The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-01
A GREAT SUGAR MONOPOLY.
The Sandwich Islands Reciprocity
Treaty and Claus Spreckels.
a Combination which Has Destroyed All
Competition in the Sugar Business and
Carrying Trade of the Pacific.
Correspondence Of tho indiana polls Journs,.

have been indicted with the recent acqulttal or
AdOiph Spreckels, VINO attempted to assassinate
Mr.. DeYoung, the proprietor of the Chronicle
OF this city In fact what was known IN the
Criminal Court here as '"The State Of California
VS. Adolph Spreckels" was really the people
vs. The Sandwich Islands Sugar Monopoly
though disguised under another name In spite
of all the efforts of able lawyers seconded by
the rulings Of the court, the prosecution de-
veieped the fact that Spreckels attempted to kill
DeYoung because the Chronicle persisted in its
arguments against treaty under which the
Spreckels family were pocketing millions an
nually at the expense of the people of the United
States. and mainly those Of the Pacific Coast.
There was no denial of the facts which the
Chronicle alleged existed-the point made
by the attorneys and newspapers OF the
defendant being that under the plea Of serving
the public, DeY Dung was attempting to further
his private ends, and that no editor had right
to attack the private affairs Of any man, not an
official, no matter how great a public wrong
might be associated with or grow out Of that
business. The jury took this view of the case,
and by their verdict said that DeYoung, having
made himself unpopular by his attacks upon
crimes and immoralties had no right to live if
any one wanted to kill him. The testimony
was clear that for four years DeYoung had
carried on his warefare against the treaty
whereby the sugars owned by one man were
admitted duty free into the United States, de-
priyng the revenue Of nearly $4 000, 900 per
Rnnum. and it also appeared that this warfare,
being so based upon facts that even in this
community a verdict for libel could not be OBJ
tanned against him, and that this condition
unsettled the mind of young Spreckles,
that he attempted to assassnate DeIoung.
OF course, the dsinterested public will see that
q community which would hold harmless man
for attempting the murder of an editor would
need very little evidence upon which to base
verdict against that editor for libel especially
the editor is worth several millions and against
whom judgment for damages would be good.
But the great public away from this coast or
immediate vicinity will feel very little interest
in the life of DeYoung, but they will be some
ghat interested in knowing why they should be
taxed three million dollars annually for the bone
fiji of the Spreckles family.
The effects of the treaty under which the prod
pcts Of the Sandwich Islands are admitted into
tho United States free of duty were very fully
brought out by this mockery Of justice called
murder trial No better expose of its workings
can be given than TIE following protest to Con
gress, made in 1875, which was signed by
Claus Spreckles then president Of the
California Sugar Refinery In that he said:
''* The islands are capable of producing
annually not less than $50, 600, 900 pounds, or
$1,000 900 pounds more than the entire yearly
consumption of the Pacific coast, including all
the States and Territories west of the Rocky
mountains. Under action of reciprocity this
vast amount Of sugar would find its way to San
Francisco, and completely shut out imports
from all other producing countries. OF the
1J0, 600, 600 pounds the islands would furnish
yearly, this coast would probably not take more
than 80 100000 pounds for domestic consump-
ton and the balance would find its way East.
where it would materially interfere with the
interests of Eastern refiners and those of the
Southern plantations, coming in direct competi-
tlun with them, duty free. The average duty
now paid Hawaiian sugars is g cents per
pound, equal to So 75G 600 per year. -"
1t is obvious to us that the adoption of the reci-
prOcity treaty would destroy the most
important interest of this coast; and at
the East. which represents millions
Of capital and gives employment to thousands of
skilled worllmen, an event which would prove
serious impeachment to such industries Hawaiian
producers would have us at their mercy and
the great bodies of American consumers would
solute necessity"
This protest failed of its purpose; the treaty
was ratified in 1876, and within a year, Claus
Spreckels had consolidated all of the sugar
re6neros on the coast and had adopted line Of
offensive and defensive action. He went to the
Sandwich islands and leased and bought 26, 600
acres of land; sent to England and bought $50
tons Of boiler iron which he made into iron
pipe. and brought water forty miles, at a cost of
1000 600 to irrieate his vast plantation. In
n npNHnpa6 nl0Na nnapIU
$4,000 tons OF sugar, showing that Mr.. Spreckels
was determined to verify the predc
tons of his protest. But even this was
only drop in the bucket of this great financial
schemer, who foresaw SO clearly the workings
of the reciprocity treaty. There were about 500
plantations in the Sandwich Islands, and by 1882
800 of these were owned or controlled by the
Spreckles company. The others had market
except the United States, and at first glance it
would seem that they had as many advantages
under the treaty as Spreckels had. But they
soon learned that such was not the case.
China and the Manila Islands produced vast
quantities Of sugar which could be imported into
tho Sandwich Islands duty Free and exported
thence to the United States free of duty. The
Spreckles combination saw how they could
utilize these products, and they at first put on a
line of sailing vessels and later line of steam
ers, which could run between San Francisco and
China and the Manila Islands, only between
this port and the Sandwich Islands.
The result OF this operation was
that all of the sugar produced on the Sandwich
Islands, except about 10000 tons annually, is
sold to the Spreckels company at Manila island
and China prices. With his own vessels to carry
this enormous tonnage; with a certainty of re-
turn cargoes from the islands, Alr. Spreckels has
practically driven out all competition in the
carving trade between the Pacific coast and the
Sandwich islands, and thereby all competition
for the production of the sugar plantations on
those islands. But were this not enough he has
''got away with" the Kanaka King, whose
royalty needs money to run it, by various cour
tesies which have always influenced royalty
when covered with white skin. In 1882 the
royal treasury was empty, the king deeply In
debt and not cent with which to pay interest
on the two million national loan. In this
terrible crisis of the kingdom. Mr.. Spreckes came
forward and paid his taxes, amounting to $1,000
in advance He also informed his Majesty that
there was more where that came from, should
the necessities of the nation require it.
Finding market for the vast sugar produc-