The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-03

A BOLD SPECULATION.
The Chicago Herald charges Claus
Spreckels with being at the bottom OF
the Hawaiian revolution. and Of the move
meat for annexation. and claims that MS
motive was to make big speculation In
sugar. There seems to be good reason
for believing that these charges are
true. II VAS singular coincidence 10
say the least, that when the coup detat
was struck, there were very conveniently
present a force Of American marines.land-
ed ostensibly to protect American In
terests, but in reality used to overawe
the existing Government, and anect its
overthrow. This, and the fact that the
makeup of the new Government Is ais-
tinctly American, and that commissioners
were Immediately dispatched. even be-
fore the provisional government was
warm in It's new seat. to apply for an
ncxation to the United States, all go to
show that the revolution was an Ameri-
can enterprise.
The motive for this move was very
frankly stated by the leading commits
sioner on his arrival at Washington. lie
admitted that under the Mckinley law,
the American sugar planters on the
Islands had lost the special advantages
which they enjoyed under their recipro-
city treaty with the United States by
which they were allowed to send their
sugars free into this country, when other
countries were compelled TO pay a tax
OF two cents a pound. Under this ar
rangement, Claus Spreckels. and those
who were associated with him, sold more
than s12 900 pounds OF sugar In the
United States during the last year that
they enjoyed the benefit of this free trade
reciprocity treaty. and their profts
amounted to the enormous sum OF $780,
600. Since the operation Of the Mckinney
law, however. sugar has been on the free
list, and Spreckels & Co. have not only
lost their sugar bonanza, but are even
cut off from the bounty Of two cents
pound paid American sugar producers.
Herein Is the milk IN the cocoanut.
Spreckels and his associates want that
two cents a pound, and know that the
only way they can get 1t is by annexa-
ton to the United States. when they VIII
be placed on the same level with the
sugar planters Of Louisiana. II the
islands are annexed either as State
or a territory Hawaiian cane growers
will be as much entitled to the bounty
Of two cents per pound as the Louisiana
cane growers. They will not be entitled
10 II otherwise. We read that for some
thirteen years our enterprising American
citizens in the islands were amassing
great fortunes out Of the earnings OF
American consumers Of sugar. Now they
wish to add to their fortunes out Of the
earnings Of American taxpayers. who
furnish the money out Of which the sugar
bounty is paid. That is why nothing
short of annexation will satisfy these
gentlemen.
The advantages to accrue to the pro-
moters Of this enterprise are. as we have
seen, enormous. AS our Chicago con-
temporary says, they are large enough
to warrant Spreckels & Co. 'in making
great efforts to work UP an annexation
craze In the United States, and we may
be sure that they will improve their OPP
portunities to the utmost. No doubt they
will foot the bills If the American peo-
pie will kindly attend mass-meetings
and supply the enthusiasm. But sober
minded citizens will first inquire whether
1t will pay to contribute some sS.OOO,Ooo
year for the enrichment Of few spe-
cuiators. to say nothing Of greater num-
Der Ct millions which 1t would cost them
in other ways. and get nothing In return
but O. troublesome little insular pocket
possession over 1000 miles distant from
San Francisco. The people Of the Pacific
slope have special reasons for declining
TO promote this new speculation of Claus
spreckels and his associates and coad-
TUTORS"