The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-12-07
THE SUGAR BOUNTY.
KING KALAKAUA'S CHAM
BERLATN SAYS THAT
WAII WANTS IT.
He also Says that Two Cents per
Found is an Equitable Claim.
We reprint for the benefit of our

the San francisco bulletin OF Dec.
22nd, last year, at the time of
King Kalakaua's visit to California.
The views expressed in the article
are known to be those of the King
himself which were communicated
to Secretary Blaine and President
Harrison, through Minister Garter,
when he was summoned to San
Francisco to meet the King.
The article just at this time,
when treaty matters are being so
fully discussed, will be interesting
to our readers -
At the Palace Hotel this forenoon
the following statements were made
by Colonel Macfarlane, Chamberlain
to King Kalakaua:
"The idea in the whole treaty of
reciprocity between the Hawaiian
Government and the United States
was the tariff protection that would
be given the Hawaiian Islands, and
our object was to place our sugar
growers on the same plane as the
American sugar growers. In return
for this we were willing to remit the
duties on all American products and
discriminate against every country
except the United States. Under the
treaty we have received the compen-
sating advantage of protection that
the tariff on sugar afforded the
American producer. This protection
has amounted, on the average, to
about % cents per pound for all
the Sandwich Island grades. We
first entered into solemn treaty obi
cations with the United States for
period of seven years. A protest was
lodged by Great Britain against our
making such treaty and thereby dis
eliminating against English Goods.
The British government also claimed,
under the general treaty of friend
ship, amity and commerce, and under
the most favored nation clause, a
right to make a similar treaty for
Canada and the Australian colonies,
the tariff on sugar in those countries
being only about one half what it was
in the United States.
"The Hawaiian Government claim
ed that the commercial advantages
offered by the United States could
not be equaled by Great Britain.
For this reason the British protest
has been allowed to sleep, but it was
never withdrawn. We, on our part,
have maintained the treaty with the
United States inviolate, all through
these years, even to extending 1T
through a second term Of seven
years, with one years notice OF abro
CATION. The first serious breach has
occurred on the part of the United
States. The breach was not inten
tional. It never occurred to the
Congress of the United States that
the Mckinley bill would work such
injustice to the Hawaiian Treaty. In
fact, Mr.. Mckinley, SO MIR. Carter,
the Hawaiian Minister at Washing
ton informs me, voted in committee
against the repeal of the sugar
duties.
"The whole basis Of our treaty, so
far as the terms offered by the Uni
ted States are concerned, was the
sugar schedule, which placed our
sugar growers and the American
sugar growers on the same footing.
The removal of the sugar tariff takes
away all the benefits we, on our part,
have derived from the treaty, while
the free admission of all American
goods into our country remains the
same as heretofore. This is now an
entirely one sided affair. 1t was
never intended that the smaller
country should give all the benefits
away to the larger country; and 1T is
no secret that the United States, by
making the treaty with US, not only
expected to control the trade and
commerce of our rich group OF
islands, but indirectly to secure
political advantages as well. I'm
der the renewal of our treaty for
the second term of seven years
we granted an exclusive right to
the United States for a coaling
station in one of our best harbors
Pearl River Harbor. This exclusive
right, however, terminates whenever
the treaty is abrogated. 1t would be
out of all reason to expect the United
States to restore the sugar tariff, bu
as our treaty provides that our sugar
grower shall be on the same footing
as the American sugar growers, The
only compensatipg advantage tht
United States can give US for the
removal of the sugar duties IS thi
bounty they have given the American
growers in lieu of the protection
afforded by the sugar duties.
'We feel that we have an equitable
claim for this bounty of 2 cents pc
pound as given the American suga
producers. These views are practi
cally the views of the people of thu
Hawaiian Islands, largely shared b.
King Kalakaua, but the precise in
structions given to Minister Garter
who leaves to. night for Washington
will net be known until the Ministe
has met the President and Admins
tration. Minister Carter,as our dlplo
matte representative at Washington
is not in a position to be interview
ed, and in a diplomatic capacity b.
must be very non committal. an
free to say, however, that His Ma
jesty's wish is for his Minister Il
enter into such an arrangement a
will embrace the widest Commercial
IL. L H. IL