The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-06-20

not " guarantee Of our independence.
Hawaii is not even a party to that agree
ment. 1t is simply an agreement be-
tween France and England that for their
purposes, they will not interfere with
this country If they so choose they can
abrogate that treaty tomorrow and we
would have no right to object.
Under these circumstances, the oppor-
tunity is offered of obtaining positive
guaranty by nation of a perpetual indie
pendence, not only as against all other
nations, but as against herself.
What can be more astonishing or dis
ingenious than the claim that this pro-
position was menace to our independ-
ence. The proposition was tor the
United States to, by solemn treaty, I'M
dertake to prevent foreign aggression in
this country. The argument based here
on is that the Cabinet thereby intended
to facilitate foreign aggression and secure
annexation to the United States.
The argument is as illogical as is the
proof that black is white.
Although the majority of the commit
tee have evidently seen the ridiculous
nature of this charge, as they make no
mention of it in their report, have men
toned it here as the charge has been
made not only in the public press, but
by the Acknowledgement upon the floor
Of this House.
This proposition is not without prece-
dent,a in the treaty between the United
States and New Granada of the United
States of Columbia, now of about forty
years standing, the United States guar
antees the autonomy of Columbia over
her own territory, and l am informed
that on several occasions this guaranty
has been of the most signal service to
Columbia.
The South American republics are most
sensitive of their technical international
rights, and in years past have been par
ticularly jealous OF the United States but
no suggestion has ever been made by
Columbia that any of her sovereign
rights" were interfered with, or her Gin
dependence jeopardized" by this treaty.
On the contrary, it has always been con-
sidered, as it in truth is, most valuable
protection to her against foreign agrees
sion
THE COMMERCIAL QUESTION.
In regard to the Commercial indepen-
dence" of the country would say that
the United States is our natural COM
mercial market, and any form of Treaty
or commercial compact, can in no way
alter the fact which is entirely natural
and governed by our geographical loca-
ton. It is our natural market on account
of it's proximity. The distance from here
to the California coast is only 1000 miles,
whereas all other available markets are
6, 8, and 10000 miles from us. Ours is
tropical country and our products the
products OF a tropical country The
United States located IL The temperate
zone, wants our products, and we want
their products, and all their manufac-
tured goods, and this peculiar and ma
tural call for reciprocal trade does not
exist between us and any other country
on the face of the earth. Take for in
stance our staple product, sugar. Can
ada is perhaps our only available market
other than the United States, but with a
population of only 5000, 900, it is not at
all likely that they will take more than
one-fourth, or at the outside, one-third
of our crop. Moreover, it is about 5000
miles distant, and the expensive trans
continental railway freights render trans
portation to this country so great, that
even if we had no Treaty with the United
States, and were obliged to pay the duty
that is likely to be imposed by that gov
eminent in future, it would be more pro-
ftable for us to send our sugars to the
United States and pay duty, rather than
| send them to Canada duty free. This is
illustrated by the fact that Cuba sends
| the greater portion of her sugars to New
York and pays a high duty in preference
to sending them to England where no
| duty is charged. Australia does not
want our sugars-they are flooded with
sugar from Queensland and the sugar
raising islands in their vicinity. A few
years ago we tried that market and
found it perfect failure. No South
| American country wants our sugar
they raise their own. No European
country wants our sugar-they are sup
piled with their own beet sugar, and the
cane sugar of tropical islands in thai
vicinity. So that under any circum
stances Treaty or no Treaty, the United
States is the only, and the natural mar
ket for our sugars. This is equally true
of nearly all our agricultural products
more especially all perishable fruits.
The products of this country admitted
into the United States duty free under
our present Treaty are very limited
These articles are arrowroot, bananas
castor oil, hides and skins undressed
pull, rice, seeds, plants, shrubs or trees
muscavado, brown and all other unre.
fined sugar, syrup of sugar cane, meladt
and molasses, tallow, vegetables, driet
and undried, preserved and unpreserved
will mention few articles, the pro
ducts of this country, that are not in
cluded in our Treaty, and consequently
pay duty in the United States:
PRESENT DUTY.
Tobacco, 35c to 81 per Id.
Wool, loo to 12c per Id.
Lemons, 16c per box, ~ cub. tt.
Oranges, 13c per ~ cub. it.
Lines, 20 per cent. ad valorem.
Figs and Raisins, 21ac per Id.
Castor beans. SOC for so lbs.
Cattle, 20 per cent. ad valorem.
Sheep, 90 per cent. ad valOrem.
Ramie, (present duty unknown
Fruits preserved in their juices, 25 pc
cent. ad valOrem.
Beef, mutton and pork, 1c per Id.
Hemp, $25 per ton.
DUTY PROPOSED IN THE M'KINLEY BILL.
Tobacco, 4Oc to 50 so per Id.
Wool, 1Oc to 12c per ID.
Lemons. 25c per box, II cub. fit.
Oranges, 25c per IL cub. #.
Lines, 25c per box. ~ cub. it.
Figs and Raisins, 211c per ID.
Castor beans, &c for so lbs.
Cattle, more than year old, $40.
Sheep, 81 50 per head.
Ramie, Is per cent. ad valorem.
Fruits preserved in their juices, 80 pc
cent. ad valorem.
Beef, mutton and pork, &c per Id.
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