The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-06-25

CuIlfTuI OLAcAAt AuA dEAlu VIA VIZ N~NNN+---
value Of our own great staple.
The Barbados Agricultural Gdssfte says
No one can obtain an accurate idea Of the econ
ouic and social condition Of any country with
out considering two questions, VIE what arc
its staple productions, and how are they dis
tribrted. In our own Island the first Of thest
questions is easily answered. Matches, earth
euware, roots, rum, molasses and sugar may
be said to be the only productions which ART
ct importance; and even Of these, the annua
value Of the three first mentioned is not yery
great. Thus the gross annual value Of tb'
matches produced may be estimated as being
about 81 500; and the value OF the pottery
made year by year is probably much less
The value Of the rum distilled yearly is greater
bat the gross value OF all these products eacf
wear is insignificant when compared with The
gross value Of the sugar crop and of the mo-
lnsses obtained from It; thato the former bein[
81 ,OOo, 900, and Of the latter about El5o,0oO.
The second Of the above mentioned question:
cannot be 90 easily disposed Of. 1t admits o.
being stated as the question, what becomes O.
this Islands products, into whose hands DE-
they or does their money equivalent ultimately
70, and how is this equivalent expended? Now
il 10 obvious from glance at the figures given
above, not only that the principal production
Of the Island is sugar, bnt that the sugar pro-
duced SO far exceeds in value the value
Of all the other products Of the Island taken
together, that, in considering The question
how are the Islands products distrib
uted, we may without risk Of serious erroi
oonfne our attention to the sugar crop alone
How then is the sugar crop Of the Island dis
posed Of; into whose hands does the money
value Of the crop ultimately 90, and how ID
The money which represents lis value finally
expended For the production Of sugar three
things are required: land, labor and capital;
hence the sugar crop or its money equivalent
under ordinary circumstances is distributed
between the landowners, laborers ard the CAPT
talisis. The process Of distribution may, with
sufficient accuracy for our present purpose, be
thus described. On every plantation there is
a certain amount of fixed capital existing in
the form of plantation buildings, sugar works,
cattle and other stock, and agricultural imple-
mentS. In addition to this fixed capital
the nominal owner OF a sugar estate requires
capital to pay the wages Of the laborers, and
TO provide all else that is required for the
cultivation and reaping Of the sugar crop.
This capital is for the most part obtained from
English merchants When the sugar crop is
reaped and sold, the proceeds of sale 90 to
replace the capital thus expended, and any
surplus which remains after this capital is re-
placed, goes, partly, into the hands Of the
merchants from whom such capital was OBJ
tanned, as their profits, and partly into the
hands Of the nominal owner, then portion Of
what would find its way into his possession
goes in the shape Of interest to the persons
holding mortgages over the plantation, such
mortgages being practically part owners Of
the estate. The produce Of sugar estate or
its money equivalent may therefore be consid-
cred as consisting Of two parts, one Of which
replaces the capital expended in the cultiva-
ton and reaping Of the canes, the manufac-
ture Of the sugar, and the conveyance Of il 10
market; and the other goes partly as profit
into the hands OF the merchant or person from
whom the capital was obtained, aud partly as
rent remuneration, interest and insurance 10
the owner, and mortgages (if any) Of the
estate. The portion IN any one year which
replaces the capital expended on the cultiva-
ton and reaping ei the crop, the manufacture
Of the sugar and its conveyance to market is
generally itself in turn expended as capital, in
the production Of another crop. The other
portion, !. {. the portion which goes as profits
into the hands of the merchant or person who
supplied the capital, or as rent, remuneration,
interest or insurance falls TO the lot Of the
owner and mortgages Of the plantation. may,
or may not be expended on the production Of
another crop. If it is SO employed, it is used
for this purpose, either in addition to, or in
substitution for the portion which we have
spoken Of as being replaced capital If in ad-
dition, then the part Of the sugar crop or its
money equivalent which is expended "pro-
ductively" is propOrtionately increased, other.
wise, the part so expended remains the same
in quantity. Now the welfare Of any CON-
munity depends in 4 very great degree first,
on the proportion which exists between the
part Of the products Of the country Tor their
money equivalent) which is expended "pro-
ductively" and that part which is not so ex-
pended; and second, on how much of the
products Of the country or their money equiv
alent, whether expended productivity OF not,
is owned by persons resident in that country,
and expended within it by them. 1t is of very
great Importance that the part Of the products
Of country which is expended productivity
should be large, for the larger the proportion
thus expended the larger is the quantity Of
labor employed and (save in a few instancos)
Of products obtained for division. Iii Of still
greater Importance to a community that its
products, or their money equivalent, should
belong to persons residents in it, and be ex-
pended by them within it. II expended pro-
ductively, additional employment is given to
The labcrers within the community; but if so
appended elsewhere, the laborers within the
country obtain no advantage from such expeu-
diture, and the number Of laborers who are
unable 20 obtain employment, and who there
fore become a burden on the Taxpayers is in
no way diminished If on the other hand, the |
products Of a country, or their money equiva-
IL awnaTsdaH
Is, IN the purchase of things for the use and
enjoyment of the owner, and in the gratihoa-
ion Of his tastes but not in such a way as to
aid the production of material objects Of
utility, it is even in that that case TO the ad-
Fantage Of the community that they should be |
owned by persons resident therein, and be ex- |
pended by them within it. 1t is advantageous
% the community for many reasons. The por-
ion oil the products Of country OF their |
money equivalent, which is not expended pro-
lie the fund from which all that |
'enders life in that community really worth |
living has to be obtained, il is the source Of |
he maintenance within that community of |
art, science, literature, and all 1
Intellectual and aesthetic means Of employ-
neut. Now in every country these things |
must he sustained, either by private individ- /
'als or by the Government If by private
then the support is obtained by
heir voluntary contributions out Of the por-
ions of their funds which they do not expeud
,roductively; if by the government then the
upport is obtained by means Of taxation fall
ng on this part Of their funds If therefore
be persons who own all the funds which are
lot intended for productive employment, or a
lrge part Of such funds, reside away from the
ountry whence they are derived, such per-
Ons have hardly any inducements to expend
any portion of their gains in fur
lereuce within that country Of The objects
boye indicated; for personally they would
Cquire no advantage from such expenditure,
Ut would at most obtain therefrom the pleas
r. which aurinuH from Es1fdsrf,I-r,4 -