The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-06-30
CHINESE
QUESTION

China in which It il stated that they
propose to boycott trade with the Unit
ed States on account of the manner in
which the exclusion laws of the same
have been executed, some pooh-pooh
the idea and remark on the impossible
ity OF there being any united action in
this respect and also that 1t is impos-
sible for the reason that America is
not only the granary of the world but
the one country where manufactures of
wood and iron are cheaper and better
than those of any other land, and the
lcupidity Of the importer will restrain
him from any such action.
That reminds me of story I heard
told on a steamer on one of my return
trips to the islands. Horace Davis, of
Golden Gate Flour Mills, was the
speaker, and from his point Of view 1t
was quite laughable, but since learn
ed that the old adage HE who laughs
last is he who laughs best. is more
than true. He said: You know I was
in Congress and made it my business
to push the exclusion law. A coterie of
big Chinese merchants of San Fran
cisco waited on me and said, You favor
exclusion of Chinese?' 1 answered that
did.
They said, Mr.. Davis, we wish to
tell you that we do not want any more
Golden Gate -four
Il said, is 1T not good -four? Are
there any complaints?'
"They said: The -four is all right,
but we do not wish to deal with you
as you do not believe in reciprocity and
have shown your unfriendliness to the
Chinese
They filled their orders from other
flour mills. and when the goods arriv-
ed in China a howl went up which
would disturb the bones of their ances-
tors, as our brand had a reputation
throughout the part of China where
American flour was being used. Their
principals evidently wrote the Chinese
brokers that what they had sent could
not be sold as the absence of the blue
brand Golden Gate Mills condemned
it, for they came again and said: We
have changed our minds and will buy
your -four
IT answered that they could not buy
from me, and they We're compelled to
pay American middlemen to buy for
pay commission"
That was his story and he told 1t
well, as he is. natural humorist.
The finale, however, learned after
ward. 1t appears that the flour which
had been sent in lieu of Golden Gate,
such as Sperry's and others, was all
about the same, and the price was a
little less. The following orders went
forward for thoseffours and broke the
band which bound the consumers of
China to Golden Gate. 1t must have
hurt severely, as that mill had worked
up the trade for years until it flourish
ed like the green bay tree.
| Is not this boycotting, which is
threatened. going to have a similar ef-
feet only on a scale where millions is
the figure instead of thousands? Amer
lea may be the granary of the world
but those who know will tell you that
British Columbia produces a harder and
better wheat than the United States
and its fields are increasing at a mar
Vicious rate and 1t will soon vie with
Uncle Sam in supplying that staple to
the world. Then again the effect of
the Japanese Russian war has been to
advertise and make known that Won
derful theater of battle, viz, Man
churia. 1t is one of the finest agri-
cultural parts of the world and emf
nently suited to supplying China with
the requisite -four and other cereals.
The war will bring about the develop
ment of the mineral and agricultural
resources of that great land and, money
being very plenty there, there will be a
Il An
mining and agricultural machinery as
we'll as building materials Of all de-
scriptions. Can We afford to antagonize
such a people merely because of the
sand-lot oratory of some of our walk
ing delegates? ihere is matter
which no man has yet written on as
! far as ] have seen, and that is kero-
sene.
China, Korea and Japan are great
markets for kerosene and singular to
! say that heretofore no crude oil of any
note has been discovered in either.
Hundreds of vessels leave the Allan
tic coast loaded with oil for the China
market. AS a matter of fact there is
no doubt that great oil fields will yet
be discovered In China, for we know
| tndt III mdTcO fOlO s. time the CHi-
nese were using natural gas for evap-
Grating salt water and in that vicinity
oil must be very plentiful. Should
such thing as a boycott take place
| 1t might drive the Chinese to develop
ing the resources of their own country
and especially the mineral resources.
They have more coal than any other
people and much iron ore in the
vicinity and may be induced to MAX
ing their own steel and iron. It will
assuredly be a great theater for rail-
road building. and, with electrical
power, latent in all its numerous cas-
cades. the world will witness a revolu-
ton in freight and passenger carry
ing.
improvements and reform and adop-
ton OF western methods are proceed
ing at a marvellous pace In China. II
Tis one of the best markets for watches
and sewing machines as well as, for
small machinery of all descriptions and
the demand is continually growing
Should a boycott take place and Ger
many, England and France get the