The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1890-04-08
An Interesting Expression of Views on
the Subject by Mr. Jas. b. Castle.

To His Excellency JONATHAN AUSTIN,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, etc.
SIR: Uncertain of my ability to be
present at the discussion proposed on the
LIST. inst. concerning the treaty with the
United States, | take this method for the
expression of my views on the subject.
To introduce and at once bring the dis
cussion to focus, let me say that be-
lieve it to be our duty as well as interest
to seek not only a commercial but
strong political treaty. The easy pros
perity of the last two years, the undis-
turbed possession of the treaty for four
teen years might easily beget self-con-
fdence and sense of security in all but
the most thoughtful. To the latter, an
examination of the simple facts OF the
situation conclusively show that rude
awakening from this dream of perman-
ence would be no strange thing. Taken
by single years we are apt to lose sight
of the vast significance of the treaty in
our prosperity and power of progress.
The great depression of sugar prices in
1883 and 1884 will not be soon forgotten.
Deduct from the low average price
reached by sugar in those years, the
average duty, and the result would have
been collapse, so well nigh universal,
that the Cuban failures of those years
would have been little more than sugges-
tive Without the treaty it is safe to say
the islands would have remained as in
ert and undeveloped as before. What
was considered as absolutely essential
for our prosperity in 1875 is quite as
essential now, for while we have made
great progress in manufacture, a progress
to which European bounties were doubt
less great stimulant, and we have, as it
were, at arms reach and within sight the
amount of realizable sugar in the cane,
that same bounty system has caused an
expansion of the worlds production that
means permanent lower average price
1t is immaterial to the discussion that
but one or two industries are directly
affected by this treaty. The general
prosperity is as vitality affected by an in
jury thSTeto as if twenty industries were
equally directly affected. We practically
have no industry but sugar. The last
legislature, with the aid of the veto, saw
fit to kill the bill which, at a total pos
sible cost of $50 900, would probably in
a few years, have made coffee leading
item of export; our only product of con-
spicuous superiority which is on Ameri-
cas- free list, and therefore one strong
cfo xrithottf ofv What iC ,,1aoror
than the necessity of the treaty when we
see the failure OF such an effort? To the
versatility of our resources the country is
but just awakening. We are but barely
freed from the incubus of corrupt admin
istration; we have but just encountered
and hardly overcome the obstacle to all
progressed autocratic rule. We have
only just reached the point at which our
advantages become available. To lose
the treaty now would be far more than a
financial calamity. 1t would destroy the
hopes, never before so we'll grounded, of
a progress in the next decade, which
should eclipse the last in quality as well
as quantity. 1t would cripple the power,
a power derived from treaty benefits, to
diversity our industries, to develop our
resources, to maintain an enlightened
immigration policy, to improve the rela-
ton of wage-earner and employer, to
build public works and to educate as we
ought. 1t would forever settle the
Chinese question by driving wages be-
low zero and opening wide the doors for
the Celestial thousands who only, then,
can make sugar profitable. 1t would in
definitely postpone the possibility OF the
best results OF constitutional govern
ment by an intelligent people. In brief,
our power OF accomplishment for the fu-
ture is that with which the treaty has
armed us. To some, much of this may
sound stale and hackneyed, but it APP
pears to me that it is needed. Not in
frequently talk of Hawaiian independ-
ence sounds as though we were so
in all senses, but we must never
dependence. Closely intertwined with
that dependence are the chances and
sources of our political independence. The
only independence we desire or need is
the liberty to control our internal affairs.
OF any political independence beyond
that let the "Kaimiloa" forever stand as
the symbol. After fourteen years of
of treaty prosperity, having been en-
abled thereby to maintain this great in
dustry in spite of the tremendous depres-
sion caused by European bounties,
comes our powerful patron with whom
fourteen years ago We made an agree
ment supposedly reciprocal and which,
in benefit to ourselves, has exceeded any
to the United States beyond the highest
estimates of our enemies, and is willing
to renew this agreement if we make such
concessions as we can without any loss
of self respect. Without waiting for any
overtures on the part of the United
States seeking modification and altera-
ton of the treaty, it is our bounden duty
as well as interest to show our willing
ness to make any concessions possible.
l understand that it is proposed to ask
the United States for a treaty from
which every political feature shall be
eradicated and, out heroding Herod, pro-
poses to seek from the United States a
treaty more consp;cuously one-sided
even than that with which a generous
and powerful friend has helped us here
tofore. Assuming, even in advance, the