The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-05-04
TIE TREATY.
Tho ResoIutiou Of AbropatiOn.


WksHINGTos. April 2O-The report Of the major
ity of the House Ways and Means Committee on
the resolution TO terminate the Hawaiian treaty
begins with a statement that the object Of the
treaty TO secure closer commercial and politi-
cal relations with the Government of the Hawaiian
Islands. The report makes comparison OF the
present with the past commercial relation between
tee two Goyernments and says that it is apparent
from this that our exports have not grown as
fast as anticpated by the friends Of the treaty
when it wa, before Congress for adoption In
stead of inc easing relatively faster than Imports
they have Ealatively increased. In the entire
trade for the fiscal year. 76 per cent represented
our imports from the islands, and "a per cent our
exports to them while in 1888 the relatives values
were. imports 81 per cent and experts 81 per cent
II was claimed for the treaty, when it was pending
in Congress in 1876 that it would greatly sim ulate
our exports of lumber, food products aud manu-
features, but these predictions do not seem 70
have been fully realized. During the last hscal
year We imported from the Hawaiian ISLANDS
articles amounting to SS,sS7,4 57, of which the
value of sugar was IS 207 19S, while for the same
year we exported to them articles amounting 70
&, 709,573. The balance of this trade we pay IN
money to the planters on the islands, some OF
whom reside in the United States, some IN Eng
land and some in Germany. Oar aggregate e1-
port trade TO the islands reached its highest point
in 1888. and has since that time been falling on
The exports of animals and manufactured of iron
and steel reached their highest point in 1852; cot
ton goods and hemp in 1888; provisions and lum-
Der in 1854; and breadstufis IN 1855. Ihe argu.
ment that the treaty would reduce the price OF
sugar on the Pacific Coast has not been proven
true. At the time Of the passage OF the treaty,
sugar was as cheap in San Francisco as IN New
York, bat it has been dear ever since, rotwlth-
standing New York sugar paid duty and san
Francisco sugar was admitted free OF duty. II
must be evident, the report says, that we have
gained nothing commercially by the treaty. The
articles imported from the United States Will en-
tinue to be imported whether the treaty be abro-
gated or not, for the that no other country
can supply them as cheaply. II the Hawaiian Is
lands should make articles sent them by the
United States subject to the duty paid by the same
articles imported from other countries, which Is
about 10 per cent, that would be no impeachment
to the United States. 1t would only be light tax
imposed upon their home consumers Ihey can
not put prohlbitory duty on articles so necessary
to them, and which they cannot produces at home
and cannot so advantageously obtain from any
other country. Under moderate duty our eI-
ports would continue to increase in proportion to
the demands of the people of the islands. The
bounty given by our Government out of the pub
lie treasury to the Hawaiian planters has stimu-
lated very greatly the growth of population and
wealth in the Islands. and it has corresponding en-
HANGED the gIowth of our export trade. But when
it is seen by the returns that We have RENTED
more than $500 900 of revenue since the treaty
went into effect, when our exports Tor the same
time amount to little over 81, 100000, 1t would
seem that we had paid rather dearly for our bar
gain. The sum that We have paid could have
purchased our equivalent to gift to the people OF
the Hawaiian Islands. This large bounty has
l
the islands, while our people have been compelled
to pay higher for their free sugar on the Pacific
Slope than their kinsmen have had to pay for
their dutiable sugar on the Atlantic seaboard.
| The majority close their report with the state
ment that they recommend the adoption of the
resolution more readily that it does not prevent
the administration from negotiating for such
modification of the existing treaty as will more
nearly equalizs the benefits to be derived by the
two Governments from their commercial relations.
The report of the minority, which is signed by
| Messrs. Breckenridge of Kentucky and Browne of
| Indiana, says: 1.-The undersigned regretting that
they are unable to unite either on the recommend
ations report of tue majority, content them
selves by expressing their dissent from each. They
are not prepared to say that the treaty with the
/ King of the Hawaiian Islands is, commercially a
| good bargain and they would be glad to see it
| modified. Yet there geographical and inter
national reasons which are conclusive with them
that the treaty ought not 20 be abrogated They
/ are not willing to surrender any advantage that
may be given by that treaty to this Government
to the possible future control of those relations
| The relations which this Government necessarily
! bears to the Pacific Ocean and to people border.
| ing thereon or owing colonies in upon the said
ocean render them unwilling to take any steps
| that may weaken our position or possibly streng-
/ then that of any other Government 1t may be
/ that new and various complications with European
and Asiatic nations may arise if the question of
the relations to the control of those islands be
opened and they not willing at present to have
| them reOpened.