The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-10-14
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Abbfrtlser,
SATURDAY. OCTOBER Il,
Our Sugar Interests.


have become interrupted and are succeeded by
Iipbt westerly airs, and the barometer has given
rs warning that we may soon look for the setting
in of our usual autumn rains. Though the sum
mer that Is now about ended has not been
marked By any great augmentation Of the usual
heat. and our agricultural interests have not
suffered materially on account of want Of rain,
still our graziers and sugar growers will welcome
the advent of the periodical koDas as a sign that,
whatever else they may have 10 contend against.
they viii be spared the encouragement attendant
upon drought.
Speaking Of sugar planters particularly, as
representing the largest plumber Of agriculturists
on these islands, we are led to reflect upon the
magnitude Of their undertakings, and The imPor-
lance, in a financial point of view, of the interests
bound up in the manufacture of sugar A mo-
meut's consideration will show Us that the I'M
portance Of these interests TO our "hoie colnmu-
uity cannot be overestimated- Their lnnuenee
rermeates and is fet, more or less, IN every branch
If industry. and affects every bodys pocket
Whether il il better that ii should be sugar
than something else, is not for us DOW to con-
slider. We must take the fact that sugar grow
ING l. now and must for years continue to BE the
permanent industry of the islands, and address
ourselves to the task of making the best of 1t.
Starting out with the proposition that sugar
is made in the field, We are led TO speculate
upon the best mode of keeping the field IN good
growing order. While We know that IN some
localities the cane can be left TO grow pretty
mueb according TO Its own sweet will. and
that there are to be found conditions of soil and
facilities for irrigatIng that enable the planter to
calculate upon q crop each year, still the practice
is not a sound one, and due attention to the free
ing of the field from everything foreign to the
cane will always be rewarded in the product
taken from the centrifugal. Our sugar planters
have as a general thing, earned by their patience
and perseverance an adequate reward, even though
many Of them may never have received It, That
errors have been committed, that the whole sub
iect has been painfully learned IN that hardest
and most expensive school, experience, We all
know, and though in some instances perhaps 1t
would seem as though the lessons had not been
much pro6ted by, still our planters as a body,
know now what they must avoid as well as what
they must address themselves to. Possibly, their
over sanguine expectations have led them an
some instances to go ahead more rapidly than was
prudent, and they have been obliged to retrace
their steps and check their ardour, but if disap-
pointment has been overcome by a firm purpose,
and their initial efforts have disclosed perils and
pitfalls that can now be avoided, We have good
reason for anticipating that the sugar interest
will in the future fairly renumerate all who have
given to it their time and money. And in this
connection we have the encouraging reflection
that the foreign markets for our products are not
remote, that they are large, and rap dly inercas-
ing in capacity for consumption
Another very encouraging feature in connec-
ton with this subject, is the steady faith held by
those who, of all others, are the best able to
judge of the entire aspects of the sugar interest,
fairly and searchingly-we mean the sugar grow
ers themselves. No one, going over a plantation,
can judge of the final result so well as him who,
knowing all the conditions of soil and water, of
labor and machinery, daily superintends and con-
trolls the entire business, from its initial point to
the final shipment to the agent.
While We would award all praise and honor
to those who have, as agents, cared for and
promoted the plantation interests, and to whom,
IN a large degree, IL due the steadily increasing
shipments OF this great staple, we would insist
upon the primary importance OF securing the
best superintendence obtainable in the field as
well as at the train of the vacuum pan. Thai
men, in every way qualified to FIJI these positions
are to be had, is well known. And the question
of the expense is met by the paramount good
resulting. Strict economy, with such men te
direct its application, can be easily p%racticed
while without them, the leaking at the bunghol'
must always exceed the saving at the spile-
We believe in the truth of the proverb-'' In
the multitude of councillors there is safety" anc
in our newly organized Chamber of Commerce
lies the elements of prosperity for our producers
especially, and we hope to see that body inaugu-
rate such measures as will lead to the advance
ment of the best interests of sugar growing il
Hawaii nei.