The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-03-13
THE ANNUAL FAIR.

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for agricultural and other products rs |
one which The Star heartily endorses, |
and which the present writer has urged |
In the columns Of three NJ the news
papers here. II has always been a
matter " surprise that there WIS not /
more done Boo this direction. During . |
thirty Odd years residence here there
have been twO spagmOdic efforts. They
we're brilliant for their time, but they
were not lasting. one Of these was
the effort ~ revive the old Royal Agri-
cultural Society In The early part OF
KalakauaB reign The other was an
attempt 10 establish an annual flower
show. IN this Mr. Jaeger and Mr. |
ClcRhOru we're much interested, and |
for a couple u seasons were quite sue
ccnsful But collapse followed and |
since then nothing has been done
though much has been proposed.
This territory depends upon ~ agri- !
cultural products Tor ~ existence. ri
agriculture fails, and II ~ agriculture
OF "A peculiar type, the success Of the
territory falls az surely AZ there H. sue
cess or failure. There was a time when
the Hawaiian Islands depended upon
outside influence for their wealth That
was the time OF the whaling days.
Money flowed into the Islands from
the sea. There was the most lavish
OF spending IN those days. The Dlous
people who owned the ships and paid
the shippers and crew, never asked
what sklDDers and crew did in the Pa
clnc. A. long 40 there was plenty Of
oil and plenty of bone returned 10 the
home ports there was no kick An
extra prayer settled that.
There was however one memorable
case where some questions were sug-
gcstcd. A whaling captain returned
10 his own port with his papers all in
perfect order. Potatoes bought at
Itaiatea, brcadfruit at RarOtonga,
sweet potatoes at Kailua, and 80 forth.
Captain" said the owner, your ac-
counts are In perfect order. You must
have had an accountant on board" 81
didn't" said the captain. We'll"
drawled the owner, "all your bills are
made out and receiDted In the same
hand writing" But the captain wasn't
discharged He made too much money
for his owners, and they could afford
10 let. "pOtatOcs' cover cashmere
shawls, icwclry liquor and many other
expenses
The whaling industry came 10 an
end, IN ls52, ana then everybody
thought that the bottom Of the tub
had dropped out TAX Of depression,
IL.
preston was of those days There was
no money, and there did not seem any
prospect Of tbcr being any money The
ruin Of Hawaii seemed certain.
But Hawairs agricultural resources
had been quietly exploited, and when
the exotic industry of the whaling feet
had come 10 an unfortunate end by the
destruction OF twcnty-scycn vessels In
the ice, the agricultural resources come
into strong activity, ana whatever pro-
mincncc Hawaii has gained II has
been through these agricultural re-
sources. ION and bone" may have
awakened Hawaii, but agriculture has
made her.
Thus II becomes one Of the first duties
Of the Territory which inherits directly
from the Hawaii OF the past, TO foster
and do rs utmost for the industry
which has made Us prosperity. In the
Gfties Of last century the whaling in
dustry looked very large and the sugar
Industry looked inhnitesmally small
Now the whaling industry II practically
inhnteslmal, while sugar growing IN the
most important subject ~ commercial
thought In the days Of the ascendency
Of the whaling Industry agriculture
even IN abstruse and purely botanical
research was assisted as the records Of
the old society show. In an era when
agricultural Industry has been the
mainstay Of the marvellous prosperity
OF the Islands, II would be very invidi-
Gus II there should be no effort made
20 show every kind Of assistance TO
agricultural enterprise, outside Of the
main industry
The establishment Of a regular fair
Is no silly idea. II IL @ good idea. The
people get a chance Of seeing what IL
being done on a large scale, and they
can begin 10 understand how much can
be saved on a small scale.
The idea Of holding general agricul-
tural fair is a good one, but such fairs
should be held AT all important, and
even at unimportant places. IL should
be n careful and very conservative
matter, ana II might result in a won
derful amount Of progress on lines
which we distinctly need