| two cities were entirely different. San
! Francisco has had fifty years as d
municipal government, forty years of
| which were under the laws passed by
| he legislature. but mostly for the bene-
| II Of political machines. 1t had twenty
! Years OF party boss government. Posi-
| lions that should be sacred such as
| hose OF school teachers, were not to be
| lad without money and without price.
| large portion Of the community had
almost despaired of ever having good
| government
| GOVERNMENT HERE GOOD.
! Doubtless Honolulu has had troubles,
drawbacks and mistakes, and has gone
| .nrough a history more striking than
Isual, a period tSich has had no SINH
ar experience eNSwhere. He stated
e was perhaps LOSING at Hawaiian
lffairs from rosy poSt of view but it
| ,eemed to him compared with the con-
| litions which existed in San Francisco,
here had been an almost perfect form
of government here. People were apt
| % blame the government for all the
shortcomings which face them. lie as
| sured the audience that Honolulu had
| .ad better conditions always than they
nad for the past six years in San Fran
| :.sco. There was one particular feature
| which he found in Honolulu and missed
' elsewhere. That was the sentiment
hat there was honor in holding public
! office and that the man was honored
| Sho filed the office well.
The mission of the merchants of Ho-
lnolulu was TO prepare for the future
md thus avoiG the errors Of other
titles incidentally laying plans to cor
rect those mistakes already existing in
he community.
The Merchants Association of San
Francisco was started six years ago
principally by the retail merchants.
rhey already had a Board of Trade
which took care of the credit system
land financial matters and undertook to
straighten out the affairs of bankrupts.
| they had Chamber of Commerce
which took charge of foreign affairs, SO
% speak, looking after the harbor, ship
ping and congressional action on COM
mercial matters. The first meeting was
called by few retail dealers at time
when everything was working against
their common welfare. At that meet
ing the question was brought up as to
What could be done to avoid or prevent
a recurrence of such conditions.
| HARD STRUGGLE AT FIRST.
When the Merchants Association
was organized only forty-seven persons
lattended 1t. In looking at the twenty
odd gentlemen of Honolulu sitting be-
fore him yesterday he said it was a
much larger proportion than the forty
seven of San Francisco. Now there
we're 1900 members in San Francisco.
or 1900 firms more strictly speaking. He
considered 1t very encouraging to see
in Honolulu such interest in public mat
ters and he hoped the Association of
Honolulu would be as successful as that
of his own city.
The principles upon which the Asso-
citation was formed were to awaken
local patriotism which was absolutely
dead. 1t had given place to local de-
spaiT particularly in regard to the
municipal government. Next improve
the municipal conditions and encourage
public and private enterprises. To pro-
mote the commercial interests. particu-
larry that Of the retail houses They af-
forwards outgrew the narrow limit of
retail business and took in all CONNER
cial interests. In other words the prin-
ciples that the common good was the
good of all. was the feature which pre-
dominated. Their line Of action was not
TO go around fault finding. but to CO.
operate with every official to improve.
and above all to cooperate with that
most powerful engine for the public i'm
lprovement of any communicative
press. They organized to abstain abso-
lutely from party politics. When any
OF the Associations members accepted
public office they Immediately resigned.
This was an unwritten law. He argued
that " was the duty of the members
TO accept public office
GROWTH WAS RAPID.
] The machinery Of the Association