The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1891-09-01
AFFAIRS IN HAWAII.
Ex-Minister ThurstOn interviewed
In San Francisco.
EXCURSIONS TO THE VOL
CANO.

l.. A. Thurston, formerly q membel
of the Hawaiian Cabinet. is at the Occi
dental Hotel. He talked to-day very in
terestingly about Hawaiian affairs. FRS
he spoke of the sugar plantations OF Ha'
waii. The situation, he says, is ab2ui
| this:
"The sugar business has been, oil
course, little uncertain since the Nc
Kinley Tariff, bill went into effect. The
same quantity of sugar that brought in
| $13, 900, 900 to the islands last season will
bring in only about IS, 900, 600 this season
on the present basis, a large difference OF
s5,000,00O. The probability is that the
planters will not grind until late, begin
ming, probably, about January LIST, in the
hope that the situation win be improved.
Heretofore grinding has begun in
| November The situation cannot be
worse than it is now, and we hope for
improvement. This hope is based some
| what on the idea that President Harrison
| lnd1 lCliitlOoC G0tiSn Oll btlO RAOQhOto VI
sugar-grOwing countries which are not
soon reciprocally connected with the
| United States under the Reciprocity
clause. That would improve our market
| of course. 1t would make difference
| OF cent and fraction per pound, or
about $40 per ton difference. At the
present rates sugar is bringing only $50
to $65 per ton to the planters. This is
| only cost price to many, but few are
able still to pay a low rate of interest.
This is dependant largely Oh facilities
and the richness of the soil. The next
crop eill be as large as the preceding.
While the planters are hanging on by
their eyelids, the immense amount of
capital invested in plantations makes it
necessary to continue. To discontinue
would involve dead loss, for the land is
not valuable for other purposes. The
majority of the planters, perhaps, may
be able to keep going at the present pri-
ces. The Mckinley bill would not en-
tirely freeze us out, but l think that at
least 20 per cent. of the planters might
be compelled to retire if we get no relief.
None have gone out so far.
THE EFFECT OF THE BILL.
"When the bill took effect we had in
about two-thirds of the crop OF 1S90-91.
The other third brought only the re-
duced price. The crop of 1SS3-90 was
about $50 900 tons, and the crop OF 1890
81 was about the same amount. About
&c, 600 tons Of tie last crop, roughly esi-
mated was sold at about $50 per ton off
the price which it would have brought
before the Mckinley bin took effect.
There is no doubt that King Kalakaua's
visit TO the United States, which result
ed fatally tor him, was partly brought
about by his desire to see what could be
effected in the sugar matter. The Ha-
waiian Government is now committed
to an attempt TO negotiate with the
United States for further reciprocal rela-
tions with the United States, the basis
proposed being complete reciprocity be-
tween the two countries.
"One effect of such reciprocity would
be the stimulation oil our export trade in
preserved fruits with the United States.
There is now duty of from 80 to 80 per
cent against us. II that duty was re-
moved we would increase our business
in the preserving of pineapples and other
tropical fruits. No other country could
compete with US in that industry because
the distance is so largely in our favor
Arrangements are under way for the
cultivation of pineapples, the cultivated
fruit being OF better quality than that
which is grown wild. The trade in pine
apples would all he done with the Unit
ed States. The figures OF our foreign
trade are doubtless familiar and yet they
ought 10 be fully borne in mind. The
islands had about so 1000, 600 in foreign
trade last year and 80 per cent OF the
business was done with the United
States OF our entire foreign carrying trade
American vessels last year did 73 per
cent and OF the remaining % per cent IA
large share went to vessels flying the
Hawaiian flag, but owned by Americans.
THE DEMAND FOR PINEAPPLEs.
The demand Tor preserved pineapples
in San Francisco would exceed the sup
ply at first, but we would soon send an
Unlimited quantity. The pineapple grows
wild in suitable districts in the islands
and propagates itself All we now have
are wild. Ii the duty is removed we
could export guava jelly on much
larger scale than now. We now do a
small export business OF that sort. We
could also export dried bananas. The
experiment has been tried, and the arti-
Gle turned out was excellent, but there
was no money in the business because
OF the duties. We sent up here u lot OF
watermelons, grapes aud vegetables last
winter. They arrived here in good con-
di ion, and brought fair prices. One con-
Germ here, that Ina, the agency for Ha-
waiian pineapples. will go extensively
into the cultivation OF grapes. water |
melons and vegetables for San Francisco.
We can supply you with the fruits when
the native product is out OF market Our |
grapes are about two months ahead of |
the California crop. There could, OF |
course, be no competition, but when |
your grapes are out. ours are in.
The Queen has recently visited every |
district III her dominion. There has |
been n enactment 10 awaken violent |
discussion. The Queen was we'll received
everywhere, and made favorable i'm |
preston. The radical Kanaka element. |
otherwise known as the Bush Wilcox |
faction. has attacked her personally, and
politically they are openly advocating
to the United States. They |
have u daily and weekly paper, when is
largely devoted to the propagation OF tn
idea. This is somewhat re-
as being the first instance
when annexation has been advocated bv