Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-07-28
Conditions in Hawaii.

lie in special publication by the bu-
reau of Statistics. An interesting
feature is report recently made by
Consul-General Haywood. Hawaii, 1t
is shown, at present imports nearly
everything she uses, except sugar, cot-
fee and fruits. Attention has been
almost exclusively given to the raising
of sugar, all of which, aside from that
consumed in the islands, Is exported
to the United States. Indeed, the
United States in 1896 took 80 per
cent of the entire exports Of the islands
and supplied seventy-six of all i'm
ports.
Consul-General Haywood, in a spe-
cial report, expresses the opinion that
in case of annexation over 80 per cent
of the imports into the islands would
be the growth, product, or manufacture
of the United States, and adds that if
the American tariff were in force in
the islands about 100000 worth Of
imports, which now enter free OF duty,
and are bought in countries other
than the United States, would be
bought from this country. The free
of fertilizers and coal
alone in 1896 amounted to $466,3l9.
The facilities for travel between the
United States and Hawaii are de-
scribed by Consul-General Haywood,
who says that the bulk of the steam
and freight traffic between
San Francisco and Honolulu is con-
trolled by the Oceanic Steamship Com
pany, their rates being $75 cabin
passage and $25 steerage, although a
of fine sailing vessels, which
make regular trips between Port Town
send and San Francisco and Honolulu,
with limited passenger accommoda-
tions, charge $40 for cabin passage.
The time for passage between San
Francisco and Honolulu by steamer Is
from six to seven days. On the
islands there are three railroads,
which, however, are used principally
in carrying the products of the plan
tations to the various points of ship
ment, and aggregating about seventy
miles IN length.
The currency Of the islands is Of the
same unit Of value as that Of the UNI
ted States. The gold is all Of Amerl-
can mintage, and United States silver
and paper money is in circulation and
passes at par. The Hawaiian money
is paper, which is secured by silver
held in reserve. The total money in
is estimated at So, 100000.
The annual internal taxes average
$6.48 per capita. The total revenue
from all sources was $2,283,07O in
1896, the expenditures were s., 49,
lO3 and the public debt $4,l0l, ia,
bearing interest at 5 and 6 per cent.
Commercial travellers are, under the
laws now in force, required to take out
A license, costing at Honolulu, for the
island upon which it is located, $57O,
and on each Of the other islands $3.50.
The market for all kinds of labor is
overstocked, and it would be very un-
wise, in the opinion of the consul-gen-
eral, for anyone to visit the islands
with no capital on the mere chance OF
obtaining employment, many Of those
who have so arrived being compelled
to return disappointed. Wages on the
plantations, including house and fire.
wood or room and board, range from
1926 to $l75 per month for engineers
and sugar boilers, $50 to 500 per
month for black8miths and carpenters,
$40 to $75 per month for locomotive
800 to $l75 per month for
Dookkeepers, $50 to $40 per month for
.eamsters. In Honolulu the rates are
IS to Sc per day for bricklayers and
$3.50 to s. per day for car
oenters and painters, and So to s.
per day for machinists. Cooks receive
rom So to Sc per week, nurses, house
and gardeners S. to $l2 per
month.
Retail prices of provisions are as
'ollows Hams, l6 to 80 cents per
pound bacon, Is to 20 cents; -four,
$3.50 to s. per 100 pounds rice,
1925 to s. per 100 pounds; butter,
% to so cents per pound; eggs, 25 to
20 cents per dozen, and ice, l! cents
per pound.
The productions of the islands are
almost entirely articles for which the
people of the United States have in
he past been compelled to send money
outside Of their own borders. Sugar,
coffee, tropical fruits and rice, for
which wesend abroad more than $780,
700, 1000 annually, are the chief pro-