The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-06-23
A NEW SCHEME ABOUT
PEARL RIVER.

Mr.. EDITOR: The prospect for Ha-
waii, with its eggs all practically in
one basket, is not good when the
aforesaid basket falls to the ground.
Probably no country has staked its
fortunes SO exclusively on the success
of a single industry as Hawaii has
done with sugar. Ia 1872 it was the
waning hope of the country, after
losing the whaling business on which
it had for many years depended, that
the few sugar plantations then
struggling for existence could be
made to pay. But it had become
plain that even at the high price
which then prevailed, the planta-
tons would go under if relief had
not come by the Reciprocity Treaty
in 1876.
The effect Of that treaty during
the period of fourteen years, in
which Hawaiian sugar was not
brought into competition with sugar
made from cheap labor, was to in
crease the values of all property, to
cause an immense addition to ma
tional revenues, and to induce nearly
all available capital to be embarked
in sugar and in enterprises depend
ing on sugar for their success.
Since the Mckinley bill became
law, values of nearly everything here
have shrunken more than fifty per
cent, and the end is not yet. New
industries may eventually replace
the great sugar staple, but that is a
result which will take years to &C
complish.
Meanwhile it remains to be seen
whether the unskilled labor element
now become so large, can be employ
ed, and whether requisite national
revenues can be raised from. taxable
values, customs duties and other
sources heretofore used. No one
cares to be an alarmist, but common
sense and prudence demand that the
situation be recognized, and that
such measures be adopted, or at
least attempted as may secure relief
from the coming strain.
Annexation is, with many, thought
to be the only thing which can ward
off financial and political disaster
But the wishes of most of the abor-
iginal Hawaiians, and of the sover.
eign, have not as yet been favorable
to that. What the future may bring
it is impossible to predict. To in
duce annexation, however, by any
means not fully endorsed by the
Queen and by the great majority OF
the Hawaiians is, as 1 look upon it
a thing that ought not to be done
I do not believe in forced, violent OF
underhanded political changes.
What then is there? / answer that
we must utilize our geographical
position, the strategic valae," Of
which SO much has been said. The
treaty of reciprocity brought trade
and immense profits to Californians
Middlemen, agents and carriers, con
signees and buyers Of the Hawaiian
sugar crops took the lions share
The abnormal prices in 1888 8 gave
big profit to the planter, but it wa.
unprecedented. The treaty itsel
was originally made and was ex
tended on the part of the United
States, for the purpose Of securing
to that country what it deemed to b.
political advantages of far more
value than was the revenue from
sugar duties which it gave mp. I
was considered important to prop M
and sustain the tottering fortunes o.
this country in order to prevent Ha
waii from seeking relief from an,
other foreign country. To secur
Pearl Harbor from falling into tn
hands of England, Germany, Franc
or Russia, was something which n
American statesman could afford t
neglect.
In 1873, during the short period o
Lunalilo's reign, the Hawaiian Gov
eminent formed the plan of proposin,
to cede Pearl Harbor to the Unite,
States, but then was the time whel
Mr.. Gibson saw his opportunity t.
obtain popularity with Hawaiian
by urging that their national exist
ence would be imperilled by sue
cession, and the plan was given uI
Not an inch of Hawaiian territor
must be coded to any foreign powe
said Mr.. Gibson, and lie found n
difficulty in securing among Hf
waiians an enthusiastic following.
But Hawaiians since that day ha
much political training. They hav
acquired, as a consequence of th
great increase in the volume G
money circulated, and the avenue
opened to them for earning money
taste and means to crafty the tast
: for comforts and Injuries Of lif
, which Heretofore were unknown (
or unattainable by them. Their vel
built and neatly-furnished house;
their ordinary diet of well. cooke
foreign food, the comfortable an
, attractive garments, in which Hs
waiians are clad, in all respects lik
? well-bred and we'll to do foreigner:
, their requirement of the Englis
language all these and many NOR
things have made the present risin
generation of Hawaiians more sell
respecting, less exposed to the lie
, and claptrap of unprincipled politics