Hilo tribune., 1905-02-07

nat I1llO Is OH ltS way uOWn,
since the decline in coffee prices, no.
body will deny. The question is
to the causes and remedies.
Whether or not, by intelligent
efforts on the part of its citizens,
the downfall cannot be prevented
and the town built up and devel-
oped?
The majority of citizens are in
clined to think that re evil can be
cured by constructing a wharf, a
breakwater, a public park, a federal
building and the like. Such public
works are undertaken in every coun-
try during periods of economical
depression and play the part of a
glass of brandy administered to the
dying man or a nickel thrown into
the hat of a beggar. While we do
not deny the usefulness of such re-
needles, we must not forget that
they are only temporary and ephe-
neral in their efforts, because theydo
not strike the roo of the evil. Who
is going to occupy those buildings,
who going to use those wharves,
parks, breakwaters in the absence
of business or economical incentives
to people to come, to stay and
work.
The real cause of Hilo's downfall
is that it represents but a commun-
ity of middlemen, who do not pro-
duce or in any way contribute to
produce anything. They partici-
pate in the division of the product
of the country behind them but do
not in its production or in enhanc-
ing its value. AS long as the
country was full of settlers who did
something, Hilo was booming. The
real estate in town went higher and
higher every year, commercial pro-
fits increased, transportation con-
Germs levied higher rates, capital
brought good interest. Unfortuna-
the whole prosperity was built up
a single branch of agricultural in
dustry-coffee. With its fall every.
thing collapsed, .proving once more
how unsound is the policy of rely
ing upon one industry. No single
industryis safe against the ever pos.
sible fall in price, or incidental
blight or drouth, considering the
chaotic, anarchial condition of pro.
duction and distribution nova.
days. The unreasonableness oil
putting all the eggs in one basket
applies so much more to states and
communities than to individual eco
nomy.
The period of temporary pros
perity in connection with the coffee
industry, was the proper time fol
Hilo to think and plan for the
future. They have missed thi:
opportunity. Instead of doing so,
its citizens have given their energy
time and savings TO ordinary mid
dleman speculation. That was the
time to realize the necessity OF
developing new industries in every
town in order to hereafter supper,
the country, to create condition.
for new agricultural opportunitie.
and to enhance the market value.
of the country's raw material. Nc
country creating only raw material.
has ever become rich; it only
makes rich other countries tina
give the raw material definite form
through mechanical industrial pro
cesses.
The interests of the country ant
town are intimately interviewer
Their services are mutual and reel
procal. They have either tc
sustain each other or fall. Whilt
the country produces raw material
the town turns it into a finished
product of higher value for tn,
market, thus participating not only
in the division of what the country
produces, but in the production
itself. The development Of a new
agricultural industry around /;
town results in building up factories
in the town. The building O
factories gives an impulse to the
5 country districts to grow additional
rou, ,,ota,;oI cor the fo~otnr;ae ,,ea