The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-01-10
DEMAND AND pNoOvCl,eu
Fusct o, Acauiremep, ~ sust'
LANDS by United sta,ss-FI-
surss-t-a~ siian,


Probable Eject OF the Annexation OF
Spanish Colonies ON the sugar Indus
cry of the United States"
As a basis for any valuable opinion u
is first necessary 10 study the stats
teal data relating TO our sugar supply
First OF all the data Of the period just
preceding the rebellion IN Cuba are
OF prime interest, since they show the
normal condition OF the sugar industry
in the most important OF the spanish
colonies in time OF peace as affecting
trade relation with the United States.
The quantities Of sugar imported in
to the United States during the fiscal
year ended June 30th, 1898, the year
Immediately preceding the outbreak Of
the Cuban rebellion, from countries
which already are or are about 20 be-
come American colonies or dependen-
cies. are as follows:
Sugar imported into the United
States, July. lss3-Junc 1894
From Pounds.
Cuba ,....'...''..'''''' -'l-his'' 500
Porto Rico ............... 15.iSi'li3
philippines .,,,,,...,.'. lzi'o5Z'S46
Hawaiian Islands ......... 32i,726,5si
by above comparison ii Is seen that
since the war the Cuban imports are
only one-hfth of what they were before,
while from the PHILIPPINES We have Sc
cured a little less than one-fourth OF
the former amount. The figures for
Porto Rico are not given separately
but IL Is fair TO presume that, while
there was no rebellion in that island,
the war with Spain has greatly dimin-
ished the total imports for the year.
The data for the Hawaiian Islands
show that in five years the imports
have increased by over 10000, 900
pounds. Since however Hawaiian SUI
gar has been admitted free Of duty for
fifteen years, the annexation OF that
group to the United States will have
industry and thus increase the output.
Since II has been demonstrated that
water for irrigation can be secured
from wells sunk in the porous lava, II
Is certain that the area devoted to
sugar-culture 10 the Islands can be
greatly increased. This method Of Sc
curing water, however, is costly and
not capable OF unlimited expansion, so
that at this time We may forsee with
some degree OF exactitude the probable
maximum output Of sugar In the lia-
waiian group. From the most reliable
information accessible IL may be said
that under the stimulus OF American
enterprise the Hawaiian Islands will
produce for export TO the present
States about 1000. 100000 pounds Of
sugar in 1910. Beyond this figure the
increase will be very slow and It Is
more than probable that the figure
or 20 years. Meanwhile the consump-
ton OF sugar will increase so that by
the time the Hawaiian Islands send 10
the present States 100000 tons OF sugar,
we will be needing a great deal more
than the extra quarter million tons
coming from that source. The Hawai-
ian Islands therefore may be elimIn-
ated from the problem in so far as
their product OF sugar shall affect the
industry here.
Since II was certain that the rates
OF duty on imported sugars under the
Dingley act would be increased, an
enormous stock OF raw sugars was Sc
cured under the lower duties OF the
Wilson tariff. The beginning OF the
fiscal year, July lst, 1897, therefore
found a stock OF sugar so large that
practically no imports OF beet-sugar
were made after July for eight month";
In April, 1898. the stock of sugar i'm
ported under the former tariff act be-
gan to be exhausted and beet-sugar
again commenced to come In from Ger
many. Considerable quantities of re-
fined sugar were imported during the
winter and early spring OF 1898. For
the quarter ended September 80, 1898,
nearly 2oO,00o,OO0 pounds OF sugar were
imported from GERMANY quantity
considerably greater than for the whole
fiscal year ended June 80, 1898. 1t ap-
pears that change In the tarr has
had more immediate and direct effect
on our sugar trade than annexation
can possibly have.
Referring again to the data directly
involved in the discussion of the sub.
ject under consideration, It is seen that