The evening times., 1897-03-31
THE SUGAR TRUST OPPOSED
II Does Not Wish to See Hawaii
Annexed by United States.
TO COERCE THE PLANTERS
They Are Rehelljous Against the
Trust and Think They Should
Accrue From the Reciprocity
Treaty Now in Force.

The sugar trust has entered as an o6-
structive element into the matter OF the
annexation of Hawaii Some time ago,
on the arrival OF ex-Minister Thurston,
Attorney General Smith and other repre-
sentatives OF Hawaii here, The Times re-
viewed the situation and the probabics Ans
OF the annexationists. There has been
no change in the status since then. II was
stated then, on authority, that no le2isla-
tive steps would he taken or asked until
the tariff bill was practically out of the
way Since that statemen5 there have
been some conferences between Minister
Hatch, GEN Smith and the Secretary OF
State hut not witch view to any in'ilie-
diate action.
The bearing OF the sugar trust on the con-
troversv is that il controls the sugar OK
port OF the Hawaiis n Stands, wild IN isvalued
at between seven ana eight million ooi-
lars. Under the existing reciprocity treaty
this sugar comes in free Of duty, and the
trust is anN ious that this reciprocity be
maintained and that the sugar planters re-
new their contracts with the trust Before
the next crop is ready for market The
sugar planters however, have learned some
thing.
They think that hey ought to have some
share in the profits arising IN account OF
the reciprocity, the trust being, under that
arrangement, not obliged To pay the one
and a half cent import duty necessary
where there is no reciprocity. The sugar
trust is now threatening the Hawaiian
planters that, if they don't renew thcir
contracts it will Kill the reciprocity ar
rangement, and the way they propose TO
do it is by the votes of the Louisiana
Senators and Representatives., the Ne
braska Senators and Representatives and
in general all the States which grow sugar,
whether from cane or from beets.
One of the representatives and advocates
OF the annexation idea said today that III
was hardly possible that the Congressional
representatives of the sugar growing inter
ests of this country would be dragooned by
the trust into helping To revepg Ii on the
Hawaiian planters. But certainly if the
reciprocity treaty was abrogated. it would
be an opcn confession that il was done by
the trust. andt lac Senators and Representa-
tiyes could bear the odium of il If they
liked.
The sugar planters of the islands are in
a dilemma They are opposed to anneXa-
tiOn, because that carries with ii the loss
of Chinese labor and cheap production of
sugar: but on the other hand il has been
demonstrated that sugar cannot be made
in Hawaii on the same terms and by the
same class as produces it in the United
States IL is question, therefore, whether
the planters may not cancel their con-
tracts with the sugar trJst and join the
annexation party. There is already
nucleus of planters who favor anne xation,
notwithstanding the general objection to
the scheme on the part of the planters, ,and
there is no telling what the present
scheme Of he -ttif1ist may irritate the MON
eyed interests Of the republic into doing
one of the arguments used against an
nexation is that the annual and indefinite
increase OF Hawaiian sugar production
will always be TO the de etriment Of the
United states planters The fact is, that
Hawaii produces only cBe-tenth of the
whole product, and that its increase can
only keep pace with the increase of the
demand in the United states.
This agitation stated is in some re-
spects a new factor, but 1T was said yes
terday that the trust cannot stem the
tide in favor OF annexation, If failing or
succeeding in abolishing the reciprocity
treaty, it should attempt to oppose the
anne Xationists.