The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-12-14
Hawaiian Reciprocity Treaty.
Meeting of the Snn Frnnci.co Chamber of
Commerce..

~ EINhAtl AiftNiHE VI lHt lstIlpt u Commerce
was held last evening in their rooms at the new
Merchants Exchange, for the purpose of discuss
ing the proposed reciprocity treaty with the IIa-
waiian Islands.
The meeting was called to order by the Presi-
dent. X. q. Sheath, who announced the object of
it. lie said ne had received II letter from Cover
nor Low, who deemed ii advisable that II meeting
should be held. lie had also received n letter
from Senator Cole, asking the opinion of the
merchants upon the matter. The letters were
read by him, as follows:
GOVERNOR lows LETTER.
r.. G.. SHEATH. President Of the Chamber Of Commerce. I
n,srcial interests Of the coSsi. a 5 well as " great roiitic,i inn in
portanc. with all those who were in position to promote il.
From the tenor 81 news from The East infer that there
b. counteneted II possible, aud this is To urge the body over
which YOU preside TO take immediate measures 10 have the
Commercial aspect Of II properly presented, fyou agree with
Chamber together - early as may b. aud take such action as
may seem the most likely to accomplish the end sought.
1t to your Chamber. Very respectfully, your Obedien, servant.
SENATOR COLES LETTER.
wAsnISGToN q. CD November 2, 1867.
between the United States and the Hawaiian Islands has been
effected, aud only waits the ratification Of the Senate. think
not you are acquainted with its provisions. l have to ask Of
you the favor 70 give Inc Your opinion upon it as to whether it
Chamber Of Commerce Will enable You TO determine whether
Very respectfully, your obed't servI, &. CoLE.
The meeting, Inc said, had been called in accord
ance with these suggestions. The matter was a
very important one, and affected the State of Cali
fornia, perhaps, more than any State in the Union.
He hoped the members would give it their earnest
attention.
After some considerable pause, n member sug-
gested that Mr.. Sheath make some remarks on
the subject.
Mr.. Sheath said he had not studied the matter
deeply, and was unwilling to hazard a decided
opinion. There were many things To be taken
into consideration, both for and against the treaty.
The repeal of the duties on the island products
would give them n splendid market, and would
eventually give them the supply Of the whole
United States. In the course of few ycars-ten
or perhaps twcnty-this would result from such
action. provided that they had the land to produce
sufficient sugar. lie was not familiar with the
subject, but was assured by parties who We're
that the land was there, and that they had the
ability to grow the sugar. 1t remained n ques-
ton whether the Islanders were likely to take up
with our republican institutions. There were
gentlemen present well acquainted with them,
and he should be glad to hear from them in rela-
ton to this.
Mr.. George Gordon thought that the matter
came hardly within their province u discuss,
being almost purely n political question. He
did not imagine there was any probability of any
possible products of the Sandwich Islands affect
Ing the revenue of the United States. The
American Government, he supposed, was follow
ing the policy of England in this matter, in secur-
IN ali the outlying l-idiu3 On tIclT coast. ne
did not think the commercial aspect of the affair
had ever entered into any ones serious consideTa-
ton. lie did not think the products of the
Sandwich Islands amounted to much, any way,
and 80 far as we were concerned, the treaty was
merely a commercial facility.
Mr.. Brooks. being called upon, said nc was
glad To give all the information nc could: He
had visited nearly all the plantations on the isl
ands: they were chiefly owned by Americans,
having been started in 1916. The annual prOduc-
ton of the Islands was about l.. 900 900 lbs; the
area of land suitable for the cultivation of sugar
was comparatively small. The Island Of WapOre
was a little smaller than the Island of MaurItius.
bur he thought the former would never grow a.
much sugar as Mauritius. lie thought it posi-
BILE that the area available for sugar growing
could be increased. but il would be n work Of
time; il wouh take fully three years to prepare 4
plantation. The great advantage the Islands had
over Louisiana, was that the cane could be cut
all the wear round IN the former. whereas IL had
To be cut all ut one time in the latter State.
With irrigation the sugar lands could be much
increased. With regard TO the treaty there were
two views TO be taken-the political and CONNER
cial. No doubt, if the islands Were TO be built
up. it would be done with American capital.
The objection TO annexation principally arose
from an a~ntipathy to annexation on the part of the
islands. The reciprocity treaty could not but
benefit California. since every increase IN busl-
ness at the islands must come from San Francisco;
il would raise the sugar interests from their pres
ent depressed state. and enable more retneries 10
run at profit than were now running ri a loss.
The majority of the plantation interests were
already in the hands of Americans. He was
inclined To think that reciprocity would gradually
prepare the i-lands for annexation. There werc