The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1882-12-27

taken mp in the United States Congress so far as
referring the matter to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs and who have ere this returned report.
Following we give the comments of the Eastern
press.
have elected many expressions of APP
prevail of the report of the Tariff Commission, and
the impression that their recommend
atoms will be likely to receive the support of most
of the Republicans. At the same time, the Demo
Gratis express themselves as favoring the recon-
in general. There are limitations that
representatives Of the sugar trade may find 1t to
their interest 10 form some sort OF an alliance with
the Hawaiian Commissioner. who has Just arrived
in Washington, to counterfeit, If practicable, The
which are at work looking to the ter
mination of the Reciprocity Treaty between the
United States and the Hawaiian Islands The
prospects for tariff legislation by the House this
session are very favorable. While the extreme
Free Traders will be willing 10 talk unfortunately,
and be ready to offer endles amendments. it seems
probable that decided tendency toward practical
action, and the willingness to "give and take
will prevent any prolonged discussion in Commit
tee of the Whole.
WASHINGTON, December l3th.-A delegation,
the sugar importers and refining in
terests of Boston, New York and Philadelphia, are
expected here tomorrow to urge upon the Foreign
Affairs Committee of the House and the Foreign
Relations Committee of the Senate the abroQation
of the Hawaiian Reciprocity Treaty. The Eastern
men tndt shortly after ratlnc1tlOn OF
this treaty. which the Pacific Slope people thought
would prove of immense value to that section.
Claus Speckels, the millionaire sugar dealer of
San Francisco acquired by purchase and rental,
absolute control of the sugar product Of the Sand
witch Islands, and he is the virtual dictator of
the Government of Hawaii. BY the employment
of Chinese labor, which is cheaper than was slave
labor in the South before the war, he has made
competition impossible. Spreckels il is said, has
driven out of business every refner in San Fran
cisco, and enjoys as absolute a monopoly there as
in the Kingdom of kalakaua. Spreckels is now
invading the markets of the East, paying no duty
on sugars imported from Hawaii and also, il is
ayerred, bringing into the country large quantity
of sugar produced in China, which is landed at
Honolulu duty free. Spreckels is now attemting
TO open market for his wares in New York. Two
cargoes of his sugar have been brought around the
Horn and landed in New York, and two other car
goes are EN- route. The Eastern sugar men will
urge on Congress also reduction of the present
duties on sugar.
NV York. Dec. l3.--The Board of Trade urges
on Congress the passage OF an equitable and uni
form bankruptcy law: that tribunal be estab-
lished for the supervision of carriers in interstate
business; that the Hawaiian Treaty be discon-
tlnued at the expiration of its term, and that a
Government postal teiegrapy be established.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE House Committee
on Foreign Affairs will probably consider on Fri
day the Hawaiian Treaty as it affects the sugar
trade Of the United States. Last session the Com
mittee was evenly divided between retaining the
reciprocity character of the treaty and modifying
II so as to put sugar imported from the Sandwich
Islands on basis with sugar from other countries
NEw York, December IA large meeting was
held tonight to insist reduction in the tariff
on sugar to / cent on all grades.
WAsHIsoToS, Dec 15.-The House Committee
OH Foreign Affairs to consider the Hawaiian sugar
question met this morning. and after adopting
resolution asking for information from the State
and the War Department. postponed further con-
sderation of the matter until the first meeting of
the committee after the holidays. There was no
hearing of interested parties at the meeting this
morning, although there are present several gen.
tlemen who desire to be heard for the sugar trade
The committee found themselves equally divided
in regard to the bill abrogating the treaty. They
gave out as reason for postponing the matter
that they wanted additional information from the
Treasury and State Departments in connection
with the bill. Orth, tho absent member of the
Commission, will cast the deciding vote, but a
message from him is to the effect that he will not
be able to come to Washington this session.
