The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-03-29
Why People Want Annexation.

'ouIllIy az Ihe present time, DOth
financial and political, and the
general conviction that matters are
likely to grow worse rather than
better, has naturally set men to
thinking and studying with an
earnestness quite unusual in this
easy-going community. The pres
sure of necessity is forcing people
of all classes to ponder and discuss
the problem of our future, if per-
chance some means Of escape can
be found from a condition which
seems to be steadily and surely
passing from bad to worse-from
the disagreeable to the disastrous.
OF course there are here, as else
where, few persons of that pecu-
liar temperament which seems con-
stitutionally incapable of seeing
the unpleasant side of anything.
and whose unreasoning and unfail-
ing optimism is equal to any de-
mands that may be made upon it.
We hear them constantly saying
we are all right, that even if the
planters and their agents do not
get rich as fast as before, they can
still make a good living profit, and
so, like the unbelievers in Noah's
time, these people are quite certain
that it is not going to be much of
shower after all. 1t is well to re-
member that Noah's optimistic
contemporaries, as well as those
who accepted their views and fol-
lowed their advice were, not long
after, all drowned. 1t will also be
found that the members of this
small but cheerful contingent are,
almost without exception, engaged
in some other business, or no bust
ness at all, and know nothing what
ever except by hearsay of the real
status of our main industry. Those
who are personally and practically
familiar with sugar raising and the
lines of business Immediately con-
nected Herewith, whose all is in
vested therein and who may be pre-
sumed to know what they are talk
ing about, tell an entirely different
story. Such data as are available
to us outsiders all go to confirm
the most unfavorable view of our
situation and prospects that has
been put forth in any quarter.
The facts Of the case cannot be
set forth with any fullness in the
limits of newspaper communica-
ton, but the following statement
NAV serve to show in a condensed
and ineligible way the magnitude
of the blow from which we are now
suffering. The loss which the
plantation owners will sustain,
ON THIS YEARS CROP ALONE, from
the repeal of the United States
sugar duty will be, in round num-
bers, five millions of dollars
($5,OOO,OOO). This amount ofproft
or income, more or less, on a years
business would not be much to the
United States or Great Britain, or
any large or prosperous country, but
let us see what it represents to
little Hawaii. tits equal to nearly
three times the current annual IN,
come of the Government from al
sources, about double the nationa
debt, according to the last biennla
statement, and about seven-eighth'
of the value of all the tangible
assets of the Government, includ
ing public lands, cash in the treas
ury, Government buildings anC
their contents, school houses anC
school property, leper settlement
roads, bridges, wharves, waite
works, palace, electric light plant
marine railway, etc, etc, as valued
bv His Elk. S. NJ. Damon, whel
Minister of Finance. 1t is, more
over, nearly two-thirds of the tota
foreign imports, and about fiftee
per cent. upon the assessed valu
of all the real and personal prop
erty in the kingdom.
These figures can be easily yer
fled by anyone who cares to do s.
1t is hoped the patrons of the Al
vERTTsER will read them CAREFUL
and. consider how much the
mean. Anyone who will take II
trouble to do this, must see, hoy
ever unwillingly, that the presel
crises is a real and not man
featured one, that the present wild
spread unrest and eager search 1
some practical relief is not on
justified but compelled by ha
facts which cannot be denied
escaped. That the cutting on
one swoop from the returns on IL
years sugar crop alone, an amou
equal to nearly three times t
current annual income of the &c
eminent and about double t
national debt, must profound
affect every material interest
f the country, and every class of o
- population would seem to be
aaself-evident proposition to anyo
Goth brain much above that
irien opossum. When we look abe
4 regard the probable con
The ices of the same loss be-
Sunro,,o3