The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-04-29
ChINATOWN'S WANING TRADE.

IL is not surprising that business
should be dun among the Aslatic lher-
chants The old compact Chinatown
where trade was always brisk and the
streets lively. has been only partially
rebuilt and many of its chief attrac
lions have gone forever. The unpaid
fire claims lie like an incubus upon
the surviving district, many merchants
having borrowed, In anticipation OF
payment. at nigh rates OF Interest
Notes come due oftener than prohts
can be counted up.
Comuetition. especially among the
Japanese small retailers, has grown out
OF all reason; and there Is steady
drain upon the Chinese purchasing ell
ement, due TO these people returning
home Greed. also, has some part III
the trouble, as many oriental mer-
chants raised their prices during the
boom more than was justified by the
increase of the tariff, and did not low
r. them when the boom went During
the holidays atrocious prices were ask
ed for obviously cheap wares ana
trade. where such things attracted
trade at all, was driven away.
We find another reason for this de-
cline in the inability of the newer class
OF Oriental importers to gauge the
American demand. Speaking of dry
goods, fancy goods, art and table ware,
otherwise desirable things which So
abound in the shops of Tokyo, Yoke
hama and Kobe are visible here; pu'
there is a glut of merchandise OF kihd'
that no one Of taste would thinK o.
buying. If we may judge the average
npwly-arrived Oriental merchant pl
his window display, he has the crudes
ideas OF art or else assumes that Ho
nolulu people possess them lie I'M
ports table scarfs and handkerchief
dyed in the national colors or WIN
spread-eagles on them-in fact we saw
silk handkerchiefs In Chinatown WIN
dow, the other day, made elaboratelA
unstable for reason of a ragged Amer
lean eagle in one corner carrying
streamer in his bill labeled; Liberty
Equality and Rescue for the Harm
less" The plain handkerchief nigh
have sold but no one capable of appre
ciating silk would take the decorated
enc az q gift. 1t is the saline way Will
ohinaware and objects d'art-the trai
Of the tawdry is over them all.
Finally. as a dead weight upon mer
camille enterprise in Chinatown, is TIL
law passed by the never-to- be- forgot
ten legislature OF 1900. practically safe
guarding small creditors from the en-
forced collection Of debt. In the OLE
days Chinatown thrived on credi
business. The passport system KEEP
away; there was a deal OF money II
circulation: bills We're generally pal,
without pressure. but IL pressure wa'
needed II could easily be applied. Now
there are no passports and the creditor
is able TO avail himself OF a wide ex
cInption clause The Oriental mer
chant demands cash; but owing to the
change which has been wrought II
financial conditions here during tn,
Fast year, cash is scarce and the buy
er, once free with his credit, Is decid'
elly close with his money
Hence the reorganization which il
now going on. Soon there will be few
er Oriental stores and, perhaps, bette
ones The desire of small-fry japanese
70 make a living by selling each othe
cold drinks or cutting each other
hair win be checked by adversely
Hundreds OF these people will find thei
way back to the plantations whenc
they came. The balance between sup
ply and demand will gradually be re
stored ana Honolulu will be the botte
IA