The Hawaiian gazette., 1878-05-15
The hawaiian RECIPROCITY Treaty

Statistics, which have lately appeared in the
local papers, have not shown the advantages
of the Reciprocity Treaty to the American
people as they might have done, and leave the
reader to infer that, while the Hawaiians re-
ceive large benefit from it, the American
people derive only small or equivocal advan-
tage, compared to the loss of revenue sustain
ed This is very far from the truth, as will
be seen at the close of this article. The Treaty
shows greater effects here, simply on account
of the smallness of our population-60,O 1000
and of the territory of the Kingdom-6,0O0
square miles. Supposing that the amount
which Hawaii annually derives under this
convention be half million of dollars, it
amounts to over eight dollars to every inhabit-
ant, and over eighty dollars per square mile.
On the other hand, whatever benefits America
derives from it must be distributed among
forty-five millions of people, and over three
millions of square miles.
No one can travel through this Kingdom
without noticing everywhere from the moment
he lands in Honolulu till he reaches this uLti-
ma thule of Hawaii (Kau, )-the activity, en-
terprise and apparent thrift which charartirize
every locality, and show that some unseen
agency is at work squirting on the mechanic,
the farmer, the merchant, and, indeed, every
class of citizens with q zeal which has never
existed before in these favored Isles. He will
see native Hawaiians active in tilling their
soil or improving their homesteads, and in
some localities, as Wailuku, Makawao, Kohala
and Hilo, even becoming comparatively well
off.
But while the effects of the Treaty are so
conspicuous here that no one can fail to OBJ
serve them, let us turn to the American shore
and see if there are no advantages that can be
credited to it, In the comments published,
one important point has been overlooked
that the United States have received the entire
bszef Of The increased import trade Of this
Kingdom during 1877, as shown by the Gus
tom Statistics.
The total imports into the Hawaiian Kingdom
from all countries during 1876, amounted to 81,
Sll,77O. During 1877 uhe first full year of the
ordinary increase of SGl6 2SO or about SO per cent
in one year; while the imports Of 1876 show in
crease of ouly about $4,000 over the average i'm
ports of the preceding eleven years.
Now the imports from the United States during
1876, including free and duty paying goods, were
slO32, ,564 For 1877, they amounted to l,6Sl, ,4O-
AN increase of S64S, ,S3S showing that the United
States have had an exclusive monopoly of the in
| IA intrdN xHbi inh hf
Reciprocity Treaty has caused. This increase is
not temporary one Gas some may imagine), bu
will continue from year to year, as long as The
Treaty continues and it will be found that the im-
ports from The United States for The present year
ISIS will amount TO at least two millions of dollars
Contrast this trade With what II was for the three
or four years prior To the passage of the Treaty
! when the average fmpOrtaiiOns from that country
| amounted only TO about $3.50 900 per annum; ana
no more fOrcible argument could possibly bt
| brought forward to show the beneficial operation
of this convention to the American people,-mort
than offseting the loss of half million of revenue
aud fully sustaining the arguments of the friends q
the Treaty. The principal articles of this Increase
in trade chiefly the products OF the hard working
| American farmers, lumbermen, mechanics and man
uiacturers viz, flour, Oreadstutfs lumber, grocer
les. machinery, agricultural tools, DC.
A similar increase mag have been observed in th
| American shipping which has been engaged in ou
foreign carrying trade. Nearly all the vessels thu
employed carry the American flag, and the activit,
noticed is in marked contrast with what it wa
several years ago. Besides the three or four rcgua
| lines of sail and steam packets between Honolulu
aud San Francisco, two lines plying with Oregon
a fleet of dozen lumber vessels connecting witt
! Pugets Sound. the large commercial ports OF BOs
| ton aud New York have now each line of spleud
ships running to Honolulu, affOrding opportu
nifty to the merchants and mechanics of the Atlanti
States to share in the benefits of the treaty.
But l must not omit to notice what has been per
| haps the most important result Of the treaty. Th
| price OF sugar in San Francisco aud throughout til
Pacific States has for ten years past ranged frou
ten to twelve cents per pound for best qualities
! while in New York it was from nine to ten cents
Now the price in San Francisco has gradually be
come reduced to from eight to ten cents, abou
the same as The last quotation in New York 10
similar grades. This result was predicted, and i
undoubtedly direct result of the Hawaiian treaty
for although we supply that market with only .
millions out of the 70 millions of pounds consume
on the Pacific Slope it has enabled the grocery trad
to obtain its sugars atower prices than the retner
| monopoly had heretofore held them. Thus til
entire Pacific coast population has derived the bent
fit of reduction OF two cents pound on all tn
sugars consumed, while the merchants Of San Fran
cisco have been enabled by this reduction to eXten
their sugar trade to the territories which heretoior
have been wholly supplied from the East. The re
ductiOn in the price OF sugars in San Francisco ha
been nearly equal to me duties remitted, an
amounts to about 81, SOC, 900 on the total mporta
ton of 75 100000 lbs. This is a benefit to th
American people which has been entirely over
looked, and which must be attributed to the Ha
waiiau treaty, was anticipated by some.
To sum up-Our Custom house statistics clearl
show that the United States have, under the treatl
received the entire benefit of the increased foreig
trade OF Hawaii amounting to s64S, ,SSS thi
American shipping monopolises nearly all the carr,
ing trade of the Islands, that American shipbuilde
have supplied us with nearly all the new vesse
purchased for the coasting trade, some fifteen
sixteen in number, since the treaty went into oper
tion that they have also supplied us with steam
of six hundred tons burthen, aud tue materials an
machinery for another to which third steame
now building in San Francisco for the eoastng sci
vice, will soon be added. When to these is adde
the fact referred to above, that the population
the Pacific States have received, either directly
indirectly from our treaty, reduction in the co
OF all the sugars consumed by them amounting
about 81, 500 900, no be SO prejudiced
not to perceive that they have received benef
which would not have been developed had Il
treaty not passed. though they may not amount
estimated, fully to 81. l4SSSS
Whatever may be the political destiny of Hawai-
one thing is certain. that the treaty is bindiT
Hawaii in a commercial union TO the United State
which will continue for many years even should Il
treaty be discontinued. Our sugar crop for Is
amounted 20 over 25, 900 900 lbs, and the annu
increase will probably be 100000 lbs during Il
continuance of the treaty but whatever it IN,
amount to, | have no hestancy in predicting tn
the entire value of the sugar crop will be returnt
to US in American products. While other natio
! may still enjoy an increase of trade with al
their citizens share in the benefits which it bring
America should and will naturally supply most
wants. Every American Is well as every III
waiian must rejoice at this result OF Increased con
mercial intercourse between the TWO countries, al
hope that nothing may occur to check it SO long
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