The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-09-28

suggestion. .I1dEe HEuphrexss attorneys
MAINTAIN that Z Is rn1zk improper % re-
gard this Fart Of tke population rs
yprresenfinE the moral forceS OF tAe CON-
mHzify. sfuce he brings with him eFi-
dences ef the Support 81 so1se Of the
largest ehurches IN the Island
Back Of the so-ealled missionary ele-
ment stand the small group Of sugar
planters who practically OWE the Island.
and the friends o. Humphreys assert
control the Tloie Government II is gen
eraIly believed here that G0FeEDor Dole
Is a conscientious man but that BIS view
Of the interests OF the Islands are that they
lie II the direction Of these large sugar
pianteES The leases on the crown lands
which the sugar people hold are soon TO
expire. and controversy has arisen as
to their renewal Governor Dole IS I'M
derst0od 70 BE IN favor OF their eonrinu-
ance for a term OF years. while the anti
Dole or Humphreys element urge the zp-
plicatiOn Of the homestead laws OF the
United States TO Hawaii. except that they
recommend 50 acres instead of 1G0 for a
homestead right. Il Is obvious that in
the settlement Of this issue more VIII de-
pend than the mere question whether the
land shall be owned In large lots or in
small Hawaii is now almost wholly given
over TO sugar production Even eggs are
OENHEAt AL0fM Aul1t3t~ anu AIuttE- [IEt1Ati
and garden vegetables from the United
States. II is said that the local prod
ucts do not supply more than one-half
of the demands of the markets Of Homo
lulu alone. According to the aati-Dole
element. this IS due 20 the large pro-
prietorships and the contract labor sys-
TEN. which there offer no greater incentive
70 the Investigation of industries than
did the slave system in the South.
But this latest controversy over eco
noHie conditions has been somewhat OBJ
scured BY an outbreak concerning other
things. From the briefs that have been
filed in Judge Humphreys support one
would suppose that the regulation of vice
was one of the great points of issue be-
tween his supporters and the partisans OF
the Dole government for that takes W
much of the exhibits. It seems that an
Oriental stockade system has grown NJ
there which the Dole government appaT-
emily regarded as the best method of ex-
ercising control over the evil Judge
Humphreys however openly made wal
upon it. alleging that the government Of
ficials were afforling protection to the
steckade, called the 1wilei. and that It's
inmates were held in a condition of prac
teal slavery. and in some instances were
lamentably young. Since the Humphreys
trouble began. however. this place has
been closed. The agitation which led tC
this was doubtless precipitated by his Wig
orous onslaughts.
No one can grope through this maze oil
| Hawaiian judicial difficulties. to say moth
| ing of the other problems which thoss
Islands are presenting. without wonderin,
upon which side of the ledger they are Il
appear when any balance sheet of the ex
pansion policy is made up. 1t is easy
enough to see what Hawaii gains by hel
attachment 10 the United States. Hei
sugar comprising one-ninth of the entir,
American consumDtion, viii he admitted
! free Of duty for all time. To be sure, i
was admitted free under the reciprocity
| treaty Of 1875. which was in operation a
/ the time of annexation. but it had Ions
been hard to see how that could be go0f
bargain for the United States. Sugar i
one Of our greatest revenue articles, yield
| ing last year SOL. 417.772. The duties re
mitfed to Hawaii on sugar and molasses
alone. according to the figures of the bu
reau of statistics for the fiscal year jus
ended. amounted TO $7.974.910.
As the price of sugar here is fixed b,
the larger necessary supply. it will b
seen that this constitutes a very suhstan
! tial gift from the Federal treasury to tn
i Hawaiian sugar planters. They posses
such natural advantages that they coul'
| doubtless continue to do business in tn
face of Cuban or any other competition
and so our bonus to them is largely in tn
nature Of a gratuity. OF course. the in
lhahitants of the Islands pay their shar
of the ordinary consumption taxes of tn
! United States: but il is doubtful if an
other body of people can be found in tn
republic on whose account the treasur
suffers so great remission of taxation
Besides. the cost of fortifying the Islands
4..c ho fbor<r lirhi
houses. surfmen. etc. viii be clearly ia
in excess of the average for any like are
and population in this republic.