Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-02-09

All sorts OF reasons have been dis covered
why the United States should not annex
Hawaii, but the most material objection to
such a step yet raised is presented by the
Boston Commercial Bulletin. That journal
says that the main difficulty In the way of
the annexation of the Sandwich Islands is
the sugar question and that if we take them
this sugar riddle must be solved. Accord
ing to this authority we imported from
Hawaii during the fiscal year of 1892, an
aggregate of 262, 612, 405 pounds of sugar,
which in q general way may be said to
represent the total crop OF the island,
and it claims that II they were formally an
nexsd as territory tle law providing
for bounty on sugar would apply to the
Hawaiian product as we'll rs to beet sugar
grown in Kansas or cane sugar produced in
Louisiana. Reduced to figures, the annex
alton of Hawaii would mean, according to
the Bulletin, au annual payment of about
So, 252, 000 to the sugar growers of the
about $50, 900, 600.
If this were the only objection to the
granting OF Hawaii's petition for annexa-
ton to the United States there would be
little need OF hesitation on the part Of our
government In annexing the islands. 1t
would be an easy and entirely feasible step
to make one of the conditions of annexation
the remission of the bounty on sugar, so
far as the Sandwich islands are concerned.
There is a possibility, however, that the
sugar bounty provision will be repealed
Some republicans, notably Congressman
Powers of this State, are in favor Of doing
away with the sugar bounty, and, although
they may have no opportunity to accomplish
this step during the present session of Con-
gress, the chances are that the sugar
bounty will come under the law of tho in
coming administration and be repealed in
the course OF the revision of the tariff by
the next Congress under the auspices Of the
democrats. The objection to Hawaii's an
nsxation made by the Commercial Bulletin
Is not likely, therefore, to be valid for any
length of time, although it may bs mate
rial objection at present.
In the meantime the Hawaiian commits
sioners are said to be prepared to waive this
sugar bounty privilege absolutely rather
than yield all possibility OF annexation.
They make this suggestion in order to Off
set the criticism that they are prompted by
selfish motives and one of the commission
ers has stated that they would be willing to
accept an act of Congress which expressly
barred Hawaii from all participation now,
or in the future, iu the sugar bounty. In
asmuch as similar reservations have been
made in the acts governing the admission of
other territories into the Union there sp-
pears to be no precedent that would inter.
fere with annexation under such rsssrva-
tons.
Word comes from Washington that the
attitude of the administration, which at first
favored a protectorate, has, since the ar
rival of the Hawaiian commissioners,
changed to one favoring immediate annsxa-
tion. The expressions of opinion in Con-
gress are said to have made IL evident that,
despite the brief time remaining between
now aud March A, it may be easily possible
to pass the bill providing for annexation.
Tho annexation sentiment seems to be grow
ing apace in this country and it may not be
many mouths before tho Sandwich Islands
will bs included in Uncle Sans domains.