Secretary Folger has addressed letter TO the
Collector of Customs at New York or the Hawaiian
sugar matter. The following is a copy Al have
considered the sppeal of Watjen, Tael & Co., from
your assessment of duty on certain sugar imported
by them from the Hawaiian Islands" After recit-
ing their protests the Secretary says: 1.-The treaty
referred to guarantees the free importation into
ports of the United States of muscovado, brown
and all other unretned sugars meaning thereby
grades OF sugar heretofore commonly imported
from the Hawaiian Islands and set down in the
markets of San Francisco and Portland at the
time the treaty was passed Sandwich Island su-
gar, samples, of importation, have been submit
ted TO officers of the Customs Of San Francisco and
Portland, who declare it to be grade of sugar
which was commonly imported from the Hawaiian
Islands into these ports prior to the adoption of
the treaty This suger is unretined and was man
ufactured by the vacuum pan process, and is of
quite high grade. Assuming that the question
involved is of fact the weight of evidence sub
mitted is in favor of appellants, such sugars hay
ing been imported from the Hawaiian Islands,
both before and after the adoption of the treaty,
in large quantities. The appeal is sustained, and
you are directed TO reliquidate the entry free of
duty.
The House Committee of Foreign Affairs will
probably consider on Friday the Hawaiian Treaty
as II affects the sugar trade of the United States
At the last session the committee were evenly di-
vided between retaining the reciprocity character
of the treaty and modifying it as put the sugar
imported from the Sandwich Islands on the same
busis with sugars from other countries,
WASHINGTON, Dec 15-At meeting of the For
eign Affairs Committee to-day it was decided to
take a final vote on the proposition TO abrogate
the Hawaiian Treaty at the first meeting of the
committee III January. The committee also agreed
not to receive any further oral arguments on the
subject. delegation representing the united
sugar interests of New York, Philadelphia and
Boston arrived here to-day and are working like
beavers with the members of the committee to in
duce them to report favoraby on bill to abrogate
the treaty. The committee to-day ordered that
letters be sent TO the Secretary of the State and the
Secretary of the Treasury asking their views as to
the propriety of abrogatng this treaty. 1t is ex-
pected that replies from these officers will afford
the committee abundant means of determining
the Importance of the treaty to this country from
political as we'll as a commercial standpoint Ii
it believed that the Secretary of State will oppose
the abrogaion of the treaty on the ground that ts
political advantages more than counterbalances
any loss in a commercial sense derived from a
freedom of importation of Hawaiian sugar. espe-
ria viz Of he tba nf I'm
wich Islands as base of supplies for the American
navy In the event of foreign war would be
severely felt, and that Great Britain stands ready
to negotiate u treaty with the Hawaiian Govern
ment soon as this Government abrogates the
present treaty.
WASHINGTON Dec IA resident of California
now i'll this city said that while he might, if be
were San Francisco merchant, oppose the abro-
CATION of the Hawaiian Reciprocity Treaty, yet he
would labor for its abrogationif he were member
of Congress. He declared that although all the
sugar used on the Pacific Slope is imported from
the Hawaiian Islands free of duty yet it costs the
consumer more than imported duty paid sugar
costs the consumer in the East. The entire CROP
of sugar on the Islands is controlled by the mil
lionaire planter and retners Spreckels, who bring
the sugar to San Francisco and refines it there.
The entire sugar business Of the Islands and the
Pacific Slope is in Spreckels hands. 1t waG assert
ed by this gentleman from California, that while
Spreckes can, because of the treaty, afford TO place
his sugar on the Pacific Slope market at price y
cents lower than the price of duty-paid sugar in
the East, he charges consumers there cent more
than the price in the East, so that California
which ought to have the benefit Of free-trade in
sugar. is compelled to pay ~ cents per pound more
for the Hawaiian Islands product than residents OF
the East pay for duty paid sugar from Cuba. He
also said that by means of tho arrangement with
the transcontinental railway lines in relation to
freight charges on Westward bound sugar, Spreck
els defes competition from the East, and that his
sugar can be bought much cheaper in Montana
and other Territories than IN San Francisco itself