The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-01-27
THE M'K1NLEY BILL AND HAWAII

waiian Minister at Washington, il
about to lay before Mr.. Blaine
formal protest against the free
sugar clauses of the Mckinley bill
The authority for this story il
King Kalakaua's chamberlain, who
has been interviewed by the Sar
Francisco Bulletin. The point oi
the protest seems to be that this
free sugar clause is in effect q
breach of the treaty of reciprocity
between the United States and
Hawaii, in that it deprives Hawaii
of practically the only benefit her
people have received under the
treaty.
Opening our doors freely to Ha-
waiian sugar was giving the sugar
planters of these islands the same
advantages of tariff protection en-
joyed by the planters of Louisi-
ana. The Pacific States absorbed
the Hawaiian product, and paid
for it at prices determined by our
duty on foreign sugars. it is esti-
mated that the average advantage
in price to these Hawaiian planters
because of our tariff has been about
2! cents per pound. Aside from
this, it is claimed, the treaty has
been of almost no advantage to the
islanders. TO US, however, it has
given practical control of the for
eign trade of the islands, and to
our government secured Pearl
river harbor, one of the best coal
ing stations in the Pacific. Fur
ther than this it opens the way to
even greater discrimination against
foreign nations in our favor. While
we retain these advantages, 1t is
held that Hawaii has lost the con-
sideration for which they were ORR
glnally granted to US. Hawaiian
sugar now stands in our markets
on a level with Cuban sugar, and
sugar is almost the only thing Ha-
wall has to sell US.
The problem before his majestys'
government is said to be now what
to do under the circumstances. AS
long ago as when the first treaty
was negotiated England protested;
and claimed under the "most fav-
ored nation clause" of a general
treaty of amity, the same privilege
as those accorded the United
States, but the Hawaiian gov
ernment held that Great Brl-
tain could not offer equal advant-
ages with the United States-mean-
ing that Great Britain could not
- protect " Hawaiian sugar. That
protest has never been Withdrawn.
Great Britain is now offering spe-
cial inducements in the way Of sub
sidized steamship lines and the like
for closer commercial relations with
these islands. But Kalakaua pre-
fers to continue the treaty with the
United States, provided We will see
TO it that the Hawaiian sugar
growers shall be on the same foot
ng as the sugar-growers of Louis
ana. Under our present law, there
s but one way in which this can
be done, and that is to pay these
planters the two cents a /
pound bounty provided for domes-
lie growers in the Mckinley bill, |
or the four years before the treaty |
expires by limitation. One year |
before the end of the term, notice
If abrogation can be given by |
either party, and we can take ad-
of that term If we do not |
,are to continue the present az
'angement.
There is enough of truth IN this
statement of the case to give it
orce, and to make it somewhat
lificult for Mr.. Blaine to meet.
As the apostle of reciprocity he is
,ound to so conduct these negotia-
ions as to retain for US every ad-
-antage we now possess of free
.ccess to the Hawaiian markets.
lie cannot promise the repeal
# the free sugar and the
county clauses of the Mckinley
ill, nor the payment of the bounty
o Hawaiians. Congress would
lardly dare be so free with the
'eople's money, and the people
themselves would not approve. 1t
pould be of no use to suggest the
or annexation of the ISL
nds as solution of the difficulty,
ecause the popular feeling in the
stands themselves is strongly
gainst any such project. The
'hurston ministry was overthrown
ast summer because it was be-
eved 10 favor large CONCESSIONS to
he United States. The present
Ministry, while friendly,is watchful
'st we overstep our bounds, and
Till expect from US all that the
reaty gives them a right to ask.
he advantage seems to be with the
Stands, for they have less to lose I
ian we by an abrogation of the
'eatV. and unless we can maka itc