The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-14

| n Q of Boston and New YORK, on
their sugar mills in Cuba. who
has been in the Hawaiian Islands
for the past few weeks. sailed yes
terday in the Alameda for the mainland,
and will proceed thence directly to Ha-
vana. During his visit mere he looked
after the opening up OF the McBryde
mill on Kauai. He viii report that the
mill is satisfactory in every respect and
that it is equal to extracting 94.6 per
cent of the sugar in the cane which
passes through it. Mr.. Coombs, before
going aboard the Alameda yesterday,
said that the BIcBryde mill is one of the
best which the firm has turned out, and
he is also satisfied that the cane pro-
duced on the plantation is of a very high
character, and will probably yield
product of about 10000 tons at present.
In the production of sugar in Cuba,
Mr. Coombs has had an experience OF
ten years. From the knowledge he has
gained of the existing political relations
between Cuba and the United States he
is of the opinion that the sugar produc-
ers here need have no fear of the free
entry of Cuban sugar for the next ten
years at least. 1t is his opinion that the
annexation of islands by the United
States has ceased, and that there is lit
tie danger of Cuban sugar coming into
the United States free of duty.
american capital his been pouring in
to Cuba to be invested in the sugar plan
tations since the conclusion OF the war
with Spain, and doubtless there will be
good financial results" said Mr.. Coombs.
Il do not anticipate that the cane sugar
planters in Hawaii, Louisiana the Phil
ippines or Texas need have any fear that
they Will be menaced from this direction
for many years. There will be a great
fight in congress this coming session, in
augurated by the men who have invest
ed their money in Cuba, and naturally
there will be considerable influence
brought to bear upon congress to allow
Cuban sugar to come in free OF duty,
under the same conditions that Hawaii
an sugar came In under the reciprocity
treaty. There Will be decided stand
against such legislation by the beet su-
gar supporters.
The beet sugar interests of the Unit
ed States depend largely on keeping Gu
ban sugar off the free list. If the beet
sugar growers find that they are In dan
ger of being the losers from Cuban su-
gar coming In free, and 1 speak of this
urn their attention to the raising of
,ther crops which would be as produc-
i've and not nearly so expensive. The
armers of the United States have in
luential backing in congress, and / I'M
lerstand also that Secretary Wilson is
strong advocate of the beet sugar in
ustry. He being a member of the cabi-
et will undoubtedly have something to
ay in the premises.
LAS to conditions in Cuba? Well. the
lanters still have recourse TO very
rude methods in the cultivation Of cane
hey are almost primitive in this re-
pect as they were a hundred years ago.
pointed stick is sufficient to turn over
he soil. An enterprising agent of the
owler Plow Company went TO Cuba
LIST year to introduce their steam plows.
lie was more enterprising than cautious,
)r ia his endeayor to show just how
luch his plow could accomplish he dug
D deep that he spoiled the ground
he plantations on which he was giving
is exhibition, with the result that the
lanters gave him wide berth and re-
lrned to their primitive methods.
by their methods the Cuban planters
lake a saving of about two-fifths in the
mount of labor employed lin Hawaii.
hey do not strip the cane, the trash is
OF burned over the ground and they al
w the stubble TO grow for five or six
ears. This prevents the weeds from
)ming up before the young cane SnootS
D. but at the same time it invites the
ine borers and fungus to gather. The
1rers and fungus have attacked the
uban cane and caused heavy loss. Thus
r no attempts whatever have been
ade to fight either pest.
mo irrigation is carried on there. The
me is of the 12-months growth, and 1
'esume the next crop will amount to
1out $50 coo tons The labor employed is
ostly Cuban and native black. Despite
e tremendous acreage covered In the