The herald., 1897-04-28
For Fear OF a Big Tax on
Sugar
SPRECKELS WELL SATISFIED
WITH PROSPECTS OF TREATY
ABRoGATION
He Wants Hawaiian Reciprocity Dis
continued and Feels Confident
That It Will Be
ssociated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WARRINGTON, April 27.-Lorin A.
Thurston, ex-minister from Hawaii and
at present a special commissioner from
that country, has submitted to the
finance committee of the senate state
ment of the reasons why the Hawaiian
treaty ought not to be abrogated by the
tariff bill and why it should not on its
merits be abrCgated at all. After point
ing out that the treaty provides that 1t
shall remain in force for twelve months
after notice OF abrogation, the statement
says in part: "It is proposed, however,
to practically abrogate the treaty by
putting a tariff on Hawaiian products
imported into the United States which
are free by treaty, regardless Of the
treaty
"It is submitted that this suggestion
should not be followed for four reasons,
viz:
First, 1t would be deliberate viola
ton of a solemn treaty. There is no
overwhelming necessity shown for i'm
mediate action of SO grave character
as to require reputation Of an interna-
tional treaty.
Second, the imposition of duty on
Hawaiian products, especially without
the notice required by the treaty would
disarrange and throw into confusion all
of the mercantile and financial interests
existing between this country and the
United States, and suspend, curtail and
ruin, not only many Hawaiian citizens,
but great numbers of Americans both
in Hawaii and the United States who
have made investments to the amount
of approximately $40,000,000 upon the
faith of the treaty.
Third, the tariff bill is a revenue meas
ure and should not be complicated by
importing into far-reaching questions
of foreign policy-questions on which
there isa great diversity of opinion and
involving far more than the mere dol
lars and cents to be derived from a
duty on Hawaiian products.
Fourth, what the future policy of
the United States concerning Hawaii is
to be is question of Importance and
of broad national policy. 1t should be
considered by itself in such a manner
and under such conditions as to present
all phases of the question and not the
single financial phase which is primarily
raised by the tariff bill"
The statement then discusses the pol
Icy of the United States toward Hawaii.
Elaborate statistics are given to show
the advantages of the treaty to the Pa
cific coast and the country in general.
SPRECKELS SATISFIED
SAN FRANCISCO, April 27-Claus
Spreckels has every reason, he declared
in an interview, to believe that the Ha-
waiian reciprocity treaty will be abro-
gated. His confidence in such an out
come, he said. was due to the fact that
right and reason were on the side of
thoee who favored the discontinuance
of the existing convention.
Reciprocity" he continued, means
an exchange of benefits that have some
approach to being equal on both sides.
No one. I believe, will attempt to con-
trovert such an Interpretation of the
term. Now claim, and existing cir
cumstances and facts will bear me out
fully. that the treaty in force between
this country and Hawaii is reciprocal in
name only, and that all the advantages
arising under it are enjoyed by Hawaii,
or rather the foreigners resident there.
"At the present time the balance of
trade between the United States and
Hawaii is $S,000,0O0 per annum. and no
effort is made by the Hawaiian people
to encourage more trading with the
United States. On the contrary. every
thing that is done tends to the encour-
agement of trading with other countries,
notably Canada. Germany and England.
They have even withdrawn the subsidy
f0 1orlx ,ofI 10 fIz t. u.
Company, an American line, which has
done more to develop the islands than.
any other transportation company.
Il noticed statement in one of the
local papers that our commerce with Ha-
wall was great factor in giving employ
ment to American vessels, and that the
American shipping engaged in this traf-
fic has valuation of $4,000, 900. Any
one who will take the trouble to look over
the custom house records can learn for
himself that the value of all vessels
carrying between this port and Hawaii
will not exceed $2,00O,0OO.
II am confident that when the people
Of the United States are put in possess
sion of the facts connected with the Ha-
waiian treaty there will be an almost
sentiment in favor of It's abb
rogation. If we continue the treaty it
will be equivalent to putting at least
$15. 100000 annually into the pockets of
number Of English and German sugar
producers and the coolies whom they
employ, instead Of keeping this vast
amount of money in this country to be
distributed among our farmers and the
people employed in our own sugar plan
tations. factories and refineries."