The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1883-07-04

IT.
Sugar 10. 10 to No. 2n......- per cent per cent
In spite of the evidence offered by our
people, a certain party in the United States
refused to be satisfied, hence the present
commission.
Determined to do their work thoroughly
the commissioners not only made full
investigation in San Francisco. but they
came on here Since their arrival they
have visited a number of our plantations
and most ample opportunities have been
afforded them of not only seeing the
working of these seats of industry, but
even OF examining their books and the
business details. We had nothing to hide,
and we were only too glad to have an op-
portunity of shelving that there was moth
ing to hide. The Commissioners are now
satisfied that the alleged frauds are a
myth: that our planters have been per
fectly above board in their dealings with
their great neighbor, and that we have
been basely malgned by those who got up
CRY against us for purely evil motives,
and that the cry. once raised, was to a
certain extent believed by those, who,
though perfectly honest themselves, were
misled by our traducers.
One erroneous view we fear the commits
sioners will take away, and that Is with
regard to the capability of our islands to
produce very much larger quantity of
sugar than at present. 1t was natural,
and il is but human nature, that managers
of some plantations should put the yield
of their cane at the very highest figure: it
is demonstrable fact that the yield from
our cane lands is by no means so great as
L s4.4nl Small r,u4nhDe
here and there do give remarkably fine
yields; but taking the thing by and large,
we get very little more than two and a
half tons to the acre.
We have only 396,S00 acres of land fit
for pasture. and cultivation of all kinds, of
this only 100000 acres can be properly
termed sugar lands At the present time
we have only 10000 acres under cultiva-
ton of cane: and of this about 26,O0O
acres are cropped each year. Could We,
which is, as far as we understand practi-
cally impossible, but for the sake of argu
ment we may say, c0Vld we cultivate the
whole 100000 acres, we could not crop
much more than $1,000 acres each year.
Now from last years crop of 26,000 acres
there were produced $4,000 tons of sugar
or about two and one-sixth tons to the
acre, taking things on an average through
out the group.
In confirmation Of the above we quote
the remarks of Mr. Charles r. Buckland.
disinterested witness, who has recently
visited the Island OF Hawaii. He says:
There are 1910 acres of land in this dis
trict under cane cultivation. the crop for
this year will amount to 1900 tons OF
sugar" OF Hamakua he says: about
/ 800 acres of land are utilized for grow
ing cane which is manufactured at the
Honokaa mill, which will produce this
year 1,200 tons of sugar"
Now in the former case taking one
third as the acreage gathered yearly, we
would have 2,2O0 acres yielding 1900 tons
of sugar, or an average of 3.4 tons pei
acre, while in the latter case there would
be 800 acres producing 1,200 tons or "a
tons per acre: we have here chosen the
most productive spots on the islands.
The very utmost that we could get from
our sugar lands would be about 100000
tons a year Practically we can never
obtain any such crop, for though the land
may be there, the elevation and the lacl
of water are an insuperable barrier to ou
making use of them.
Considering our average price of labor
about twenty dollars per month. and com
pairing this with the prices paid in Other
sugar growing countries; considering alsc
the very high price of provisions, of cloth
ing and other necessaries of life, it mus
be evident that our sugar cannot be pro
duced at the prices which many countrie:
are able to do. To abrogate the Treaty
would result in very great decrease Of
sugar product here. 1t would check nay
it would blight the progress of an outpost
of American civilization, and the states
inen of the United States must and dc
feel, apart from all commercial or strate
gical considerations, a sentiment of sym
pathy for their fellow citizens in the Ha
waiian Islands, many of whose father,
and mothers have sacrificed home anC
kindred to bring the light of civilization
to these Islands, and whose sons anC
daughters, aided by the active English anC
German element, are doing their best t.
develop them morally, commercially anC
intellectually.