The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-02-26
As To HOME
PATRONAGE
Governor Carter
Goes Half
Way.


Exchange had their innings with the
Governor on the home patronage
question.
The secretary, j. d. Avery, PERSONAL
ly presented the letter on the propo-
sition which he had been previously
directed to prepare by vote of the Ex-
change as indicated in these columns
yesterday. The letter appears below.
After reading the letter, Governor
Carter remarked that it would be i'm
possible to limit the call for bids on
work on oahu to ten days owing to
the fact that Hilo people desired to bid
on certain government contracts all
over the Territory, including Oahu.
He said, however, that he fully SYM
| pathzed with the idea of giving the
taxpayers of the Territory every legit-
innate preference, but that the EX-
change and the business community
represented by them doubtless did not
expect him to do anything unreason-
| able. Furthermore, there were GER
| tain instances in which the govern
ment would not be justified in limiting
it's patronage to local contractors and
| supply men, as they might combine
and the taxpayers would not want him
| to allow $4,000 to be paid for a job
which could be obtained for $4,000,
merely to keep the work at home.
, Mr. Avery assured the Governor that
while the Exchange asked that some
rule such as the one suggested be
made, it did not anticipate that there
never Would be an exceptional in
stance in which the government would
be justified in making it's purchases or
awarding it's contracts to non-resi-
| dents But, as to the combination
idea, that was far from possible under
existing conditions, even if such thing
were to be attempted. And there was
not the slightest indication of any de-
sire, even, to attempt such a combina-
| ton.
The Governor stated that the last
| Legislature had removed from the eX-
ecutive department any option as to
whom should be allowed to bid on
government work and he thought the
amendment to the law had been made
under influence of members of the
Builders & Traders Exchange. This
the secretary of the Exchange claimed
was an error, saying that the interests
of the Exchange lay in the opposite
direction if anything.
With a promise from the Governor
to take the matter up with the heads
of some of his departments, and re-
newed assurances that he would do all
he reasonably could to assist the
"home patronage" campaign. the con-
| ference ended.
The following is the letter which the
Builders & Traders Exchange at it's
| Loo ;,,c : H.
to draw up and, upon approval thereof
| by the president, to present to the
Governor:
Honolulu, H. T., Feb. "a, 1904
| Honorable George r. Carter, Governor,
Territory of Hawaii, City.
Sir: BY direction of the Builders &.
| Traders Exchange l have the honor
to respectfully call your attention to
the subject matter of the communica-
ton from this Exchange dated Dec. 2,
1908, and presented to you through a
committee consisting of Messrs. W. w.
| Harris (LeWerS q Cooke, Ltd, l.. E..
| Pinkham Concrete Construction Co.,
Ltd VIM w. Hall (E. o. Hall & Son,
Ltd, a. Harrison CA. Harrison Mill
| Co., Ltd, Geo Rodiek Oh. Hackfeld
& Co., Ltd, G. f. Bush CHonolulu
Iron Works Coz, and j. II. Craig (Gen-
eral Contractor).
We have the honor to further repre-
sent to you through this organization
that the business and tax paying COM
munity of this city feels keenly on the
question of taxpayers money going to
nonresident supply houses and con-
! tractors who do not contribute to the
support of the Government of Hawaii.
The sentiment is very strong that
every dollar of the Territorial funds
that can be kept in Hawaii is needed
during the present condition of bust
ness.
| Merchants with enormous stocks and
contractors with expensive plants must
make living for themselves and in
terest on their invested capital, A
| material reduction of these stocks
means both loss of revenue to Hawaii
by way of taxes and sore inconvenience
to the consuming public. But for the
varied and expensive stocks carried by
Honolulu merchants the purchasing
public would be largely dependent up
on the mainland for their everyday
supplies.
We submit every legitimate govern
ment support is due the actual resi-
dent taxpayer
by vote of the Builders & Traders
Exchange of Honolulu. Hawaii, l am
directed to advise you that it is the
sense of this Exchange representing
the material supply houses ard con-
tractors of this city that tenders on
Territorial government work for the
Island of Oahu should be called not
longer than ten days prior to opening
the same and not longer than twenty
days on work for the other islands, and
to respectfully request that you issue
the proper directions TO department
heads affected thereby
Thanking you for your expressions
of appreciation for and sympathy with
these sentiments as presented to you
by our Committee on Dec End last,
have the honor to remain,