The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-05-19
HILO'S DAY
OF THE HONOLULU
FIESTA.
Hilo viii Celebrate Herself on the
Fourth-Hawaii's Commercial Inde-
pendence of oahu.

A Fourth of July fiesta in Honolulu
does not seem to meet with HilO APP
proval, though the general idea of a
fiesta is endorsed both in Hilo and on
Maui Hio wants her own Fourth,
however, and is making preparations
for a big celebration The Fourth has
cCme to be regarded as Hilo's day, and
the rainy city doesn't propose to have
Honolulu cutting in. The Herald says:
Honolulu has a laudable ambition in
announcing preparations for a Mer-
chants Day at the fair to be given in
that city July 4th next, the idea being
to have the merchants from all the ISL
ands gather there and incidentally, 1t
is presumed, examine the wares Of the
dealers This would no doubt be adj
vantageous to all Honolulu storekeep-
ers, provided, however, they can ar
range prices of transportation so that
the goods may be landed in HilO in
competition with San Francisco. To
have base of supplies nearer home is
a contamination devoutly to be wished
for by every dealer in Hilo. But in the
| limited transportation facilities, such
as now exist, and high freight rates be-
| tween Honolulu and the other islands
! the Honolulu merchant finds obstacles
/ il his way of holding the same volume
| OF Hilo trade as formerly. Coast mer-
| chants see the advantages Of quick and
rapid communication between San
| Francisco and Hilo and the steamer
Enterprise is the result. If the mer-
chants of Honolulu were as keen of
! foresight the means of transportation
| between Honolulu and this side of Ha-
wall would not he limited to one line
| of steamers. In the old days the de-
mands of HilO were not so great but
what a single sailing vessel could car
ry all goods bought on the coast; now
six sailing vessels and one steamer are
required. 1t is reasonable to suppose
that, under favorable circumstances a
smaller fleet would answer for coast
business while the Honolulu fleet
would have been propOrtionately large.
| The opportunity is still here and IL re-
mains for the Chamber of Commerce of
Honolulu to grasp it. Within the last
sixty days nearly 100000 worth of goods
was sold by coast representatives in
Honolulu to one store in this district
and the goods were shipped direct from
the coast. Honolulu might have had
the order. But referring to Merchants
Day on the Fourth of July: Is 1t not
generally understood that HilO cele-
brates the day and Honolulu June 11?''
The Tribune tells of big preparations
for the Fourth in, Hilo and says:
Honolulu the third week in July,
should be participated in by the farm
ers of this island. No doubt they would
come home laden with blue ribbons
and diplomas, thus further establishing
the supremacy of the Big Island. The
Merchants Week at Honolulu during
Fourth of July week, will not attract
so many visitors from this island as ii
would, had it been held at a more pro-
1T.
band and a glorious celebration on
hand. But this need not prevent Hilu
and Hawaiian merchants from having
representatives at the Merchants Fies-
ia. If Honolulu has benefits in the
way of prices and goods for the mer'
chants of this city it is TO Hilo's inter-
est to take advantage of them. How
ever it is plain enough that to the in
dependent merchant Honolulu cannot
compete in prices with mainland
houses, since the Enterprise came with
quick connection.
Hawaii will never cease to be So
ciable with Oahu and take all the dip
Tomas she may hung up. But our com
mercial independence cannot be cajol-
ed by fiesta.
The Maui News has the following:
Honolulu deserves credit and gener-
Gus support from all the other islands
in it's effort to give an agricultural
mechanical and mercantile fair in July
While Honolulu will be primarily ben
Gifted, still such a fair will be largely
educational in its tendencies, and the
visitors will bring away rich results in
enlarged views of the industrial posi-
bilities and future of the islands, which
will much more than compensate them
for the cost of the trip. Let every one
who can, make it a point to CO."