Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-26


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Ever since l hrst came to Honolulu
have been struck by the prevalence
OF the theory that every resident 81
honolulu Is wealthy II has seemed
to be solecisni 10 speak OF economy
or TO consider questions Of cost Of
value, although On the mainland these
matters are recognized to be OF vital
Importance and have profoundly In
fIuenced national movements and pO
litical parties.
A great deal has been said recently
about local high prices coming back
TO the consumer In the shape Of high
salaries. dividends, etc. Personally,
do not derive either salary or divi.
dends from Honolulu, 90 this argu.
ment does not appeal to me. In any
case. It Is not the amount Of the salary
but the relation between income and
outgo that determines the real pros.
perity of family, and ultimately Of
city or country have even heard
the argument advanced that we should
be willing to help the local merchants
TO large profits because they are SO
public spirited and give so freely to
charities.
Now. as Z come to know the city
better see good many men whose
salaries cannot be more than from
$3.50 to $3.50 q month. These men
have families to bring up and educate
and social position to maintain.
Surely they must need to consider
carefully the cost Of living And Il
must be that they, sometimes, IN their
own proper person and not through
their grocer or haberdasher, would
like to contribute to charity or to pub
lie service.
The Advertiser tells us that we
should make up lists Of our require
ments and submit them to the local
merchants for prices before sending
our orders away. When first came
to Honolulu frequently did this, or
would quote prices at which / could
obtain the same goods on the main
land. recall one instance In which
the usual argument about expense Of
transportation. delivery, etc, was
brought up said could take into
account every such item OF expense
and still saVe 10 per cent. The answer
was q barely concealed sneer and the
words, eoh. 10 per cent? That doesn't
amount to muchi That episode /
consider typical OF the attitude of the
Honolulu merchant, and Ii scarcely
needs amplifi catiOn. !,
n There is another aspect TO this mat.
ter. While Ii may be possible, IN
some stores, by quoting mainland
prices, by haggling, by offering to pay
cash, to obtain reduction from the
prices first quoted, this is hardly a.
satisfactory manner Of trading to any
selfrespecting purchaser, least Of all
to one who has been accustomed to
the system inangurated BY John
Wanamaker and now almost univer
sal In the eastern states. where one
price exists for every purchaser,
large or small, cash or credit, local or
foreign.
Before I close should like to say
q little about the price Of meat III
Honolulu This, unhappily, is not an
article that lends itself to mail order
purchasing or the markets in Homo
lulu, might suffer seriously. This city
b now enjoying the benefit Of the ex-l
cellent meat imported from New
Zealand. ! have lived IN New Zeal
and and was keeping house there
three years ago. am informed that
The price Of meat has not risen mate
rally since that time. The best leg
of mutton on the market could then
be bought at retail for IL cents q
pound CT translate into American
money The choicest spring lamb
chops were Is cents pound. Shout
Ter OF mutton was priced at 8 cents.
Rib roast of beef or sirioin steak cost
II cents q pound. In short, the choic.
est cuts of beef or mutton, with the
exception only Of tenderloin and
runp steak. were sold at II cents al
pound or under retail Cheaper cuts
ranged about and 8 cents. These
we're not exceptional prices but were
The uniform. standard prices, fixed by
the Butchers Union and maintainedl
IN every market in the city. refer
now to Auckland, New Zealand
am told that the expense OF trans
p0rtation on this meat is one cent al
pound or under. This Is not first
hand knowledge, but / believe II can.
not be far from the fact. There Is no
duty on meat. Yet we continue to-
pay rs to % cents a pound for beef
and mutton In Honolulu. Is it any
that the Honolulu merchant
despises profit or q saving Of 101
per cent? f
t & s.s SUFFRAGETTE.
THAT is, as 1t would be defined by
Artemus Ward, One Who Suffers.l 4
: The members OF the Japanes Medi.