Newspaper Page Text
THE MAUI NEWS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1917.
THRKB
Jhdi On Figures
Asked For Beans
Dealers Are Making Too
Large Profits Results In
Lower Prices
Upon
Maul, J.
his return to Honolulu from
V. Ch'ld. tlir food administra
tor, took up Hip matter of the selling
price of Maul beans at retail and, ap
parently, ascertained that t he Hono
lulu dealers were making such prof
Ms out of the local product as to make
It hard for Maui beans to compete.
One of the city papers published the
following concerning; the matter, since
when, however, the dealers have out
down on retail figures:
Maul red benns at ten cents a pound
are not selling at a high enough price,
said Federal Food Administrator J. V.
ChUd yesterday. According to figures
worked out by him they should sell
at twelve and one-half cents to thir
teen cents at retail. Ten cents per.
pound Is the lowest price charged by
Honolulu retailers, some of whom
want as much as twenty cents a
pound for the Maui beans.
Child bases h!a figures on the sell
ing price of bayo beans In San Fran
cisco, which is $9.40 per. hundred or
9.4 cents per. pound. At this rate he
figures that twenty-five cents should
be deducted for freight to the Coast,
leaving J9.15 for the grower. To this
figure is added five percent or forty
six cents for fumigation and grading,
making 9.C1 cents for the grower's
price.
Ten percent, or ninety-six cents, Is
added by Child for jobbers' profit, and
twenty percent of the result ive sum,
or $2.14, for the retailers' profit, mak
ing a total of $12.71, which would
give the beans a selling price of about
twelve and three-quarter cents.
Different Basis Shown
As a matter of fact, the Maui bean
grower is not asking San Francisco
prices for his island-grown beans, but
is selling them at $7.50 to $8 a hund
red. According to Child's figures he
should ask at least $9.61. No one
wishes to curtail the producers' pro
fit, nor is it lvkely that anyone would
refuse to pay more than ten cents for
the beans if the additional profit were
to go to the farmer exclusively, but
if the farmer feels that he is getting
a fiir return at $7.50 a hundreed there
seems no reason to insist in his ask
ing San Francisco prices.
It is also probable that fumigation
and grading is included in the pr'ce
of $9.40 a hundred in San Francisco,
in which case the xtra five percent
allowed by Child should be eliminated.
It is further worth noting that if
beans are quoted, at $9.40 at the mar
ket in San Francisco, that means
their price to the retailer, and
Includes the jobbers' profit, thus
further cutting down Child's allow
ance. All that then remains to be added
to the San Francisco price less .freight
which is $9.15, is twenty percent for
the retailers' profit, and the price
which-, the retailer should then have
to get would be about $10.98, or
eleven cents a pound.
Greater Profits Taken
At the price of $7.50, at which many
merchants purchased their Maui,
beans, there is a margin of 33 1-3 per
cent for overhead and profits. In the
figures of Child only twenty percent
is allowed the retailer, so that by the
food administrator's schedule beans
bought for $7.50 should sell at nne
cents per. pound, or a cent less than
the cheapest price offered today.
Instead of this the majority of mer
chants are selling Maui red beans at
fifteen and twenty cents. At fifteen
cents there is a margin of 100 per
cent, or eighty percent excess profit
over what Adm'nistrator Child con
siders a fair percentage to the retailer.
At twenty cents a pound there is a
difference between wholesale and re
tail selling price of 1G6 2-3 percent or
146 2-3 percent excess profit, if the
beans were purchased at $7.50 a hund
red. Even at a higher wholesale
price the fact remains that there is
a percentage far greater than the
twenty percent allowed by Child be
tween the two prices.
Price Looks Excessive
Under the laws by whveh the food
administration was formed, as well as
under the license law, all dealers
making undue profits must be dealt
with in such a manner as to stop their
offering articles of food at inflated
prices. Even if the merchants paid
.to the producer the price worked out
by Child of $10.57 they would bo tak
ing excessive profits at a selling pr'fe
of fifteen and twenty cents. So far
as known no dealer has yet paid so
high a price for Maui beans.
Child d'd not make any statement
as to any action to be taken by him in
regard to the profiteering in Maui
beans. His chfef concern lay in the
fact that the producer was not get
ting market prices for his beans.
"The retailer who is selling at ten
cents beans which he has bought for
seven and one-half cents has bought
beans below the market, and is sell
ing at too large a profit," said Child
yesterday. "The retailor who Is
charging a higher price has probably
paid too much for his beans or is
making too large a profit on them."
Maui Crop Large
Child has recently returned from a
trip to Maui in the interests of the
bean growers. He says there are
half a mill'on pounds of beans on
Maui this year, a much greater num
ber than has ever been harvested
there before, which result he believes
is largely due to the encouragement
given by the food commission to the
grower of island.
Arrangements for the grading and
fumigating of all beans which will be
brought to the Honolulu market have
been made, and it is thought that the
Maui product will be fully equal to
PLANTERS HOLD
ANNUAL MEETING
At the annual meeting of the Sugar
Planters' Association, which began
Monday, the following officers and
directors were chosen for the new
year:
E. D. Tenney, president ; E. H.
Wodehouse, vice-president; W. O.
