The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-10-31
A NECESSARY EVIL.

A subject which is always DelnB loSI
sight Of but which is really very inn
portant one and growing in importance
as we become more metropolitan is that
of pawning. AS things are here the
matter of pawning is in the most crude
and disgraceful condition. Some ten
years or SO ago the effort was made to
put the pawning business upon some
kind of basis but the effort failed In an
abortive law which is on the statute
hook, and is as dead as many others
which is alongside of it,
1t is all very well for people to object
to pawn broking, but it is one of the
necessary evils of any society. The
necessity to borrow money under GER
tain circumstances is indisputable.
Starting with the man who is exploiting
a plantation running into millions, he
has to borrow here, there and every
where. He gets his advances and starts
his enterprise. But run down from this
position to the poor devil who has only
a pair of boots between himself and
starvation and the average man cannot
but see that the bootless man it just
as much entitled to his chance as the
man who is exploiting the sugar plan
tation. Each is striving to fight the
wolf after all.
In this community man, who is
hard up, can, if he has land schemes
and so forth, which appeals to the
larger investor, get held of the capita
list and get backing, usually to the adj
vantage of the capitalist on the terms
of anywhere from ten to an unlimited
amount of percentage. But such man
is dealing with the future, and it is to a
certain extent right that he should pay
a price for his possible chances in the
opportunity of time
This is a matter which can be left to
right itself, but what cannot be left to
right itself is the continuous drain upon
the proverty stricken, and hard up
which is being carried on in this city.
There must be and there should be a
pawn brOking law which would come
with the strongest power on those who
violate its orders.
1t may be news to a large number Of
the snug portion of the community, who
draw their dividends and spend a happy
and esthetic life, but if ever they came
down in the world, as people have come
down in the world in Paris, London,
New York, San Francisco and other
cities, they would find that in Honolulu
1t is impossible to borrow money in
small amounts without ruinons in
terest.
The rate of interest charged by the
class of man who is the pawn broker,
perhaps a disreputable but necessary
profession, in most communities is re-
gulated by law. On the smallest loans,
the worst security, he is allowed fifteen
per cent. But what does the Honolulu
pawn broker, an unlicensed man, get
hold of. He calmly talks of ten per
cent-a month. These leeches have
been at work upon hundreds and hun
dreds of our young men. Is it any Won
der that some of them go astray?
The time has come when some work
has to be done to do away with the pres
ent leeches, and put in their places
honest pawn brokers. There is no one,
no matter how great and good he NAV
be, but finds himself in difficulties some
time. These difficulties may be finan-
cial. The state should, if the party puts
up proper guarantee, give him the
money he needs. This idea dominates
the Latin countries, the Anglo Saxon
countries regulate the pawn shop. But
whatever it may be, it is a necessity and
when you don't have it, you have sys-
tenn of highway robbery which it must
be the duty of the next legislature to
hold up.