The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1876-06-03
The Hawaiian Treaty.
OBJECTION TO THE ADMISSION OF
RICE FREE OF DUTY,


| The following letter has been
addressed to Senator Robertson
OF South Carolina, by the Char
lesion branch of the house OF
Messrs. Dan TaImage's Sons &
Co.:
| CHARLESTON, s. c., May 10.
Hon. T. II. Robertson. United State Seua
tor for South Carolina
Dear Hr-We beg leave respect
fully to call your attention to the
disastrous results to IA large Sec
ton of this State which will at.
tend the passage by Congress of
the Hawaiian reciprocity treaty.
This treaty, as we understand it,
proposes to admit free of duty
the rice cultivated in the Sand.
wich Islands, and if ratified will
be but an entering wedge to an
entire repeal of the duty on for.
eign rice. That the present duty
on foreign rice is absolutely ne
cessary for the production, at all,
of our domestic Carolina rice is,
we suppose, so we'll known to you
as to need no comment from us.
The lice planters, as u class, do
ring the past year, having real
lied only bare subsistence from
its cultivation, and in many ins.
tances have considered them
selves fortunate in having escaped
loss. The introduction of this Ha
waiian rice, free of duty, and the
opening to it of the markets of
the Unitel States, will stimulate
its production, and the facility
with which planters in these
islands can obtain the cheap pau.
per labor of Chinese coolies will
soon obtain a controlling influence
in the markets Of this country,
causing the ruin in this State of
many planters, and thousands of
the cOlOred labOrers, whose sub.
sistence is derived from the cult
vatiOn of rice. Owing to the un
remunerative price of Sea Island
cotton, many Of the freedmen
have been forced to abandon it's
culture and have turned their at.
tentiOn to rice. Now, should this
be taken from them, We can see
nothing left to them but emigra
ton to the richer and more pIo.
ductive lands of the Mississippi
Valley, where their labor, de-
prived of It's due remuneration in
this State, will command it's ac-
custOmed reward. Thus 'SOnth
Carolina will lose la, &c class Of
valuable labor, and the cOlOred
population, forming as it does y
very large proportion in the lower
part OF the State, will be speedily
reduced to minimum, who may
remain to exc out an existence on
tine wreck of what formerly was Il
hourishing and extensive indus.
try. The fact also stares US in the
face that the rice plantations of
our State must, from their nature
being totally unsuitable for any
other purposes of agriculture, be
abandoned, ,and the many millions
of capital invested in the construc
ton of banks, dykes, ETC., for the
retaining of these lands, be ell
tirely lost. Such a loss, which can
scarcely be afforded by the State
at large in he' present impOver
ished condition, will paralyze as
we'll the prosperity of a large
portion of the commercial commu
nifty of the city of Charleston en.
gagged in milling the rough rice
cleaning the paddy and moving
the crop into consumption.
Feeling the great Importance
of this matter to SO many various
interests of our State, we would
urge upon you and your colleague,
Senator PattersOn,tlle Importance
of an earnest opposition to at
least the clause of this treaty
which proposes to introduce rice
free of duty. Should you deem it
important that a petition to Con-
gress be gotten up, we would he
glad if yon will advise us, that
the proper steps may be taken to
have the same signed and for
warsled. Very respectfully,
DAN TALMAGE's Sous s. Co.
In All editorial article upon
this subject the "News and Cou
rier" says:
| We do not think that mere
memorial to Congress will suffice.
Memorials do not speak or ex.
plain or answer questions. What
is needed is "a strong committee
Of merchants, who will see the
principal Senators, Democrats
and Republicans: and make them
understand the objections to the
bill.