The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-02-08
OUR SUGAR

Mr.. EpiroE Il have headed this 4" Our Sugar
Interests but from ny stand point, | might have
properly headed it, " Hawaiian Success or Failure"
so entirely does the prosperity or disaster of this
people. aboriginal and foreign, depend upon this
one industry.
In 1915. we sold but s26,7ll worth of sugar and
but little else of other products. and even as late
as 1860, the islands exported only l,444, 27libs and
lOS,6I3 gallons molasses. worth about $50. 600.
But in lS45. there were more than 200 whaleships
touching generally. in both spring and fall for sup
plies, and perhaps 100 In 1861.
In 1871. the sugar product had reached nearly
22, 900, O90 of pounds worth about with the molas-
ses. 81, $50. 900 out of an export of about 81, $50
900, making full three-fOurthS of all the exports of
the islands.
There seems to be fewer obstacles to the pro-
duction of sugar, than of most other articles, as
cotton and coffee, which would answer for exporta-
ton. These have been tried and found more liable
to damage from blight and insects than the sugar
cane, and for this reason we must look to sugar as
our chief export. Wool, cotton, coffee, and many
other things, will come In as valuable auxiliaries,
but sugar so far as past experience indicates, must
be our main reliance. Ii is the foundation upon
which our material prosperity as a nation rests.
To explain more fully, a large part OF all the
laborers are engaged in cultivating cane, and
manufacturing it into sugar. and much skilled and
mechanical labor is also employed. To feed these
laboreTs. a large number Is employed in cultiva-
ting food, for which u good market and ready pay
is found on the plantations. The laborer and cul-
tlvator, as well as the planter and mechanic, are
thus enabled from the products of the plantation
exported to other lands, to buy what the merchant
imports from other lands who, in his turn, contrib
utes q large part of the revenue Of the country
which goes for the support OF the Government.
purposes OF education and public improvements.
The plantations also furnish TO The coasters a large
part OF their freight. They furnish to the capital
list. directly or indirectly, the opportunities for in
vestments If they are prosperous. the Govern
ment. and every department of industry and call
ing of business in tie land Is proportiOnally pros
porous. Ii they ~languish, these all ~languish. If
disaster befals them, these are involved in a COM
/ mon rum. prosperity to any great industry, means
prosperity 10 all business dependent upon it, and
so disaster TO IL, means disaster to them.
What ! aim at, is TO have every person in this
community on these islands. feel that prosperity to
the planting interest, is prosperity to him, and that
failure in this enterprise, is not to the planters
alone. but. be he lahorer. mechanic, merchant, or
Government employee, il is failure TO him in a great
measure as well. The importer cannot import. for
his customers have no money to buy they have no
money to pay taxes, or contribute for benevolent
or useful purposes. The cultivator can raise his
food, but the market for his surplus has failed. The
revenue from imports is cut OF, and we are placed
back thirty years, when there wa no revenue, ex-
cept the Paahao tax in labor and a small money tax,
collected from the monies scattered by the recruit
ing Of whaleships. But the whale catching, has in a
great measure ceased. This is no fancy picture.
And II 1t Is IN any measure true, the Government
for its own life, and every man, of whatever call
ing he be, should do all in his power to foster, aid
and encourage the sugar planting interest.
Planters have struggled hard from the first
great losses have been sustained and many have
been compelled to yield to the pressure OF a load
they could not carry and some successors of the
pioneers OF this industry, entering into their labors
with a small part only of their expense, in conse-
quence of low prices, short labor, and other draw
backs find themselves subject 10 losses which,
without relief from some quarter, may compel the
abandonment OF their enterprises.
The Government, collectively, having more in
terest than any individual, should earnestly address
itself to devising a remedy, and in this they should
have the efficient support of every man who has any
interest in the country and if the remedy can be
found, it should be applied. Labor at no higher
than present prices is needed. 1t would help, but
it alone is not an adequate remedy. No expensive
embassy 10 Wasbingion-foT which W. have not
the money-should be sent, we shall welcome reci-
procity, but we want TO know the price, If it is to
be had, and we can as we'll learn at Honolulu as
at Washington and if it can be done here as there.
Success 10 the planting interest carries with it
reasonable prosperity 10 the whole people, and the
large planters will be glad TO parcel out their lands
10 natives on most reasonable terms, making them
independent cultivatOrs. and manufacturing their
sugar for them, thus giving to them the stimulus of
productive industry, and each man to depend on
himself for his success. If this with the imprOv-
ing habits usually accompanying such a life will
not stay the rapid depOpulation. nothing will and
all natives and foreigners who seek and wish the
good Of the race and the prosperity of the nation.
must be willing to pay the price. But let it be re-
fused, and these interests fail, and our course is
backward. TO few exports and imports, with little
revenue and little money.
We do not undervalue the important industries
of wool-raising and grazing. but as has been said,
all others combined, reach only about onefourth of
the value Of the production of sugar. But whilst
our imports and exports and revenue have gone on
increasing Tor thirty years past, yet the Govern
ment expenses have increased faster still. until