The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-27
HAWAII IS
ALL RIGHT
San Franciscan
Who Believes in
Future.
p. N. LILIENTHAL
GIVES HIS VIEW
Economy in Administration and
Concentration of Expensive
Milling Plants.
- CoNoMY and concentration.

In these two words Mr.. p. N
Lilienthal of the Anglo Califor-
nian Bank of San Francisco, summar-
! lied his opinion as to what should be
| the course of the business interests of
| the Territory in the future. Add to
| these that there should be no expansion
| until the present uncertainty as to la
Dor and competition in sugar is past,
and the belief of the banker as to what
should govern the immediate course is
practically complete.
MY trip through oahu and Hawaii"
said Mr.. Lilienthal when about to leave
in the Alameda yesterday, has been a
liberal education as to what is the ca
pacity of the islands. / go away with
the knowledge that no matter what
may be said by promoters, residents or
sugar men themselves. they cannot
give to one who never has been here
any adequate idea of the wealth in the
soil. / have been able to see the plan
tations on this island and the Olaa and
Puma estates in Hawaii, and / am more
than pleased with the outlook for the
development of the Territory.
II should say that there will be an
easier money market here within four
or six months at the most. The wealth
Is IN the ground anu dS soon dS the re-
turns begin to come in from this crop,
then there will be no more trouble in
the money market. for all legitimate
business.
Perhaps the experience through
which the community has passed will
be of benefit as a lesson for the future.
No other community in the United
States of this size could have gone
through all that Honolulu has passed
in the last two years and not have
suffered severely. 1t is a wonderful ex-
ample of capacity. But out of 1t should
come an economical method of busi-
ness, and a concentration of the milling
plants to reduce expenses, which would
be worth all that the experience has
cost.
while passing along the Kohala
coast we saw sugar mills every few
miles, it seemed, perhaps as many as
a dozen mills. In my opinion there is
needed arrangements which will lead
to the saving of much of the expense
of the operation of all these mills, for
surely one great mill would be able to
do the work, and that with much less
expense than is now charged against
the sugar. When some such arrange
ment as that which / suggest. with ac-
economics in administra-
tive offices, so that there may be the
most rigid care as to expenditures,
am convinced that Hawaiian sugar
may compete in the markets OF the
world.
II have heard much about labor, and
7 could see that there IS necessity for a
greater supply of labor, and cheap Ia
bor it must be, too. In my opinion the
American laboring man never VIII
come and enter the cane field, to do
the work now done by the Oriental
Then the fields must be suppned with
4 labor which will make sugar culture
possible on economical lines. / believe
this question will work itself out, and
the estates will find a sufficient supply
with time.
THE latest advices seem to indicate
that there will be a reduction in the
tariff on sugar from Cuba, and this
Will make the practice of economies
even the more important on the local
estates. 1t is because of the uncertain
ty in regard to these two questions, Ia
bor and tariff, that / am Of opinion
that there should be called a halt in the
matter of expansion Of estates. The
which are now under way
will not be permitted to fall through
because of lack of money, but l do not
think it would be wise to inaugurate
new enterprises, which would draw
upon the labos supply and absorb more
Of the local capital.
Decidedly I believe in the future OF
the sugar industry of the islands, ana
| am going back prepared to deiehu
my opinions, for / have seen enough
to show me what is the wonoerlui
wealth of the soil and the care gwen
to the cultivation of sugar. no
been somewhat embarrassed even ~
the great Kindness Of Colonel Mactar-
Iane. who has waived much OF the
,ial side of our visit that / might
20 inch of the sugar estates. and the
Kindness Of Mr.. Thurston in taking our
narty to Hawaii. rounded out our trip
splend,dIy With the islands l ma
bea1 charmed end the hospitality ot
he people has been very pleasing to a
ii1 1eer pge Il gives one who comes an
r r-ession which surely never can
20 him. once here he must always
member the islands and the people.