The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-01-16

Commercial Agency, dated January 10
dealing with the business outlook and
transactions of the past fortnight,
speaks as follows of conditions:
1t is undeniable that business. espe-
cialIy in the retail circles of Honolulu,
drags indeed for the first fortnight or
the new year. This in part, perhaps
very largely, may be attributed to the
natural falling off expected after the
| briskness that marked the holiday sea-
son. Shipments to the other islands OF
general supplies continue to be of about
| the same bulk, and the reports are that
| outside collections are better than in
| the capital The wholesalers are be-
| coming more and more careful in their
credit departments. 1t may be noted
| that large houses of the mainland are
| quite closely informing themselves on
conditions and people in the Islands,
though showing no lack Of confidence.
The merchants of Honolulu are not
| complaining particularly. They are not
| in distress and are confidently looking
forward to the better times of the COM
| ing spring.
The business community "by and
large" is keenly interested in the ap-
preaching sitting of the Territorial leg
islature. Much direct and immediate
good is expected to result from the de-
alterations of the body. 1t is anticipated
that Governor Dole will be frank and
comprehensive in his message and it is
known that the reports from the vari-
Gus heads of departments will present
much detail upon which practical acts
can be based. The composition of the
Senate and House of Representative
is such that new statutes and amend
ments that will make for the Immediate
prosperity of the whole of the group
are, it is believed, certain to be enacted
without unnecessary delay.
There is we'll on foot a movement to
present to the lawmakers a proposal to
revive the old merchandise license sys-
tenn. This will doubtless at first meet
with much opposition from certain
quarters, but the advocates are arming
themselves with weighty reasons and
strong arguments. 1t is stanchly
claimed that there are in Honolulu
alone, scattered all over the city, hun
dreds of little shops that have no leglt-
innate purpose for existence. And 1t is
stated with force that nearly all of
these shelter people who should be upon
the plantations at work, thus relieving
the standing Stringency of the labor
scores upon SCOIcS VI tlISSC
little shops, which, by, the way, are
exceptionally poor risks for the fire in
surance companies shield or cover i'm
moral establishments. Several thou
sand non-producing males are thus
maintained 1t is held that under the
old license system, as it could easily be
again applied, nearly all of these value |
less little shops could be promptly |
closed, to the benefit of legitimate mer- |
chants and the whole life of the COM |
munities to which they are such a |
curse
Under the head of labor for planta- |
lions it is important TO record that as |
an outcome of the trip of an agent of |
the planters to the Orient, there has
already arrived here the first batch"
of Koreans for cane field and mill serv-
ice. All success is wished for the ex-
pertinent, which was brought to the /
first material stage by Mr.. e. F. Bish |
op, of the house of c. Brewer & Co. /
Since our last report, which gave cor
rect advance information on the sub
ject, Mr.. j. G.. Pratt, agent at Wash
ington for the Honolulu Commercial
organizations, has cabled that the COM
mittee on territories of the House of
Representatives has made favorable
report on the Fire Claims appropriation
bill. This is the best piece of news that
has so far been received over the cable.
The bill for an act for the organic
alton or subdivision of the Territory
into counties, largely drawn by United
States District Attorney r. w. Brock
ons, has been completed and is in the
hands of the special committee of |
which Mr.. W. o. Smith is chair
man, for approval This will be
rIx fa1 tel fY,Y~a
which, to a man, is pledged to the
policy. There will be five supervisors
for the county of Oahu, with the usual
officials for a county such as known on
the mainland. For municipalities
Clown and city organization there is
to be enacted general law to become
operative upon the initiative of COM
munities. 1t seems probable that Ho-
nOlulu and Hilo will early incorporate,
with mayor, etc.
Mr.. Henry E. Cooper, the new Su-
perintendent of Public Works, has gone
for an official tour of Hawaii and Maui, h.
and as he is a man who does things,
1t is accepted that there will be new life
in the matter of public improvements
such as road building and wharf con-
struction. By an act of Congress now
pending. the lighthouses of the group
are to be taken over to Federal control,
the Territory of considerable
expense.
This is the month for payment of
poll taxes and the return to the as
SCISSOR of property for the taxation pc
riod of the current year. Through the
efforts of Assessor and Collector ]. w.
Pratt, the valuation processes are
somewhat better understood than in the
past and there will be less friction in
figures.
Genuine effort is now being put forth
by earnest men interested in making
real tourist point. One man
it; I'VE should have two
mighty good crops here every year
one of sugar and the other of tourists"
1t is planned to cooperate with the
very generous agencies through which
Hawaii is at present receiving so much
2 lNsrtisins nd kllrtL..,- ? - .. |