The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-05-21

Hawaiian planter should no more be de-
prived, than should the citizens of Cali
fornia be deprived of the advantage Of hav-
ing duty free market for their goods in the
Islands. Although San Francisco imported
139, 7S7, 963 pounds Of sugar from the Ha-
waiian Islands last year, and 90, 933, 366
pounds only from other countries, the pro-
portion raised by the Islands in comparison
with the total yield Of the world, and with
that available in the San Francisco market,
is Insignificant and has no effect upon the
price. r The price Of raw sugar in
San Francisco is based upon what it costs
to land sugar in San Francisco from Manila,
known as the Manila basis" and that is
the basis upon which nearly all the Hawaiian
sugar is now sold in San Francisco, although
a few planters have sold it upon the Cuba
basis" being the price Of Cuban sugar in
New York, less the cost Of freight from
Honolulu to New York. The result then Of
the Treaty is, that other things being equal
the Hawaiian planter has the advantage over
other sugar producers who are supplying the
San Francisco market, to the amount Of the
duties which they have to pay and he does
not. The fact that the Hawaiian planter
can place his sugar in the market that much
cheaper is no reason why be should sell
cheaper than others, when he can get the
higher price and sell all his sugar. If he
did sell at a lower price, to the amount of
the RENTED duty, wherein would the Rec
iprocity of the Treaty consist Practical
Iy, with the except of rice, the only con-
siderable benefit which the Islands derive
sugar which is RENTED by the United
States, and which the Hawaiian planters
and incidentally the rest Of the country get
the benefit of. 1t would be just as rational
to claim that American producers and man
ufacturers should reduce the price of their
goods in Honolulu to the amount of the
duties RENTED.
We have thus fair and just state
ment of the facts in the case from the
recognized organ of the Hawaiian
planters, as distinguished from the
unfair and misleading statement in
the Press, intended for circulation in
the States, primarily to injure the
business interests of Colonel Spreck-
els, but seeondarily, and in very di-
rect way, prejudicing the American
public against the Treaty. In other
words, the Press is fighting the Treaty
to the utmost Of its ability. 1t may
suit the purpose of the business rivals
of Colonel Spreckels on these Islands
to strike at him in this underhand
and cowardly fashion, but it is way
which cannot commend itself to the
planters and commercial interests of
the Hawaiian Kingdom, which would
be utterly ruined were the Treaty alb
rogated. For what says the Planters
Monthly on this point?
The utter fallacy of this statement that
the American people 90 are practically giving
an annual bonus or subsidy to the sugar
and rice planters of Hawaii of 81, 200, 900
per annum'' consists in the fact that it is
based upon the assumption that the same
amount of rice and sugar will continue to
be raised and exported, as at present, were
the Treaty to be abrogated, whereas, as a mat
ter Of fact the sugar industry at the Islands
is absolutely dependent upon the Treaty for
its existence, and were the Treaty to be alb
rogated, the United States would not only
not collect the $4,000, 900, for the simple
reason that there would not be any sugar ON
which to collect it, but it would welI-nigh
wipe out of existence the best market which
the Pacific Coast has for its products, and
create a bankrupt debtor instead of pros
porous customer.
The Saturday Press, and in degree
what may be styled the allied opposi-
ton newspapers of Hawaii, are striv
ing might and main to compass this
result. If they can only humiliate
the man who has vitalized the indus
tries of the Kingdom, stimulated its
production, provided unrivalled fa-
cilities for transportation and travel,
and rescued the people from grind
ing monopoly of usury, they will feel
happy, although they should thereby
succeed in abrogating the Treaty
and bankrupting the country.