The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1882-11-29


The opponents OF our Treaty are bring
ing up against US that we have taken to the
use Of improved machinery since the Treaty
came in, and that therefore we must be
manufacturing better sugar than we did
before the Treaty. Last week we brought
forward conclusive arguments. based upon
the most reliable statistics. that most OF
the sugar which We are now sending TO the
States Is not SO good as sugar we were
sending in 1875, the year before the
Treaty we pointed ont then that the
centrifugal had been in use on these
Islands since 1851, and that we had been
in the habit of manufacturing since that
date, and previous to lS76A class Of sugar
which paid to sell as a grocery grade.
Now let US take up this question Of i'm
proved machinery and see what there Is in
it. Before We come to an argument upon
this we must consider what the present
condition of the plantations on these Isl
ands is. The sugar industry in this coun-
try has great advantages 1t has mag
niicent soil, capable Of producing yield,
with proper cultivation, which few If any
countries can equal The climate Is ad-
mirably suited for that class Of agricul-
tural industry which we have occupied
ourselves with. The supply of water
though it might be more abundant with
advantage, Is, taking seasons by and large
really good We have had our bad years:
We have seen our crops, upon which our
existence depended, wither in our fields ;
we hare been pinched for the most impOr
tant fluid upon our globe. but nevertheless
we have no reason to complain, such times
are exceptional, and other countries suffer
from like evils indeed their sufferings
have as a rule been far greater than ours
and We may be thankful that our dry
seasons have been as infrequent as they
have. Again We are not exposed to such
frightful storms as many tropical countries
fall victims TO we have no devastating
tornadoes laying waste our fields, over
turning our houses, destroying the fruits
of our industry. We must own then that
We have many natural advantages.
Now let us see what there Is on the other
side of the ledger Many islands. many
broad lands on continents may be as suit
able for the growth Of the particular pro
ducts which will flourish in their soil, and
they may be idle for want Of hands TO cul.
tivate them. All the natural advantages
which an estate, or speaking on larger lines.
a country may have, are Of no worth un-
less there Is not only genius to conceive
how to apply them, but bone and muscle
TO actually apply them. This Hawaii has
not, for years she cannot have them.
What have our planters done? the men
who have the spirit of energy and enter
prise. They have very naturally set to
work to overcome. as far as is humanity
possible. the difficulties Of the position.
With all the natural advantages which the
Islands give them, it is impossible TO raise
sugar at a profit, without some means
which shall, in a manner compensate for
the high price which has to be paid for
labor Therefore the whole talent OF the
country, engaged in raising our great
staple. has been devoted to making such
improvement in machinery or general
management, as shall be labor-saving.
Here it Is that our improvements in ma
chinery have been. since the Treaty. The
one great improvement, which we have
added 10 our mills since the Treaty viz:
the triple effect, has only been taken up
on account Of the saving il makes in the
production of sugar: it has by no means
been added TO our machinery for the pur
pose of making better sugar In the con
hlllOu VI OUI ldDUT lldfhtl. u Is u matter
of self preservation for us to economic
every pound of steam This the triple
effect enables us to do. We are able to send
the juice TO the vacuum pan at a higher
temperature than we We're formerly, and
this is an advantage to us in that il en-
ables us to use our exhaust steam. 1t only
needs man TO 90 round our plantations
to see what an amount of mind power
has been put upon this one point, the say-
ing of labor Trash houses are made
more convenient, the clumsey old methods
being cast aside; the method of carrying
cane TO the mill, the feeding, the grinding.
the boiling, have all been improved and
when possible, are being improved daily.
but every improvement Is in the line Of
economy of manufacture, not for the puT-
pose of making our grade of sugar finer
II our great detractor Mr. Brown, would
only pay a visit TO our islands. and make
thorough inspection of our plantations he
would return to the States an ardent dis
ciple of Reciprocity, instead Of being. as
he is now, so bitter an opponent.