The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-11-03
SAKI TRADE IN HAWAII.
ALARMING BUSINESS LETTERS
FROM HONOLULU.
Unless Drastic Measures Are Taken Jap
anese wines VIII Supplant the
California Product.


and threatens to completely annihllate
the trade.
This has taken place within five
months, and 10y the last steamer from
Honolulu came alarming letters from
several houses to various firms in this
city. They are all of the same tenor, and
point out that the Island Government
must be persuaded or compelled to place
a prohibitory duty on the Japenese arti-
Gle or California will be compelled to
abandon IA lucrative trade which has
been built up at the expense of much
labor and patience.
The saki is a light, sweet wine made
from rice. 1t does not cost to exceed
one-third of the grape product, and like
it rays an entrance duty of only 10
cents IA gallon. Previous to this year it
has not come into serious competition
with the Californian vint ige, but now
/ all is changed. The entire Importation
/ in 1898 did not exceed S.eS3 gallons and
25s cases. valued at S., iOj07, while for
/ the same period the California wines
were valued at SCI 1868. These latter are
mostly of sweet varieties such as mus
cats, Malagas, Maderias, sherry port
and angelica, on which, as in the case
of its new Japanese rival, a duty of 10
cents gallon Is levied. The principal
purchasers were the Portuguese and
japanese, with certain sprinkling of
Americans and English for the superior
grades
IMMENSE sAKG IMPORTATIoNs.
Now, while the customs reports snow
that only 5000 gallons were imported
last year, the same official sources
SHOW that 80, 6l5 gallons We're landed in
Honolulu during the i've mon tbs ended
on August 3lst. There has been a
nearly steady growth from the begin
ming of April, as shown by the follow
ing figures by months. 1t will he
noticed that in the case of July the
amount was double that of the entire
previous year: April 626, May 2,51l,
June ,444, July 1904 and August 49,
800 gallons. The reason for this phe-
nominal growth of the saki trade is the
establishment of regular monthly
steamer service with Japan. Merchants
from that country have taken advant-
age of the situation to build up bust
uess which is not only threatening death
TO the California wine trade, but has
already cut badly into the American
dry goods expectation. While many
articles from this country are on the
free list, the average of duties is only
about 10 per cent and is no obstacle tc
the japanese, who produce cheaply ano
do not hesitate to undervalue theii
goods when presented at the custom
house.
I No DEMAND FOR CALIFORNIAN WINES.
J While the consumption of saki has 81
. increased, the demand for Californian
wines has correspondingly diminished
In a letter from Honolulu, dated Oct
2d, one large firm writes:
by this opportunity we have NJ
order for wines, our present lot OF
hand being sufficient for the eXistin.
demand, the unusual dizziness IN tn
5 sale of wine being due to the enormou
impOrtations of saki from Yokohama
i and Kobe"
Other letters are to the same purport
They point out that saki is entirely run
Il ming out the trade in California wines
e and that unless some legislation b
U adopted in the Sandwich Islands to Civ
" a considerable advantage in favor {
II the latter the demand for the America
o article will be entirely killed by tn
preference on the part of the Japanes
n consumers for the product of their ow
'e country. Out of total population {
03, 900 there are now about "a 900 jar
saki, We're the greatest consumers {
IT wine from our State. The native Hs
If waiians have taken to drinking tn
saki because of its cheapness. TIL
sales for September are estimated t
- have been l3,0DO gallons, as the marke
had become exhausted owing to tn
steamer being so loaded down wit
- merchandise at Hongkong that sh
could not take full shipment at Yoke
. hama So profitable has the buines
: become, however, that the japanese al
chartering vessels, and at last advice
!, 10000 gallons of the rice wine were re
, ported to be on the way to Honolulu.
II PRESSURE On THE HAWAIIAN CABINET.
The white importers are so alarme
n over the loss OF trade that they hav
st started in to obtain special legislation o
1t the subject, so that the duty on saki ma
If be raised from Is cents to 80 cents
gallon. Macfarlane d Co. have in
IS formed the Acknowledgement and Col
j lector of Customs that unless discrimi
s nation be made in favor of Calforni
S wines policy OF retaliation will b
urged on the people OF this State agains
e the continuation OF the Reciprocit
e treaty. Legislation to this end is bein
y formulated, but as the Government Wi
t not give the assurance of its support tn
t California growers and dealers hav
been appealed to to take combine
= action to prevent the complete extinc
It ton OF the trade to the Islands, whicl
y has been built up at large expense an
a patient effort, and they will at one
d c ,mmunicate with Senators White an
Perkins, as well as with our Represent
e atiyes in Congress, to take their inter
J ests in hand. 1t is held that the treat
has been equivalent to a subsidy OF $40
k 100000 to the Sandwich Islands, an
d that California should not be allowed t
d suffer while Hawaii enjoys a specis
,. protection of 40 per cent. on her suga
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