The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-11-15
The Defense Of the Treaty.

In this number we devote a large space to a
number vi elaborate tables OF details regarding
the trade between California and the Hawaiian
Islands before and since the Treaty of Reciprocity
went into operation The truthfulness OF these
tables il evidenced by the sources from which
they are drawn. The United States Auditor for
the port Of San Francisco, the Office of the Special
Agent OF the United States Treasury, and the
Hawaiian consul at this port, and the staff of the
Merchant searching the records OF the Custom
House, have all contributed to the statement
which We make to-day in defense OF the treaty.
IL is reported by telegraph hat Assistant Secre-
tary French has concluded hat there is no iOun-
dstiOn for any suspicion vi fraud by importing
other foreign sugar as Hawaiian sugar. The
very entertainment of such n suspicion for a
moment argued a want OF keen business knowl-
edge in the Treasury Department, for such a
fraud would be impossible without the cOnnlvance
OF hundreds Of people, the majority of whose in
terests would be injured by such IA competition
We present the figures published to-day as a
full and complete answer TO the last report by
the telegraph that Assistant Secretary French has
said thai a the treaty is one sided and ought to
be abrOSated at the earliest possible moment"
The treaty cannot be terminated for five years ex-
cept by the grusse-t breach of faith ever commit
ted by a powerful nation on a weaker power.
The truth, faith and honor Of the United States
are pledged To its observance unless wilful, gross
fraud can be proved, and that is impossible.
Fraud cannot be detected where not only none
80 49, HhEN1 - - 49, E1--
miJting il without the certainty of Its immediate
discovery.
We Ofer the figures published to-day to the
sharpest scrutiny OF officials, of Congressman and
Eastern Editors ; and we defy all OF any one of
them To show that the treaty is working entirely
for the benefit of the Island planters, or for the
benefit of the California sugar ~Teiners, and on
the contrary 10 deny that il IL not working chef
" for the benefit OF the Pacific Coast States and
the community at large. That it is our brokers
and merchants. importing and exporting, our
manufacturers. our shipbuilders, our mechanics.
our daIrymen. our pork packers and our farmers,
who are reaPing all the profit. We defy any
candid man To examine the statements made in
to-day . Merchant and come to any other eonclu-
sim than that whatever profits the Island
planters, and the majority are American, may
have earned have beer expended. and those of the
coming crop have been deeply hypothecated to
California for supplies for present needs and for
material for the extensive improvements now
going on in the Hawaiian Kingdom. The people
Of this State are more deeply Interested, as re-
CARDS their business fortunes. in this Reciprocity
Treaty. than in any Commercial legislation which
has been approved By the nation for years. And
the people Of California ask Of all their fellow
citizens. Of all members of Congress, and Of all
hDnest editors and leaders of public opinion, a
fair and impartial Judgment OF what they now
present or may hereafter offer in justification Of
the Treaty OF Reciprocity with the Hawaiian
Kingdoms. f. Merchant, Oct. 10.