Smith, secretary and treasurer; L. J.
Warren, assistant secretary and trea
surer, and J. V. Waldron, auditor.
Trustees:: F. A. Schaefer, W. O.
Smith, E. Faxon B'ehop, J. P. Cooke,
J. F. C. Hagens, A. W. T. Pottomley,
J. M. Dowsett, E. H. Wodehouse and
E. D. Tenney.
The following were the main points
in the president's address:
Hawaii's sugar industry has special
problems arising from war, and must
bear burdens without undue criticism
of offlcUils.
Industry must be studied from "war
perspective" and planters' associa
tion has signal duty to perform.
Crop of 1917 second largest in his
tory of islands. Crop of 1918 dam
aged from 75,000 to 100,000 tons by
drought .
Qucst'on of labor compensation
most important before 1917 annual
meeting. Modification may be neces
sary. Experiment station praised; ten of
its employes have left for war service,
Problem of transportation for next
year is important, but that and oiher
difficulties arising from war wijl be
met and settled.
Trice of sugar for next year will
probably be lower, as fixed by govern
ment, than if without government
regulat'on.
Newspaper Changes
In The Second City
There were further changes in the
newspaper situation at Hilo at the
first of the month, or, to be more ex
act, on Monday of this week. The
Hawaii Daijy Post went out of exist
ence, as did also the Hawaii Herald
and a new paper appeared under the
title "The Daily Post-Herald". M.
G. Maury, former city editor of the
Advertiser, Honolulu, is the new edi
tor of the combination.
Mr. Bridgewater, former editor of
the Post, stays with the new paper
and will make an extended tour of
the island of Hawaii. "Val" Steven
son, of the old Herald, goes to the
Tribune. The Independent, the third
Hilo daily, closes down, leaving only
two papers in the town, as formerly.
Spanish Laborers
Leaving For Coast
Spanish laborers are leaving the
plantations of Maul in bunches and
going to California. The exodus be
gan immediately after the plantations
started issuing the 1917 bonus checks,
and has kept increasing in volume
ever since.
Such young Spaniards as register
ed for the selective draft are requir
ed by law to give their names in to
the sheriff before leaving the island.
Tuesday and Wednesday eight such
filed their names, leaving Wednesday
night. These, of course, formed a
very small percent, of those actually
leaving, as the older men, their wo
men i.nd children did not have to
registe".
. As near as can bo ascertained,
none of the Spaniards have anything
in v'ew; bu California has always
been the Mecca of ineir dreams and
the big bonus received this month en
ables them to get there comfortably.
First Duty Of The
War-Time Teacher
The following were the main
thoughts in the address of Rev. A. C.
Bowdish to the teachers of Maui in
convention at Pa'n School Friday
morning:
The first duty of the war-time
teacher has three points of emphasis.
They are personal, professional and
patriotic. Personally, the teacher
needs an Intelligent interest in his
work, or he is not really teaching.
He also needs a practical sympathy
for the young, whether of one race or
another. Then he will be able to
vitally undersland his pupils and to
have them gladly follow hs leading.
Professionally he must ever keep in
mind that he is not teaching subjects
or books so much as he is developing
life.
The teachers' bus'liess is more to
unfold character and far less to make
parrots and phonograph records.
Patriotically the teacher finds today
especially that the nation must have
men and women of character and
self-control if it is to endure. Moral
strength is the foundation of demo
cracy. In this self-control has a
supreme part. Any one who has
moral strength and genuine self-control
also has Jove and respect for
some authority. The teacher's
supremo war-time duty lies in devel
oping love for law and authority in
his pupils. In a democracy the
strength of the nation comes from
the people themselves through their
character and self-control.
the best imported grades in the future.
Child said yesterday that Maui beans
would probably be sold cheaper than
the coast product, but would make no
moro definite statement assuring low
prices on the island crop.
A Proclamation
By The President
"The chief part of the burden of
finding food supplies for the peoples
associated with us in war falls for
the present upon the American peo
ple, and the drain upon supplies on
Buch a scale necessarily affects the
prices of our necessaries of life. Our
country, however, is blessed with an
abundance of foodstuffs and if our
people will economize In their use of
food providently confin'ng themselves
to the quantities required for the
maintenance of health and strength;
if they will eliminate waste; and if
they will make use of those com
modities of which we have a surplus,
and thus free for export a larger pro
portion of those requ'red by the world
now dependent upon us, we shall not
only be able to accomplish our obli
gations to them, but we shall obtain
and establish reasonable prices at
home.
