Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-22

during 1896 fertilizers to the amount CT
nearly $350,OOO. besides which there were
used Of domestic fertilizers about the same
amount AS they have no crop which they
can rotate with cane, the exhaustion OF
the soil steadily continues, and can only
be kept up by increasingly high fertiliZa-
ton. We can, therefore, Ne certain that
the Hawaiian limit of productfon will be
about 100000 tons Of sugar per annum.
Future of Beet Sugar I'm Tf,as Country.
1.-The beet sugar industry can. firmly be-
lieve. be developed until it can furnish all
the sugar which this country requires; but
1t will take many years to acoomplish this
Some idea of what will have terbe done be-
fore domestic beet sugar can supply this
country with all the sugar 1t consumes can
be derived from the following Figures: An
average-sized beet sugar factory producing
$3.50 tons Of sugar per annum. will cost
say, $3J0,OOO. 1t would have required 5O6
beet sugar factories, costing SIT, 600. 900 to
have produced the sugar imported into this
country in 1896 from countries other than
Hawaii.
IF the annual increase in consumption of
the United States Is only, say, 10000 tons
per annum. instead of II per cent, as it has
been for twenty-three years past, it would
require each year forty-two additional fac
tories, costing each year s14, TOO, 600; or
within ten years from now, it would require
APO additional factories. costing $I47, 600 900
to supply the increase in consumption
alone.
THAT is to say. by 1903, it will require in
round numbers 1000 beet sugar factories
each capable of an annual product of $500
tens, and costing 1925, 100000 to supply the
sugar, which will otherwise be imported
from some other country to supply the
needs of the United States. There are now
only seven beet sugar factories in opera
ton in the United States.
Even though the highest expectations of
the friends CT beet sugar are realized do
tlz., Ill. bod
will be established in this country within
the next ten years? Until. the domestic
beet sugar industry is able to supply the
market of the United States the sugar from
Hawaii cannot injure the beet sugar pro-
ducers of the United States; besides there
will be an unsUpplied market with the price
fixed by the price of sugar throughout the
world. The only way in which the domestic
beet sugar producer can be injured by Ha-
waian sugar is that the Hawaiian producer
should undersell him. But the Hawaiian
planter will rot sell his sugar below the
market price unless there is some reason
for SO doing, and there can be no reason SO
long as there is a market in which both he
and the American planter will be protected
by the American tariff.
therefore. neither Hawaiian nor do
nestle United States producers will be
obliged to lower their prices in order to OBJ
tain a market.
No Cheaper in Hawaii Than Here.
ne Deet sugar producers OF tnlS country
DO OF consider the cane sugar planters Of
Louisiana a menace to their industry. Why
should they consider the sugar raised in
Hawaii a menace to them? If Hawaii be-
comes American territory, the cane sugar
of Louisiana and the cane sugar of Hawaii
will both stand in the same relation to the
beet sugar producers. Both will continue
to produce a limited amount, while the
great field for expansion will be occupied
by the beet sugar industry with opportu-
nifty to expand for many years to come, far
more rapidly than capital seems likely to
be available.
with every personal reason to oppose
Hawaiian annexation, If 1t would in fact
be injurious to the domestic sugar buSi-
ness If the United States, and looking al
the question from purely selfish aspect,
I can see no reason for believing that the
annexation Of Hawaii will in any manner
whatsoever injure either the beet or the
cane sugar industry of the United States,
while there seems every reason to believe
that it will be beneficial to every business
class in the country. AS a broad measure
OF national policy, and an American cit
izen, / sincerely hope that your honorable
body will set aside all claims that personal
interests may bring before you against the
annexation Of Hawaii, and keep in mild
only the great strategic advantage to our
nation and our flag, and that the annexa-
ton of Hawaii may be contaminated at an
early date"