Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-30
We NEED HAW All
Interesting Letter Addressed to Sen
ator John T. Morgan.
RESULT OF A LONG EXPERIENCE
Value of the Islands in a Com
mercia| and Military Sense.
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

Col Charles T. Eagan, assistant commits
sary general of subsistence of the United
States army, has written a letter to Sena-
tor Morgan upon the subject of the anneNa-
ton of Hawaii, which will be read with in
terest. Colonel Eagan has been a resident
OF the Pacific coast for twenty-five years
and claims to be thoroughly familiar with
Hawaiian trade and its vast Importance to
this country, Which, he says, he has seen
as the life blood of San Francisco during
the recent years of depression, giving en-
ployment to a fleet of sailing ships and
steamers, all flying the American flag; en-
pioying our wharves, laborers, teamsters.
mechanics, foundries, mills and sugar re-
nnerles in addition TO the purchase from
our merchants Of about $5,OO0OOO annually
OF merchandise, much of which is produced
east of The Missouri river"
Colonel Eagan continues:
so important, indeed is this trade to the
faci1c coast that you have now in the Sem
ate' q petition from the people of San Fran
CISCO representing some $500, 0DD, 900; and
III this connection, ii may be truthfuliy said
that If put to a vote the people OF the fa-
citic coast, aside from the few controlled
OF directed by the sugar trust and its part
ners and agents, would vote overwhelming
~ Tor annexation. The Importance of this
hes in the fact that they are familiar with
this subject and know the value from all
stardpoints and also know the grave danger
that lies in failure to annex the Hawaiian
Islands now.
The Beet Sugar Interest.
1T is contended by self-constituted advo-
Gates of the beet sugar industry that an
nexation of the Hawaiian Islands will in
terfere with the profitable production of
beet sugar in this country and to support
this contention they have resorted to the
statement, formally proclaimed that labor
erS in the Hawaiian Islands work for s.; per
month and board. AS you know from per-
sonal examination that this is unqualifiedly
false L VIII not go into facts and figures to
dlsprove it. The fact is, though not gen
eiaily known, that no matter how much
Deet sugar we may eventually produce in
TINS country we still must have cane sugar
ana lar more than the amount that can or
ever Will be produced in the United States
any candy manufacturer will verify this.
but, IN any case. there is no danger what
ever to the beet sugar grower of the United
states. Who shall say, seriously, that We
can produce in the next twenty wears
enough beet sugar to fill the requirements
OF this country which are at present more
than 2,OoOpo0 tons. Colonel Sellers alone
couid 1ather such proposition. By the
time We begin 10 produce beet sugar an
proxlmatlng our present requirements the
A-.Ni No'S VI Jul populdtlOn VIII f6Qulre lar
more than the comparatively small output
OF Hawaiian cane sugar, and il must he
stated here that the maximum Hawaiian
production has been reached. for all the
lands of the islands suitable for sugar are
already under cultivation.
Opportunities for White Men.
1t has been asserted by those interested
IN preventing the annexation of these
islands that Hawaii is not a place for white
al
cause at present there is little white labor
there' but neither was there any white
labor in the hot valleys of California be-
fore it became part of this country, and
1t was alleged that white labor could not
ever be used there. These valleys are now
full Of white labor. We all know white
labor does not emigrate from the United
states, but, as in other cases, when we
acquire the territory and once plant our
nag there, Americans will promptly show
that they can and will labor in Hawaii
"Eere the temperature is much lower and
not SO enervating as in the hot valleys of
the Sacramento and the San Joaquin above
referred to.
Already many young men have gone
from California to Hawaii in authorization
OF annexation, to make 1t their home: to
build up the coffee and other promising
industries. On this point 1 beg to quote
here from the San Francisco Chronicle
one of the ablest newspapers in America
III Inc ISSUE VI OcCtUDeT Id, 1871, IT
The attempt to make it appear that Ha-
wall Is not a suitable place for white la
Dor rests on the assumption that nothing
can be raised there but sugar cane This
overiooks the enormous possibilities of cot
fee, bananas and pineapples, and the OMEN
ings for skilled labor in every trade There
is as much or more coffee acreage on the
breezy upland and mountain sides of Ha-
wan as there is sugar land on the plains,
and it is full of invitation to the white
man Of small means. Today the wages of
white labor are higher in Hawaii than
they are on the coast, but are nothing TO
what they would be if the islands should
fill up with productive white popula-
ton engaged in raising products which al
ways bring large returns
For Men of Small Means,
Hawaii presents peculiarly favorable in
ducements to men of families and small
means; precisely such as constitute the
mainstay of country in peace and war,
and class We are all most anxious to en-
courage and increase. The first, or maiden
crop of the coffee tree in Hawaii is one
pound to the tree; the second bearing is
fully two pounds to a tree The tree be-
gins bearing when three and a half years
old. A man of family and small means
can do all his own work, and forty acres
of coffee can be easily cared for by him
self and family, the pruning and picking
being the easiest kind of labor. The Ha-
"diaA Soiec 10 uHeQudleu LOT excellence,
and commands from to 3 cents per pound
more than the finest grade of Costa RIGA
or Guatemala coffee in the market of San
Francisco. Hawaiian coffee is selling
there now at from Is to 20 cents per pound,
and the regret on all sides is that there
Is so little of it. 1t is SO superior that 1t
needs no blending mixing with any
other coffee, and, in the language Of SEN
ator of the United States who recently Wis
tied the coffee plantations Of Hawaii, my
sons among them, it is so good that the
cooks caLnot spoil it.
Believing that President McKinley's
course in recommending the annexation of
these islands was, and is, wise, patriotic
ard in strict accord with his high office;
that his intentions and views are states
manlike and far-seeing to most pre-
eminent degree, and in the true interest of
the constantly growing needs and require
ments Of this whole country, / felt and
still feel, as do so many others, that the
Congress of the United States will wisely
and periodically second his efforts to Sc
cure to us this paradise of the Pacific, and
plant our flag there, never again to be
pulled down while one American lives.
Other Nations Want Hawaii.
'The commercial side Of the proposition