The Hawaiian gazette., 1888-12-25
OUR SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.
Per 5. s. " Rio de Janeiro," san Fran
cisco, December 8, 1888.
prom our Special Correspondent
The Sugar Market.

with cargo OF raw sugar from Java
caused the American Refinery to reduce
It's prices by Il cents from the figures
quoted by last mail The California
Refinery has, however, made no change.
The market for raws remains the same
as last quoted, both buyers and sellers
playing a waiting game
1t has been decided to erect another
sugar beet factory at Salinas in Monterey
County. At jacksonville there will be
several sowings made of the beet seed, so
that two or three crops can be gathered,
thus keeping the factory in operation for
about SIX months of the year with cor
responding increase in the output.
Heavy Sugar Seizure.
In my last letter, the arrival OF the
xeteamer Westmeath was recorded with
"a heavy cargo OF raw sugar for the Amer
lean Refinery. This was the first impor-
tation here from Java, and the cargo,
which consisted OF $3.50 long tons, was
valued at 500, 900. A check for STA 900
was paid into the Custom House on ac-
count Of duties on December 4th, and the
steamer began to discharge her cargo
into the American Refinery warehouse
later. On December 9TH, Collector
Hager, acting upon information received
from Appraiser Beck, seized both the
warehouse and the steamer Westmeath
with all the sugar contained in both. 1t
Is claimed that the amount of duty paid
is less by fully $4,000 than what was
really due and that an attempt had been
made, by underclassifying the grade of
the sugar, to defraud the revenue OF that
amount. The sugar in warehouse re-
mains in charge OF Custom House Off
GERS. The Westmeath has been ordered
into the stream and Is also in charge OF the
Customs Department with sealed matches.
Samples Of the sugar will be sent to
Washington and there tested by the de-
partment OF the Secretary OF the Treas
ury. and it will be several weeks at least
] before any settlement can be arrived at;
the sugar is mean time losing in quality.
This is the most important seizure ever
made at the port OF San Francisco, and
il is creating intense excitement owing
to the fact that well-known persons are
implicated In the attempt to defraud the
revenue. The business OF the trust here
will suffer severely, as the American Re
fnery is without supplies Ii the charge
be proven it is believed that the whole
cargo viii be confiscated, and the law
also provides for the imposition OF a
heavy penalty. The case is somewhat
analogous TO that OF a cargo OF Hawaiian
sugar shipped some years ago to New
York by Hackfeld q Co., but in the latter
case the charges were not proven.
The Sugar Trust.
The case against the North River
paFsr,arx-
al New York on December 5th. Mr.
James c. Carter, counsel for the de-
PENDANT. argued that the combina-
ton OF sugar refining companies
was not intended as monop-
DIV for the manufacture of sugar, nor
was it for the purpose of increasing the
price OF sugar Sugar, he said, was a
commodity limited only by inability to
manufacture. The raw material is un-
limited in supply, and all that was re-
quired for its manufacture was capital
and labor. There were other commodi-
ties that were by nature restricted in
supply. and combinations to control
such for the purpose OF increasing value
might come under the charge OF viola
ton of law Sugar is not a necessity Of |
life. although, being so much used by |
people all over the globe, 1t might ne |
considered nearly so.
The North River Sugar Refining Com |
pany, Carter continued, was not insti- |
tuted for the benefit of the people, but |
exclusively for the benefit Of those whose |
capital was embarked in it. The object |
OF all business was gain. Ii men can |
control the coal fields OF Pennsylvania |
they can control the price of coal by linn
iting the production. The definition of
monopolist. according to Carter, is one
to whom exclusive right to sell or buy
commodity is given. As to sugar, which
may be brought to us in ayalanches il
the trouble to extract it be taken, the
term monopoly cannot in any degree be
appropriately applied. ''Take the Stan
sdard Oil Trust continued Carter.
s'When it was first organized oil was sold
BY the gallon for certain number OF
dollars. How is it to-day that gallon
of petroleum can be purchased by the
consumer at a cost OF six cents? And yet
there was combination SO vast and
we'll Organized that it could have in
creased the price of the commodity.
This combination is the Standard Oil
Company"
The arguments being concluded Judge
Barrett gave counsel until the 22d inst.
TO submit their briefs, and reserved his
decision.
The Political Situation.
1t is now said that Blaine will lease q
house in Washington after January LIST,
aud devote his time to literary work re-
lating to American political history.
Morrow is endeavoring 10 investigate
the evasion of the Chinese Restriction .
Act bv the influx of Chinese from British {
Columbia. He also proposes to intro
pnee bill requiring that every China
man in the United States shall, within six |
months of the passage OF the Act, be Of {
fcially registered and given certificate {
bv which he may be identified. An alb
sence of the certificate viii send the I
Chinaman out OF the country I
Representative Yandever OF Los An
eeles has introduced a bill in the House I
asking the consent of Congress to d. l
vision OF the State OF California into two ,
States to be known rs North and South s
California.
There is talk of an extra session OF the
Fiftr-first Congress to enable the Re-
pubiicans to organize. Their majority I
is so small that, in case OF death or acci-
dent. the majority might be reversed. '
i;u hos haeD introduced to eStab- 4