The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1885-01-14


sugar and mOlasses to the United States
is calculated as little short of S21S, 100000.
The cost of the National Government is
under S250,0000O0 This is a significant
fact and shows how important the subject
of sugar supplyis. Discussing the sources
of indigenous supply, it is shown that there
are four: Cane sugar from Louisiana.
Texas and Florida; beet from California,
maple from New England, and sorghum
which is widely scattered over the whole
maize growing area OF these. up to the
present, the first is the only source of
large supply, as will be seen from the fol
lowing table:
Tons.
Louisiana and southern sugar 1856 29S
sorghum. 375
nee; .--.-..-.-.-....-...---.- 625
Maple. 1890
Total. .........................144 ,79S
The total consumption being 1,192,39I
tons, it is plain that the domestic supply
Is less than one eighth of the sugar con
sumed. There has been time, however,
when much larger yield has come from
Louisiana, notably in the year 1860 81, and
1t Is pointed out that larger areas may be
cultivated, better machinery used, methods
of agriculture improved, and the present
yield much increased.
The prospects of beet sugar next come
under review. The future of it is consid-
cred good, and the Pacific States are con
sldered the best suited for the industry.
Professor Wiley believes, however. that
the growth of the industry will be slow,
because the losses which have attended
Its Initiation have made capital conserva-
tive, but he feels convinced that in a few
years, and by the use of the best modern
machinery, beet sugar will be made in
California, and the adjoining States and
Territories at a cost mot exceeding four
cents a pound" This is n matter which
we, on these islands, will do well to con
slider. Our only market is San Francisco;
If the Pacific States can in few years
raise all the sugar they may need. we had
better take the advice so often given and
look out for industries which will pay.
when this fails us. In this connection it
may be well to mention, that the develop
ment of the beet industry in California is
made the stalking horse for gentle attack
upon orr Reciprocity Treaty.
The Professors views on sorghum we
have given m erto7so, elsewhere, and of
maple sugar it is unnecessary to treat
There are also some interesting esti-
mates as to the cost of producing sugar.
and the amount of capital that must be
invested for the production of every one
million pounds of sugar, but upon this we
do not touch at present
The Professors summing up of all this
information is what really most concerns
us Ii is dead against all reciprocity trea-
ties, and the supposed strength Of the
argument is heightened by special refer
ence to our own treaty The terms used
are not Incorporate, as are those of some
of our critics, but the reasoning is based
on fallacy. Chasing these islands with
the West Indies, Mr.. Wiley saws "the labor
Is very cheap often slave or contract and
our sugar producers who pay good wages
are thus brought into direct contact with
a system which can drive them to financial
ruin or reduce our labor to the level of the
slave" This is absurd as far as we are
concerned, and we believe much exagger-
ated of the West Indies. There is no
country in the world where unskilled labor
fetches so high price as in the Hawaiian
Islands. The great crux with us is the
meagre supply Of labor and consequently
its high price. The competition of our
sugar growers with those of the United
States will assuredly not drive any of their
labor to the Nlevel of the slave.'' A man
who can earn twenty dollars a month
wages (steady work all the year round)
for merely handling a hoe, is long way
from being a slave.
1t is further urged that the benefit of
the Hawaiian Reciprocity Treaty is not on
the side of the States at all but entirely
goes to Hawaii. Who is it who is chiefly
benefited in Hawaiil Why American cit
izens: Who are employed as managers,
engineers and so forth, upon our planta-
hons7 For the most part American citi