The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-12-29

WEDNESDAY. DEC. 20, 1886.
THE SUGAR DUTY.

Bulletin dated 18th Dec. says: One
of the sure ways TO reduce the SUR
plus would be to take off the duty
Oh sugar. Senator John Sherman
proposes to do this, and the propo-
sition is freely considered by other
influential members of his party.
1t would be movement toward free
trade, but it would effect a great
reduction in the revenue account of
$50, 100000 year, while the in
dustry to be wiped out is confined
to the Democratic State of Louisiana,
and thus nothing would be lost to
the Republicans from a political
point of view. Indeed, it is con-
ceivablc, if it were to be done, that
out of sheer vengeance against the
Democracy for permitting it, Louis
lana might cast her next electoral
ballots for the Republican despoilers.
A dispatch from New Orleans also
states that the proposal to abolish
the duty on sugar creates wide
spread alarm in Louisiana, and that
the market value of sugar planta-
tons has declined 25 to SO per cent
in conquence. This was to be ex-
pected.
Though the production of sugar
in Louisiana has been on the de-
cline for many years, and the profits
of the industry have been very pro-
blematical, it is still so important to
the State that anything tending to
injure 1t still further is likely to be
view ed with concern. Louisiana still
manages to produce some 5000
hogsheads of sugar, or something
short of 100, 900 tons less than the
Sandwich Islands. 1t produced one
third more in 1882, and over thirty
years ago the crop used to be some
thing like 100000 tons. But the
change of the labor system produced
by the abolition of slavery, and the
general prostration caused by the
war checked production, and for the
past ten or twelve years the average
crop has not greatly exceeded
$4,000 tons. Twenty years ago
raw sugar was worth 10 cents a
pound. For four years afterward it
did not fall below 8 cents; in the
seven succeeding years it did not
fall below z cents; in the following
five years, 6 cents was the bottom ;
but three years ago the market broke
in consequence of the product OF
beet-root sugar in Germany, and the
price has since varied anywhere
from 3 to cents. Even so, how
ever, a crop of 100000 tons must
represent something like 81, 900, 900,
and State like Louisiana will not
see resource of that magnitude
destroyed without a protest.
The difficulty of dealing with the
sugar duty arises out of the position
of Cuba. AS every one knows, the
bulk of our importatiops of sugar
comes from that island. They pay
in the shape of duties IS per cent
on raw sugar, and 20 per cent on
molasses, which yield to the United
States revenue of about S52 ,OO0,-
900 a year. Now, Cuba is hopelessly
insolvent. The annual deficit in her
revenue is about $40, 000,0 which
the Home Government bridges over
by effecting loan from her Anglo
Spanish banks. There is no posi-
bility of increasing the public in
come of the island by levying addi-
tional internal taxes. Tbs said tina
HaaasyssGg ip ea.6p of 1ss6-S7 would b,
less than that of 1886, becaus,
ga great number of sugar plantation
has been abandoned, because tn,
owners were without cash or credi
to pay for the cultivation and weed
ing of their fields" The principl,
of export duties has always beer
accepted by Spain, and it is thus a
nearly certain as anything can b,
that, if we take off our import duty
on sugar, Cuba will put on al
equivalent export duty, just a
Brazil did with coffee. Thus placing
sugar on the free list because it is I:
necessary of life would really no
cheaper it for the American con
sumner, any more than the Hawaiian
Reciprocity Treaty cheapened suga
to the consumer on this coast. L
would set Cuba on its feet, but wha
it would do for this country is not 81
easily perceived.
Under the circumstances, it i,
possible that the protest of til,
Louisiana planters may command
some attention. The interest o.
| California in the mattar is sliobt