The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-10-06
NEW SUGAR PROBLEMS"

We print in another column ex-
tracts from personal letter received
from DR.. Walter Maxwell. The sug-
gestions and comments are SO valu-
able, we venture to print extracts, in
stead of using them as material for
our own remarks. DR.. MaxwelPs views
are tentative and suggestive. At the
same time they open up lines Of
thought which present serious ques-
tions for the future.
The early political union of
Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines
with the United States in some FORM
more or Less intimate is probable The
result may be the extension OF our
present protective tariff to these coun-
tries. We may then look within
few years, to a surplus of sugar pro-
duced within American possessions or
colonies. The moment that surplus is
reached the price of sugar will fall to
the level of the worlds price When
ever American ''protected'' articles
Oversupply the home market, they
compete with the foreign article
abroad, and, so far in the history of
trade, either depress or tend to de-
press prices.
In the competition which will then
take place in sugar production on
what may be practically American soil,
the question of labor will determine
which State, or territory, or colony,
and the Philippines have the advant-
age of cheap labor, if it is an advant-
age. 1t is not an imported labor like
the Hawaiian. 1t is indigenous and
sufficient to supply the needs of many
and vast plantations. On the other
hand, the tendency in Hawaii is to-
ward an increase in the rate of
wages.
We believe, on the testimony of
many of the largest employers of
labor in the world, that the least cost
of any product is more a question of
brains than of cheap labor" Many
Of our planters do not accept this
proposition, and cling to the belief
er the cost of production. These men
become somewhat confused if the ex-
perience of these Islands is put before
them, namely, that the enormous in
crease Of sugar per acre is due to in
delligent work, brain work, in the
study of irrigation, of fertilizers, and
OF machinery. They are now forced to
accept what the scholars tell them
about the value of brain work, but
they still draw the line at the field
hands.
But if Hawaii is to be at disad-
vantage in obtaining a supply of cheap
labor it is only to hold it's own and
advance by the best use of labor that
is not CHEAP" in the ordinary sense, |
but cheap in the sense that Carnegie |
uses it, when he says he has men who
''are cheap at $40 per day
There appears to be no other alter
native for Hawaii. But in spite of the |
black cloud rising in the sky, there is |
still no serious effort being made to
meet the coming storm, though it be
IL.
The experiment of introducing Amer
lean labor on the EVA plantation is
most interesting, and no doubt will
be pushed actively. But anyone ia
miliar with the habits, and inherited
ideas of American laborers, will fore
see that it will be some years before
it's success can be determined That
the movement can be made a success
is beyond question. That it will be
made a success is quite another ques-
ton. The history of commercial and
agricultural enterprises is that of fail
ureS when there might have been sue
cesses and of final successes founded
on repeated failures.
THE ANIMALS AGAIN