The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-10-17
Correspondence Of the p. c. Advertised
w INIT Mathcmatic. can Accomplish.

Nh EDITOR The discussion on the adulteraton
o~fsugars has assumed a mathematical nature which is
quite refreshing. Since carefully considering the AZ
ray Of figures in proof Of the mathematical morality
OF putting sufficient charcoal in lighter grades of SUI
gar to bring the color down to below number y
Dutch Standard l have come to the conclusion that
the a~pologisis fthe accused parties have Il sUTe-dtirefy
demonstrated that they are n little more than honest,
that they are. in fact, self sacrificing, inasmuch as by
the judicious use Of charcoal they are enabled to make
use Of an article which would otherwise be quite
worthless for purposes Of commerce, owing to the as
~tonishing amount OF grape 1t contains Now 1t Is a
well known fact that the science of mathematics is
the most exact CT sciences, and any other science
which can be mathematically illustrated may be con-
sidercd rs established beyond all controversy. This
being the case, rejoice with me, Mr.. Editor, that the
morality of adulterating sugars with charcoal in order
that ! cent per pound duties may be saved to the re-
ineries Of san Francisco, is established beyond all
question / am astonished that you, sir, in the face
of al these figures, should have the temerity TO doubt,
and l sincerely hope that you will so far reform as TO
have the grace to give up when your position has
been proven TO be so entirely untenable as that OH this
sugar question has been. Your conscience may lie a
pretty fair indicator of right or wrong when the dis
tinction is plain, but when it comes down to n very
NtCc p1I.f, HAe tnlS sugar question:, u Il OF III ac-
count, and you would do well TO be directed by those
having intimate knowledge of the question under con-
sideration, and who are able to decide whether a
doubtful act is right or wrong and to demonstrate
mathematicslly the soundness of their yiegs~
In this instance these mathematical demonstrators
have plainly shown what you have no doubt suspect
ed: That if it is moral and right to practice fraud
upon the consumer, it certainly is to practice it upon
a government. You will instance the comparison be-
tween the adulteration of liquors and the adulteration
Of sugar, in a letter republished in the Gazette from
the advertiser of Inst week. Liquors pay duties in
proportion to the spirits contained, and consequently
as the exact amount of spirits can be and is ascertained
in all liquors imported, the adulteratiOn of them can
in no way affect the government, but the fraud is
upon the consumer. Sugars pay duties without any
regard to quality except as to color, and to purchase
sugar here and adulterate it by mixing a foreign sub
stance with it in order to bring the color below a GER
tain standard and exporting it to the United States,
paying therefor n less duty than the unadulterated
sugar would be obliged to pay, looks as much like a
%premedifated fraud upon that government as any
thing your humble servant ever heard of, and he
would really think it was, were not the contrary So
incontestably proven by figures. FITz.