The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-06-18
Hawaiian Canes Against california's
Beets.

Nearly the whole of the Hawaiian
question ic stated ia our head line.
Shall the Hawaiian cane sugar be
given bonus OF one and one-half
cents a pound, with the effect OF
suppressing the growth of the most
promising industry that California
has to-dsy9 Our beet sugar indus
try has made big start, has great
possibilities, and, indeed, bids fair to
become the leading industry of the
State. Our great valleys of deep,
rich soil are unsurpassed for the
growth Of the sugar beet by any
part Of the known world. Their
cultivation and manufacture will
give our own farmers, carriers, and
refners an ever increasing amount
Of profitable labor. With our coun-
try on protectionist basis, why
should we give up our own home
market to the fat, lazy, and opuent
Hawaiian planters, and to their
semi-slave aborers OF Chinese, Japa.
nese, and Portuguese origin To do
that is to reverse our whole tariff
policy, and to lead to the suspicion
that certain Of our Senators have
tasted Hawaiian sugar, and found
more in it for them than in that
gown in their own country. The
right kind OF legislation on this sub
ject is SO palpable to the Protection
list majority that those of them who
vote against it are obvious batrayers
of great public trust, and, as such,
unworthy of confidence. The truth
is, that the young missionary dc,
scendsnts who have filched from the
natives nearly all their lauds, have
too long been pampered, coddled
and spoiled class. They toll not,
neither do they spin. Yet, by abusing
the hospit atty Of the natives, who
so generously received their sires,
they have become the lords OF the
manor, and rule over the country as
despots. They employ imported
heathens, who are paid and treated
very much as if they were chattel
property, and all this whilst these
planters have been paid over $780,
100000 by the American wage
earners in the shape OF rebated
sugar duties, and that to the injury
of what can be, and ought to be, the
leading industry of CALIFORNIA; free
labor. The white population
amounts to only about 5000, or
about as many people as are found
housed in single street in San
Francisco. We send this select
band 100000 a year in related
sugar duties, or more, on an average,
than the United States has spent on
the whole State OF California. In
return for all this, the Hawaiians
buy of California wines, brandies,
flour, lumber, canned goods, etc, to
an amount just about equal to the
sugar duties we present them with.
That is to say, in fact, we virtually
make free gift OF all that they care
to order from us. Machinery, re-
finery material, and other articles Of
a more costly character, they take
either from Germany or England,
and order from us only what they
must, which they would do treaty or
no treaty. American consumers get
nothing out of this subvention to
the Hawaiians, because the latter
take care that their sugar shall not
sell for less than what is charged by
countries with which we have no
treaty. All this is transparent
wrong that has continued too long.
1t should not longer continue as an
example Of the jobbery and robbery
OF the PERIODS. r. NetVs Letter,