"To provide an adequate supply of
food both for our own so!d:ers on the
other side of the seas, and for the
civil populations and armies of the
Allies, is one of our first and fore
most obligations; for, if we are to
maintain their constancy in this
struggle for the independence of all
nations, wo must first ma;ntain their
health and strength. The solution
of our food problems, therefore, is de
pendent upon the individual service
of every man, woman and child In
the United States
"The great voluntary effort in this
direction which has been initialed and
organized by the food administration
under my direction oITcih an opportu
nity of service In the war which is
open to every individual and by wh'.ch
every Individual may serve both his
own people and the peoples of the
world. We cannot accomplish our
objects In this great war without
sacrifice and devotion, and In no direc
tion can that sacrifice and devotion
be shown more than by each home
and public eat'.ng place in the coun
try pledging its support to the food ad
ministration and complying with i.ts
requests.
"WOODItOW WILSON."
Quite Another Story
Colonel Moorehead, of the Second
Infantry, N. G. H., has Issued a state
ment concerning the alleged raid by
men of his regiment on small shops
of Honolulu, before sail'ng for home
which sheds an entirely different
light on the matter. The Colonel
says:
"When the troops left the camp at
ten o'clock in the morning on their
way to the boat to embark for home,
they were provided with lunch to eat
on the train. Some of the men nvg
lected to take the ration with them,
thinking they would have time and
permission in Honolulu to get their
lunch in the restaurants. On reach
ing Honolulu and finding out they
were not allowed to leave the boat
after once going aboard none tried to
leave, with the excepf'on of some half
dozen men who did not either hear
or properly understand the order to
stay on board. The men at the last
minute left the boat and rushed for
the nearby Japanese food and fruit
stands. Officers went after the men
and brought them back after they had
secured' their favorite dish p'e and
sodawater. The men were back in
plenty of time. And that," said the
Colonel, "is the true and full story
of the Filipino revolt."
Newest.Coolest Hotel in Hawaii
Fort Street Honolulu
Suggestions for
CHRISTMAS GIFTS
KODAKS
AND ACCESSORIES
riCTURES
PICTURE FRAMES
WARNING:
Better start your Xmas buy
ing earlier than usual this
year, as deliveries may be de
layed by transportation dif
ficulties. I3cnclulu pboto Supply
Company
HONOLULU
GRAND HOTEL
WAILUKU, MAUI. T. H.
Reasonable Rates
Dinner parties given special
attention.
BOOKS
FOR CHRISTA1AS j
J Peutifully illustrated volumes (
for children: Treasure Book of i
Children's Verse; The Snow 7
Queen, etc. (
For Grown-ups: "Hawaii Past
and Present" by W. R. Castle; f
especially bound in real tapa
cloth by Dodd, Mead & Co. i
New Fiction; standard sets; f
war books. V
EDISON'S DIAMOND DISC
PHONOGRAPH
635 to 250
All the new records.
) HAWAIIAN NEWS
00., LTD.
. Bishop St. :; Honolulu
K0C(0OH)0CllOOi
Fire Insurance
Do Not Wait Too Long
Insure Now!
The Oldest and Best Equipped Agency
Bank of f3aui, Ltd.
C. H. COOKE, President C. D. LUFKIN, Vice-Pres. and Mgr.
WAILUKU--LAHAINA--PAI A
ili
KODAK and
Camera GIFTS
CERTAINLY Will. PLEASE THAT RELATIl'E OR FRIEND
OP YOURS Ml 10 LIKES PICTURES AXD PICTURE-MAKING.
WE'VE A BIG HOLIDAY STOCK OE THINGS. EROM WHICH
YOU CAN SELECT AXD ORDER .')' MAIL.
Negative Albums, 35tf to $1.50.
Tripods; wood, $1.00 to $5.00; metal,
$2.75 to $4.50.
Portrait Attachments, 50c1.
Tripod Adjusters, 75tf.
Premos, $2.50 to $88.50.
Brownies, $1.75 to $14.00.
Photographic Alliums, 10 to $5.90.
Developing Tanks, $2.75 to $8.00.
Ray Filters, 50? to $3.25.
Kodaks, $7.00 to $85.00.
Graflcx. Cameras, $53.50 up.
Carrying Cases, 25? up.
WRITE FOR CATALOGUE AND DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS.
MAIL ORDERS A SPECIALTY.
Honolulu Photo Supply Co,
1059 FORT STREET
HONOLULU
Holiday Goods
Holiday Goods
GO TO
Wailuku Hardware & Grocery Co., Ltd.
Wholesale And Retail Groceries, Dry Goods, Hardware, Furni
ture, Auto Accessories, And For Everything You Can Think Of
In The Line Of
Christmas Staphs and Hovelties
TOYS
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HOLIDAY GIFTS
Of Every Kind And
DESCRIPTION
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u-
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CHRISTMAS PRIZES-For Each Cash Purchase of $1.00 A Chance Will Be Given
On A Special Prize, ONE STUDEBAKER WAGON, And A Chance On One Of The Fol
lowing Prizes: (1) Toy Automobile; (2) Toy Bicycle; (3) Rocking Horse And Doll; (4) Large Girl
Doll; (5) One Baseball And Catcher's Mit; (6) Car And Small Doll. These Prizes Will Be
Awarded Christmas Eve.
Wailuku Hardware & Grocery Co., Ltd,
Y, TING, Manager
Corner Main and Market Streets, Wailuku, Maui.
