The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-02-10
THE SUGAR TRUST.

During the annexation campaign the
the treaty have been pretty thorough
" sifted, and the Washington Star
has devoted many columns to the sub
iect, which are well worth careful
study.
The policy of the sugar trust, in
common with that of every trust, is
to crush competition and obtain a
monopoly of the market for its pro-
duct. The product of the sugar trust,
for which it seeks a monopoly, is re-
fined sugar.
The tariff levies higher duty on
refined and high grade raw sugar than
on low grade raw sugar. The Hawa-
iian reciprocity treaty only admits
free of duty low grade sugar. The
tariff would be levied on refined or
high grade Hawaiian sugar should we
make it. We do not make it because
of the almost prohibitive duty. AS
long as Hawaii remains out of the
Union its products cannot compete
with the product of the sugar trust.
But as soon as the Hawaiian Islands
come into the Union, they would be
in position to either refine their own
sugar or to sell high grade sugars di-
rect to the consumer, and would thus
come into direct competition with the
sugar trust.
As a fact in the early seventies, be-
fore the reciprocity treaty, when all
sugars paid duty alike, the Hawaiian
planters used to make beautiful sugar,
which was bought by the consumer
direct. In truth, it took some time be-
fore those who had been in the habit
of using high grade raw sugar could
reconcile themselves to the inferior
product of the sugar refinery. But as
it did not pay to make the high grade
sugar they had to take what they
could get. and now few people remem-
Der the high grade sugar. But if Ha-
wall becomes part of the United
States this class of sugar would again
find a ready market, and thus Hawa-
iian sugar would come into COMPETE
ton with trust sugar. and there
fore, as the object of the trust is to
crush competition, it very naturally
opposes annexation.
1t will be remembered that last year
the trust sought to obtain the abroya-
ton of the reciprocity treaty, and
that it was this move which forced on
the annexation treaty.
The trust controlled the Hawaiian
crop up to December 81, 1897. After
that date it ceased to control the en-
tire crop. T. H. Davies plantations,
and those controlled by Claus Spreck-
els, go to the trust, the others go to
two New York refineries and to the
new California refinery at Port Costa.
These refineries are outside the trust,
so that there is now happening what
the trust so much objects to, the sup
plying of sugar to rival refneries.
If annexation is defeated and the
reciprocity treaty repealed, which be
it understood will follow the defeat of
annexation as surely as darkness fol-
lows sunset, the trust would not need
to trouble about the Hawaiian sugar
crop. Our natural market in the Unit
ed States would be cut off and our
industry would be ruined.
1t is very plain from the above state
ment that the sugar trust is interest
ed directly in opposing annexation,
and having succeeded in that, it would
at once proceed to work for the abro-
cation of the reciprocity treaty ana
success in the one case would mean
success in the other. This Is the story
in a nutshell.