The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-27
HAWAIIAN FIGURES
NO MORE STATISTICS OF TRADE
WITH THE STATES.
It's Commerce Has Passed Under the
Laws Regulating Coasrwise Trafhc
Figures for the Past Year.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26.-The people of
the United States are likely TO be deprived
of some much desired information regard
ing the of the United States with
the Hawaiian island The recent act OF
Congress, which extended TO these Islands
practically all of the laws of the United
States, is construed as rendering the COM
merce between the United States and the
islands ''coastwise' in its character. The
laws, with reference to the gathering of
statistics of our commerce, require inn
porters and exporters TO file with the coll
lectors of customs at the ports at which
their goods enter, or at which they leave
the country, a specific statement Of the
quantity and value of each article imported
or exported. The law does not require,
however, this detailed information with
reference to goods passing from one port
of the United States to another port OF
the United States. Taking advantage Of
this condition. merchants of San Francisco.
who are engaged in the trade with the
Hawaiian islands, are refusing to furnish
to the collector at that point, regarding
goods sent to or from the Hawaiian
islands, the general class of information
which they nave for years been furnishing,
but from which they claim they are now
exempt under the new conditions.
The effect of this will be to deprive the
Bureau of Statistics and the people of
the United States, at present at least, of
all Information regarding the
with the Hawaiian islands. No feature
of our import and export trade has at
tracted SO much attention during the past
year as that with the Hawaiian islands
1t was one spot where the effect of an
nexation upon with the territory
annexed could be studied. since, in the
other territories brought into close rela-
lions with the United States, conditions
were not in our favor by reason of the
war which had existed previous to or i'm
mediately following the new relationship.
While the growth of our commerce with
Porto Rico, Cuba and the Philippine
islands had been very great, IL has been
difficult to determine what proportion of
the growth was due TO war conditions or
what proportion to the new relations thus
established. In the case of the Hawaiian
islands, however, no war conditions ex-
listed, either previous or subsequent to an
nexation and the growth of the
with the United States may be attributed.
chiefly, IL not wholly. TO the close relations
brought about by annexation and the gen.
eral business revival which followed that
event.
The growth of our commerce with the
Hawaiian islands in the last few years.
especially in the years 1899 and 1900, has
been phenomenal. This growth is espe-
cially interesting in view of the new rela-
tionship which has been established with
the islands and lac marked increase which
accompanied the final determination Of
that event. In 1890 the exports of the
United States to the Hawaiian islands were
"a, III, All, and in 1897 were s4,690, 075. showing
no growth from 1890 to 1897. In 1890 the i'm
ports into the United States from the Ha-
waiian islands were 81, 312, COS, and in 1897
were s13,6S7,799 showing but a slight
growth.
The treaty of annexation was signed at
Washington June 16, 1897, so that all the
commerce of the fiscal year 1898 felt the
effect of that step in the process of an
nexation. In that year the exports of
the United States to the Hawaiian islands
were $500, 155, an increase of q per cent.
over 1897, when they amounted to s4,690, 075.
The treaty was ratified July z, 1895, and
transferred to the United States on Aug.
II. 1898. thus bringing practically all of the
fiscal year 1899 within the period follow
ing the complete annexation. The exports
to the Hawaiian islands. in the fiscal year
1893. amounted to s. 1905, 40, an increase OF
over so per cent. On the import side, the
year 1898 showed an increase of three and
one-half millions over 1897, and the year
1900 showed another increase of three and
one-half millions over 1898 and 1899.
The following table shows the
waiian stands in each year from 1890 to
1000.