The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-02-01
RECT SUGAR I\DUSIkl-
Mr.. Oxnard Explains How it VII TIC
Infected by Hawaiian Annexation

Mr.. OXnaTd Explains no" II W.
Affected ny Hawaiian Annexation
Editor Post: II i evidently the Dc
sion and purpose Of the administration.
tbraIlgh the Secretary of Agriculture. t"
make II apppar that the beet sugar IN
dustrv X really not affected by the an
nexarion Of the Hawaiian Islands. | beg
10 offer with them entirely on this sub
iacf. and III view IF the fact that every
nraducer Of sugar IN the United States.
whether of cane. beet or sorghum. *
a}s,Iltplv and U~nrc,pntingly opposed I"
tbc annexation Of those islands. 1t i
bardl, fair to say that those who have
m,d4 his industry Il lifelong study are
All wrong. and IL the administration.
through the Department Of Agriculture.
who have only very recently come INTO
rover. should lie able 10 decide this ques-
ton for the sugar producers of the I'M
Ted States.
Taking the statement of the expert Of
the Agricultural Department. DR.. Nylle.
we see that he sugar produced III tn"
Emitted States costs about t cents i
pound. 1t is Il w~eil-known and conceded
fact that sugar * produced in the Ha-
waiian Islands for about one and ont-
half to one and three-quarterS cents per
pound. This sugar can be refined and
TRANSPORTED to Nebraska and points in the
immediate territory at Il cost of certain
IL not to exceed ; cents per pound. The
freight from Honolulu to Omaha does
not exceed. or quite equal. thrcc-fourtls
cent per pound. If | were TO add ono
half cent for refining it would give Us
the cost to the producer of refined sugar.
the cost laid down in Omaha, at . cents
per pound.
M ...o- - H. +--O f,4tl,;n- Of
which | am president. show that We
have not been able to make sugar IN Ne
braska for 4 cents Il pound. but for the
sake of argument. granting that the cX-
pert Of the Agricultural Department <
right. | will say hat this uga can he
produced at t cents without profit. Of
courSe). We. therefore. find that the
Hawaiian planter can sell sugar III our
own market Of Nebraska at a profit or
| cent Il pound to himself. while we
would he manufacturing the same quail
ity of sugar at a loss.
The reason why this has not been done
III the past is simply because 50 little
beet sugar was made that the Hawaiian
sugar planter did not lower the price to
Supplant it: but now that we are on the
eve of producing our own Sugar it lS APP
parent to amy one who wishes to look IT
the facts as they are. and not as the adj
m;niStration wishes to have them appear.
that The development of the beet sugar.
industry is to be checked. if not entirely
stopped within Il very short time.
Another factor which has prevented the
Hawaiian sugars from being sold III COM
petition with the home sugar product was
the fact that 4 contract existed between
these same Hawaiian planters and the
/, trrSt yIharahy tho II Il woTan n)ant-
er received TIE full price of his sugar in
the markets of the world plus the duty
added. which. however. he did not pay in
TO the Treasury. but transferred to his
own pocket. Consequently. the sugar
trust having paid the duty on the sugar
to the Hawaiian planter. could not at
ford to undersell the home producer: but
q different condition exists since the first
Of the present MONTH. The sugar trust
has refused to renew its contract with
the Hawaiian Island planters. and there
fore the Hawaiian planter will seek a
market in the territory lying west of the
Missouri River in direct competition With
the home sugar producer: but the price
of said Coolie-made Hawaiian sugar Will
he lowered sufficiently to prevent the
home producer from marketing his pro
duet in that territory. in view of the fact
that American sugar cannot be produced
as cheaply as the Hawaiian sugar.
/ see it stated that Hawaii has reached
the limit of lis capacity, and cannot pro.
duce any more sugar than 1t Is pro
ducing at the present time. This iS alb.
s~olutely false from the very best author
ity which | have been able TO secure.
having sent out to the islands my eX-
pert. DR.. PortiuS. for the very purpose Of
finding out and reporting to me the pos
Sibilities Of the sugar industry III those
islands. The Hawaiian planters used the
same argument when they We're trying
to get the treaty encwed some years
ago. and asserted that 100000 tons would
be the maximum production Of sugar in
the islands. The past year Hawai- pro
duced go. 900 tons approximately. which
is Toe o tons more than IS consumed by
the entire territory west of the Missouri
river.
We view the accession of those islands
with dread. realizing full we'll that the
conditions existing there make 1t lmpGS-
sible for us to continue a struggle with
an industry which has had so much AID
from our own government during the
mast twenty years. Had we received the
same help for the next twenty years We
would not then be III the position winch
We find ourselves III to-day. IN otn&r
words. Hawaii is a threat to the deNcl-
onment of the beet sugar industry OF the
United States. the present admlnlstfi-
ton Notwithstanding. Instead of maklngl
Hawaii Il source of revenue to TINS coul-
try ly taxing its sugar. Would
mean Il deficit Of millions yearly for It's
defense. 4 heavy loss to the treasury.
and deprive the farmers of this country
OF = future crop. worth at Il low calcU-
Eltion about twenty-five millions yearly
at q time when they rightfully demand II
as tieir natural possession.
HENRY T. OXNARD.
Washington. Jan. IS.