The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-28
FROM THE FARMERS VIEW POINT

In an address delivered recently at Con-
cord, n. H., Mr.. Herbert Myrick. editor
of the American Agriculturist, considered
the question of annexation and expension
from the standpoint Of the farmer. He
sees in the present drift of affairs very
serious menace to the American farmer.
Annexation and expansion, he contends, is
the demand of Spanish property holders
in Cuba and Porto Rico, and Of property
holders In Hawaii, who, with a small but
rich and powerful coterie in this country,
seek to monoDolize the cheap labor and
marvellous productiveness of the tropics.
These interests realize he says, that
wealth beyond avarice will be theirs If
they can gain free access for their prod
ucts to the largest and best market in the
world-that OF the United States.
The case of Hawaii is referred to as
showing how the capitalists and large land
owners hope to compete with and gain an
advantage over American producers. The
sugar plantations of Hawaii are cultivat-
ed by coolie labor There are thousands
of coolies at present there, under contract
Thousands more are being carried there,
under contract, notwithstanding Hawaii is
now nominally part of the United
States and will actually become a part
of this country with the PRONUNCIATION OF
the new form of government that is being
arranged by the annexation commission
ers All of these contract cheap laborers
will be retained after the form of govern
ment changes; and the owners of the
plantations will get the benefit of the
American market in competition with the
Louisiana planters and the beet sugar pro
ducers Of other states.
BY the remission of duties Mr.. Myrick
says, the annexationists would make an
extra profit of $50 to $40 on every ton of
sugar from Hawaii, Porto Rico and Cuba:
they would make extra So to IS on every
pound of cigars; $50 on every pound OF
wrapper tobacco; $25 to $40 on every ton
of rice, and proportional profits on all
early fruits and vegetables brought from
the proposed American West Indies to
this country. He estimates that $4,000 900
would be taken from the government rev.
would constantly increase; and not only
that, but the taxpayers of this country
would be called upon to make up the de-
hciency I'm other Words says Mr. My
rick, after having given freely of
our blood and treasure to drive out their
Casullian oppressors, Spanish proprietors
in the East and West Indies now seek
yearly bonus of untold millions from their
deliverers; and certain domestic comblna~
tons in the sugar, tobacco, trucking and
fruit trades have entered into an unho.y
alliance with them. History fails to re-
veal 50 shameless a conspiracy of pelf at
the national expense"
Mr.. Myrick thinks that Florida and
South Georgia would be seriously hurt.
These sections are now becoming famous
for their fruits. They are also begin
ming to raise tobacco on a considerable
scale. Florida is cigar making state of
importance. There are a number of large
and prosperous cigar factories at Kew
West Tampa, Jacksonville and elsewhere.
These, he says, would in al probability
be driven to Havana, Ponce and elsewhere
in the islands under the plan of the an
neXationsts, and the tobacco growing in
dustrles of the Carollnas, Virginia. Penn
sylvania and Ohio would be seriously
hurt The best things in American ag
riculture to-day" he says. ARE threaten
ed by the anneXationists