The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-04-10

THE UNITE hFAfkb FhEDIOTEb.
In this mornings issue Of the Tribune, / observe
an opinion upon the proposed Hawaiian Reel
procity Treaty, by the Hon. David A, Wells. It's
ate style of that gentleman. j reRret the article
the more, because it will have the force and effect
of truth, coming from such a souree.
Having lived on the Islands many years. / be-
came intimately acquainted with their Industries,
and, as l have no peculiarly interest in the passage
OF this treaty, can speak fairly. Mr. Wells views
are such as might have been looked for from one
who sees only through the windows OF the National
Treasury. Many of his statements are only partly
true, and erroneous conclusions are drawn from
false premises. II is not the fact tina: sugar pro-
duction there is fairly profitable, but the reverse ID
true. l could cite many instances within my per-
sonal knowledge TO prove this, but will give only
one. and the general statemen that all but two or
three of the thirty or more plantations are now
owned by the successors OF than those who began
sugar-raising. for the reason that the original
holders failed from the low price OF sugar, the cost
OF production exceeding the sales. The instance
referred TO Ia that OF a large plantation, the sugar
house and machinery alone costing about SzOO,00o.
The whole plantation was recently cold for $780,
900! Yet Mr.. Wells says IL pays a fair profit TO
raise sugar under existing circumstances, and that
a few pleasant American gentlemen want n $780,
900 subsidy from this Government Granted that
the loss to the Treasury will be 100000 Of duties
on sugars; it would not be 81 10000 as be says,
under the existing circumstances He forgets
utterly that the Hawaiian. Government also loses
duties on goods of equal value imported from the
States. The gamers In each case will be the peo-
pie Of each country. The merchant Of Boston,
New York, and OF San Francisco will sell goods 10
the Hawaiian consumer where he now sells none.
American ships will carry the goods Of both
nations. l remember the day when regular lines
OF packets piled between Honolulu and Boston,
New Bedford, New York, and San Francisco Re-
Gently the one remaining line this side was discon-
tinued. In its place the flags Of England and of
Germany cover the products Of Hawaii taken to
Europe in exchange for Manufactured goods.
Mr.. Wells says the wants Of 10000 people cannot
be much. He forgets that Honolulu is only q
depot OF supplies for a vast region OF the Pacific
Islands. and that ships of all nations reht at that
port. using almost entirely imported goods He
says, with the. complacency Of a New Yorker
Boosting OF the inevitable supremacy Of his city.
that America Is and must continue TO be the market
for Hawaii and the source whence its supplies
must be drawn. The fallecy of that Is illustrated
by the increased trade with other nations and q
decreasing, or not a growing trade with America.
or Germany would to-day gladly possess
power, and that power not necessarily the United
States. 10 my opinion q treaty such IS the one
will tend to identify the interests Of Ha-
wall with those or this country, and Ia view OF that
is IT not worth some sacrifice TO prevent any
other nation from enterng into possessionf II the
treaty falls to the ground, / predict tho
speedy failure Of many OF the Hawaiian planta-
lions, because they exist today and struggle for
life in the hope Of n treaty which Will make sugar
raising prodnetiveif II takes only = short calcula- 1
to see that With decreased production the \
duties must decrease. and so 10 any case this coun- I
Try will suffer a loss Of duties. might say much
more. out forbear. / regret that cannot conclude
as Mr.. Wells does. for though / see a loss Of rev
'nue to the United States Treasury. ] also see u
complete and perfect reciprocity between the peo-
pie Of Hawaii and the people Of America.
Brooklyn, Feb. rs, 1875. WM. r. CASTLE.