The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-11-26
Ircc SMEAR.

No. - Dutch standard is ii cents per
pound. From this source the Govern
ment collected last year more than one
fifth OF the entire revenues derived from
imports, and nearly twice as much as from
any other article. \ duty OF $50, 900, 600 is
annually collected from imports Of
sugars. An unfair discrimination in ia
vor Of Hawaiian sugar exists, inasmuch
as the raw sugar from the Sandwich
Islands is free If duty. Originally
adopted wholly in the interest of the
people Of the Pacific coast. wh1 were
paying a very high price for sugar, in
consequence OF the railroad freights from
the Eastern refneries, the treaty has
begun to affect all the sugar interests Of
the country, retiners as well as planters.
Hawaiian sugar now comes into C0mpC-
tition with the product of the Louisiana
fields. and has just closed the st. Louis
Refinery, the largest in the West. II is
announced authoritatively that the only
reason why this refining company was
obliged TO close its doors was because Of
inability to compete with the free raw
material from Hawaii. If the crop of
raw sugar 81 Louisiana becomes much
depressed, 50 that prices are extremely
low, the St. Louis company may be able
to start up again. Large quantities of
Hawaiian sugar have been shipped to
New ! Urk for use in the retiuorIe-. lIa-
wall, having captured the country west
of the Mississippi, by crushing out all
opposition, is now trying to invade the
East under shelter Of this unjust rJCi-
procity treaty. We say unjust reciWog-
ity treaty, for the duties of which liza
waiiah sugar IS relieved amount t. much
more than the total value OF our exports
to that group of islands. In other words,
it is a gift OF several millions # dollars
yearly from ~, eminent revenues. TO
Claus Spreckles. the head Of the gigantic
syndicate controlling the sugar interest
of the Sandwich Islands.
The gIaring evil Of this treaty Is that il
fosters and recognizes in a purely practi-
cal way. the introduction of Coolie labor
amounting virtually 10 slavery. The
Hawaiian government, at the dietation
of Claus Spreckles, keeps its agents IN
both Japan and China. inducing ma;-
grafton to the Sandwich Islands. The
price paid for The labor performed hy
CuoIe help is - per month in govern
ment currency. equal 10 ahou. $,.G5 in
silver ara fo.d. We have been on these
Coolie labor plantations. and W. know
whereof We speak when We say that the
food given to the lahaIers was two plan
tains and one piece d.. sugar car"' twice
per day. so We can SEE that an. cost tor
food Is not much of an item.
From the foreign office notice i-stud
10y the Hawaiian government, relative 10
Chinese immigration, We learn ,hat .. No
passports will he given to Chinese labor
els leaving the country" We can thus
see that if u COoIie gets into Hawaii. ne
can not get out Of II md lie must accent
such terms as the sugar planter see III 10
make, or starve.
We all know that pauper or convict
labor can. all other things being equal.
produce manufactured wares much
more cheaply than can legitimate labor
now much cheaper, then, can slave Ia
bor produce raw sugar, duty free. JIau
can hired Labor. Either one of two
things must / g done to save cur uwn in
terests: remove wholly the duty on raw
sugar, or nullify the Hawaiian treaty.
Ii Hawaiian sugar should come in free
of duty, SO should ojf foreign raw SUI
gars; and If a duty Toe levied on Cuban
raw sugar. 30 should q duty h- levied
and collected on Hawaiian sugar. This
matter comes right home to us of the
South. and it will he a good stroke of
policy If our national representatives
can be mad. to see il in the rinht I.Lf-