The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1876-03-08
The IEawaiian Trce1y,
Report of the suB-House Committee Of Ways
and Means-PoIitIcRI and Commercial Adj
vantages.

The telegraph has furnished us pretty tull
synopsis of the report of the Sub-House Com
mittee of Ways and Means on the Hawaiian
Commercial Treaty. The full text of the re-
port has now been received, from which we
give the following interesting facts and state
ments:
As pertinent to the consideration of this question
We should not lose sight of probable diversion Of
the trade of the islands to another direction already
very large proportion of il has been attracted to the
British Colonies in the Pacific. In 1872 the total
port of sugar from the Hawaiian Islands IL ,5g5
tons, of which A. 1911 tons sent 10 British colo
mics, and of the imports of the year than
one-half from other countries than the United
States.
At the present time great number of British, Ha-
waiian and American vessels annually enter Austria
liam and New Zealand ports with sugar cargOes. The
greater part Of these enter at New Castle Sydney,
thence take coal freights back to the islands. New
Zealand, Tasmania and Victoria striving for a
monopoly Of the trade, and have recently made con-
siderable progress
The supply Of sugar in the Mauritins is rapidly de.
cning, and substitute for it is found in that Of the
Hawaiian Islands, and the effort is to procure
monopoly oft.
The English Government and people are always on
the alert increase their commercial advantages.
Their Pacific possessions, already of ncaculab Bile
value require larger supply Of sugar for consump-
than now be supplied ueuce lnelr interest IN
procuring u monopoly Of this trade.
1t is not therefore, unreasonable to apprehend that
the United States may lose considerable portion Of
this trade unless better commercial relations made
with the islands.
The producing interest of the islands has been for
years in depressed state, but it is thought that the
treaty will give an impulse to the business, and al
though it reduces their revenues from customs, and
imposes upon them direct taxes, they prefer to try
this rather than to seek relations with any other
try. 1t has been said that the United States will
surely have this trade if they do nothing encourage
it, This entire mistake, for production must d.
minish and the trade lessen by the impoverished con-
dition of the people, they will be compelled to make
commercial relations with somo-other country. There
is now communication by steamers from San Fran
cisco to Australia touching at the islands, besides
vessels calling the islands for freight, and frequent
ly freighed with coal which affords reasonable freight
for return cargo In this day Of sharp contest for
the trade of the Pacific, effort must be made to
il. These steamers subsidized by the Gov
ernments of Australia and New Zealand, and it is
liberal effort to secure the trade of the Pacific. The
United States derives advantages from the treaty
peror to the islands in respects If the exports
and imports equal, they probably will be, it
would be an equal bargain. But as the Islands have
vessels, the United States will have the carrying
trade. and the supplying them with all the variety of
their produce and manufactures.
But supposing that there reciprocity Of
in this treaty, that the commercial advan-
were largely ana we were u lose
800 600 annual revenue, yet there political
of sufficient magnitude to warrant us to make
1t. We should consider it us question comprehend
ing interests beyond the free exchange of the
ticles enumerated in the schedules.
1t involves matters Of higher interests Of grave i'm
portance, and greater significance than those which
relate simply to reciprocal advantages likely to result
from free exchange of commodities.
Private interests should be subordinate to national
interests and commercial security and advancement
Tha f,f,o1Y, 4ba
their relation Pacific coast and to the countries
adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, their history, and
capabilities Of production the character Of their har
bors and their commerce, the present and future CON-
MERGE Of the ocean which surrounds them, the pro-
blem their future political status, together with
the certainty that they cannot maintain autonomy
hold their place a separate nation and not become
absorbed by some other power are to be considered
in determining the question to the policy of making
this treaty. As early as $40 the importance of these
islands in their geographical andt political aspect at
tracted the attention Of our Government.
Mr.. Webster, when Secretary Of State, even before
the acquisition Of California, and before had any
territory whatever bordering upon the Pacific Ocean,
declared that the Government Of the United States
would look with displeasure upon any effort by any
other Government TO acquire any preponderating in
fuence over the Government of the Hawaiian ISL
ands and he further said, in relation to an intima
ton that the French would probably take possession
of the islands, that be trusted they would not take
possession, but if they did they would be dslodged,
if il took the whole power of this Government to do
it, if his advice was taken"
Subsequently, in view Of the importance of more
intimate commercial relations with this country Mr..
Marcy while Secretary Of State negotiated treaty
similar 10 principle, and he left record his opinion
that he regarded it as measure Of great import
auce to both countries y but, from considerations
peculiar to that day, it not reported by the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs to the Senate.
The message, however, was regarded by the Govern
ment Of so much Importance that Mr.. Seward stated
to the Hawaiian minister hattie designed to negotiate
another treaty, and would do so when the was
closed adding that the Government made no treaties
at that time without some especial provisions, which
perhaps it would not be well to incorporate in such
treaty. But during his term of office such treaty
was not made. Bot thad the misfortune to be before
the Senate at the time of the San Domingo treaty,
and it suffered from that association The treaty, in
cooperating the principal of reciprocal trade has
many advantages which the other treaties had not.
II embraces almost the whole import trade of the
Islands the free list to the exclusion Of great
Britain and Germany and all other countries, far
as the discrimination Of duties is against them.
1t contains the additional provisions that ex-
port duty or charges shall be imposed in the Hawaii
Islands in the United States, upon any of the
articles proposed to be admitted into the ports Of the
United States or the ports Of the Hawaiian Islands
free of duty under the first and second articles of this
Convention. 1t is agreed the part Of his Hawaiian
Majesty that, so long as the treaty shall remain in
force he will not lease otherwise dispose Of or
create any lien upon, any port, harbor, or other
territory in his domniOns. grant any special pri
viege or rights of use therein to any other power
State or Government nor make any treaty by which
any other nation shall obtain the privileges
lative to the admission Of any articles free of duty
hereby secured to the United Estates.
Mr.. Seward, IN speech be made in the Senate
the subject of the commerce of the Pacific, said
" Who does not that heneefUrth every year
European politics, European thought and European
activity, although actually gaining greater force and
European connections, although actually becoming
intimate will ultimately sink, nevertheless, in
importance while the Pacific Ocean, its shores, its
islands. and the vast region beyond viii become the
chief theatre of events in the worlds great here
AFTER
The commercial prosperity Of the Pacific States,
sustained not only by its immense productive power,
by agriculture and mining, but by its lpositon,
must rapidly increase by its of easy commun
cation with China and Japan, and the British colonies
in the South Pacific and with the Atlantic States and
Europe. And when the other railroads across the
continent to the Pacific, and the ship canal, connect
ing the Atlantic and Pacific, are complete, it viii
merce Of that ocean, The Sandwich Islands are in
the track of this great commerce; and whatever
maritime power nors her feet there, holds the key
to the North Pacific, for, JAWS, the historian of
the islands, says:
" No trade could prosper, or even exist, while a
hostile power, possessing an active and powerful
marine. should send forth its cruisers to prey on
commerce.
He further says, that:
A military colony once fairly established them
might put at defiance any means Of attack which
could be brought to bear against them.
Since the time that Jarvis wrote, California has
been acquired, in which has been built one Of the
great commercial cities of the Union and this city
connected by q railroad with the Atlantic and by
with Janan and China. the Hawniian