The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-10-14

VIZ PUBLISH to-day on our fourth page, an
address to planters and others, received from San
Francisco by the last mail. The writer gives
therein expression to a feeling of disappointment
felt by commission agents and others in Califor-
MIA, which is partly unjust and partly unfounded.
The fact that a San Francisco refner, with char
acteristic enterprise, took advantage of the
natural desire of our people (so long under the
depression of q high tariff and low prices) to
secure living prices for their crops, to make pnr-
chases for refinery aceount-should not excite
surprise among men accustomed to the sharp
competition incidental to California life.
If our planters sold at prices which now seem
low, it should be remembered that such prices
seemed large to them, compared with those usu-
ally obtained, and that the rise in the markets of
the world since reported was not known here
also that the final formalities necessary to the
operation of the Treaty had not been concluded
when the crops were sold, and former experience
justified the fear that delays might again occur.
The idea that Congress may yet repeal the law
giving effect to the Treaty, may be correct but
it would hardly seem good gyound. to do 90
because one American citizen had gained, under
the Treaty, temporary advantages over others.
Our market was open to all buyers for American
markets; and some surprise was felt among our
planters at the time the bill passed the Senate,
that only one buyer took advantage of the oppor-
tunity offered.
1t is urged that the refners opposed the Treaty,
which was very true during the winter of
1915; but it is also true that, with q keen
perception of their opportunities, and a proba-
BILE confidence in their own abilities to reap their
share of the advantages offered the Pacific Coast
by the Treaty, they favored the passage of the
bill in the winter of 1856, and that if they
had opposed it, it would probably not have
passed.
We have no wish to undervalue the efforts Of
our friends among the commission agents and
merchants in San Francisco in favor of the
Treaty, without whose aid it would doubtless
have failed, and we trust and believe that they
will receive due consideration from our planters
but, if We are not mistaken, the contracts made
in the interests of the refners in 1875, which led
to later transactions with the same parties, were
made under the advice Of, and by an agent of the
most prominent commission house connected with
the island trade in San Francisco, who, while
reaping the profits of an alliance with the refners
saw no wrong in the transaction. 1t must also
be borne in mind that all parties in San Fran
cisco were interested in securing the Treaty, not
only on account Of immediate interests, but to
prevent the diversion of our trade to the British
Colonies, which was rapidly taking place.
The truth seems to be that the prices Of recent
contracts are not really as high as the late rise in
the price of sugar would seem to justify, so that
probably no more contracts will be made at
similar prices; also that the contracts so far do
not cover over one-third of our crops, and Of this
nearly one-half is to be delivered in kegs as
grocery grades. OF the remaining two-thirds,
the usual proportion will go in kegs as ordinarily
to the miner and farmer, and if they have 10 pay
as much as usual it will not be the fault of our
planters, but solely due to the fact that the
prices of sugars have temporarily appreciated the
world over. We believe, however, the fact will
appear that a larger proportion OF Hawaiian
sugars will be offered in open market as grocery
grades, free of contract, next year than for any
year during the last Eve. And We do not think
that Senators and Representatives will deem it
wiss or just to embarrass the operation OF q
solemn Treaty for the reason that one American
citizen of San Francisco, by promptly awaiting
himself of the opportunity which the Treaty gave
to all American citizens alike, gained the very
advantage which the american Government and
Congress sought for its citizens, :