The San Francisco call., 1897-05-18
LABOR ASKS FOR
ITS ABROGAT|ON
Hawaiian Treaty Discussed
by the Federation of
Trades.
Senator Perkins Also Writes on
the Subject to the su.
pervisors
He Says He Will Be- Guided by the
Expressed Opinion of the People
of the State.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL.
D.. 4

SUC OdOWdy, may II. }
The Alameda County Federation OF
Trades at its regular weekly meeting
passed the following resolution:
WHEREAS, The question of abrogating the
rresef,t treaty with Hawaii is now before Con-
gress; and whereas, we believe In advocating 2
the employment Mt of home labor in California in
every possible instance and we further be-
lieve tnat thu abrogauon OF the present Ha-
wHiian treaty would have great tendency to
bui up the beet-sugar industry in Caiifor MIA
and thereby put to work MANY unemp Dyed
men whose work is now being done by cody
la bor in Hawaii, therefore be it
R6solred, That the Alameda County Fedora
uon OF Trades most earnestly urge our repre-
sentztlves in Congress TO do all in their power
10 cause the sbrogauon of said treaty.
The Hawaiian reciprocity treaty occu-
pied the attention OF the Supervisors for a
short time today. \ week ago a dispatch
was sent 10 Senator Perkins by the board
asking him to do all in his power to pro-
tecJ California interests with regard to the
treaty. To-day the following reply was
received:
Ny Dear Sir: am in receipt of your telegram
relating 10 tse abrogation OF the HaH allan
Teciprocity treaty and will very gladly give 1t
my consideration. l am placed in this matter
in very embarrassing situation, by reason OF
the dlveTg Mt views taken regarding reci-
procity with Hawaii BY prominen citizens and
commercial bodies in different parts OF the
State.
rThe commercial organizations. banks and
exporters OF San Francisco deem the continu-
anee of the treaty OF vial importance to them
and to the general prosperity OF the State,
while from The interior cities and counties
come appeals for the abrogation OF the
treaty. The point on which the opposition 10
the treaty is based is the beet-sugar industry
ofIhe State. No one can be more alive to the
importance OF that industry than myself, and
1 hope to see 1t grow and give TO the State that
prosperity which I believe it Is capable OF pro-
ducing.
But there seem to be two views to the effect
of the continuance of the reciprocity treaty
upon this industry, and il is these that have
given rise TO the demands for its continuance
and brogauon. Both views are strongly held
and both have strong backing OF facts, so
that it's not easy to determine whether one
party is right and another wrong, or whether
tie truth les between the two opinions.
Therefore, as you Will see, my position in re-
gard 10 the uest1on at issue is EN- barraSsfng.
We are now paying to China, the East Indies
and other countries with which we have no
reciprocity treaties tens of millions OF dollars
each year for sugar, on which we impose an
import duty, and as long as we are compelled
10 purchase sugar from foreign countries it
seems but right that We should give to those
granting US rec procity benefits an advantage
IN removing duties from their staple article of
export II We were not paying out such
vast sums to other sugar producing
countries there could be no question
that the reciprocity treaty with Hawaii should
be abrogaIed. But as long unable to
luOduce sufficient sugar for our own Gems ump-
isoh Il is nos, to my mind, good policy to radi-
ca " change our relations with a country
with which reciprocity has been mutually ad-
vantsgeous.
al can only say that my best thought shall
be given 10 the matter, and that shall be gov
erned in my action by the wishes OF the ma jor-
ity OF the people of the State as far as can
their wishes known in no unceri ain way l
have 10 reason TO doubt"