The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-17

that half a cent per pound duty on re-
fined sugars was all that the American
sugar industry now required for its de-
cussion and grave fears are expressed
/ that more confidence will be placed in
Mr.. Havemeyer's reported remarks than
the facts justify
Il The cane sugar industry in the United
States does not seem to have been con-
marks, he apparently looking upon the
now rapidly developing beet sugar in
dustry as the coming sugar producer of
the country, provided no adverse con-
ditions be established The eminent fit
ness of very large areas of alluyial lands
in the Gulf States for tropical cane Gull
ture and sugar production make it prac-
tically certain that the cane sugar in
dustry of this country will always be
prominent factor, unless it is crushed
out by some unfair means
The two issues that are presenting
themselves to us now are the relation
Of Cuba to the United States from a tar
iff point of view, and also the DISPOSE
ton of congress to make reciprocity
treaties, the conspicuous feature of near
~ all of which is that the chief article
upon which the duties are TO be lowered
for the sake of introducing reciprocal
trade is sugar. 1t would seem humorous,
We're it not such a serious fact, that the
moment we begin to negotiate a treaty
/ with European nations, we are led to
say to them, we will ALLOW your sugars
to come in to US 20 per cent less than
sugars from other countries, provided
you give us a material abatement in the
rates that you exact upon our exports
to you of steel rails, agricultural imple-
ments, boots shoes and other manufac-
lures. The salient point in these reci-
procity, treaties has been the diminished
tariff rate on sugars with which negoti-
ations have been pending to induce them
to lower their rates on the manufactured
articles that we are endeavoring to ex-
port to them
i 1t always makes quite a serious differ
ence as to whose OK is gored and those
who are to be benefited in any way by
tariff changes forget that others may
suffer, or are entirely Indifferent to the
effect of such legislation upon all other
industries.
Even the rice producers in Southwest
| ern Louisiana are now endeavoring to
| have rice included in a proposed treaty
with Cuba, treaty that shall allow the
sugars of Cuba to enter this country at
a materially reduced tariff rate and at
| the same time allow the rice of Louisi-
ana to be exported to Cuba under con-
ditions more favorable than rice can be
| imported from other countries This de-
lection of an important interest in our
own louisiana household is quite seri-
Gus matter and viii doubtless be held up
against when we shall be endeavoring
to resist the so-called reciprocity treaty
| that shall threaten or destroy our own
sugar industry for the purpose of benefit
ing Cuba.
Our distinguished coadjutor, Col. w
| w. Pugh, in a recent communication to
the Assumption Pioneer, refers to the
great dangers now hanging over the
sugar industry of Louisiana in the pos
sible reciprocity treaty between this coun-
try and Cuba, and suggests that our
journal should take what steps may be
necessary to protect our industry. AS is
well known, the Louisiana Sugar Plant
ers' Association for many years included
| in it's duties to the sugar industry of
| Louisiana all practicable control of SUI
gar legislation. The disaster brought
upon the industry in Louisiana by the
! enactment of the Wilson bill led to the
formation of the American Cane Grow
ers' Association, in which wider organ
ization and a more comprehensive field
of work was determined upon, and the
excellent work done by that organization
in securing the passage of the existing
law, the Dingley bill, and in securing
portion of the unpaid bounty due the
planters for the year 1894 is evidence of
the good work that that organization
! is capable of doing, and it has now in
hand, as we understand it, the present
situation and is formulating plans which
we trust will be adequate to prevent the
adoption of any such destructive views
= as have been suggested by Mr.. Have
/ meyer, or any of those interested in
the various proposed reciprocity treaties.
The sugar industry of louisiana is just
now beginning to be enlarged by the
proper working of the central factory
system. The inferior cane crops of 1893
and the unprecedented freeze of 1899 are
disastrous effects which will be felt per
haps during years to come, and from
which we are only now recovering. The
situation at present, however, is compar-
atively satisfactory, and it is thought
that Louisiana this year will regain her
normal status a sugar producer, pro-
ducing over 100000 long tons of sugar
and if adverse legislation does not come
upon us, the following year will prob
dplS SltOW al liCIedSE upon lilS year
crop of 25 or 30 per cent.
4 The beet sugar industry of the coun-
try is advancing in a remarkable man.
ner. and there is no reason why it should
not be one of the great and dominating
agricultural interests of the country. 1t
IS now a proven fact that millions of
acres of land in our country are adapted
to the production of better sugar beets
than are produced in Central Europe.
We have all of the mechanical devices
and scientific knowledge necessary for
/ the production of sugar from beets, and
only need the development of the agri-
cultural side of the industry which is
necessarily slow. The farming commu-
nifty do not take readily to the produc
ton of any new crops. and especially not
to the production of crops that require
garden work, which is the case with the
sugar beet The profits promised by the
culture of this plant will, however result
in the production of hundreds of imple-
! ments that will lessen the present labor
ious character of sugar beet culture, and
we believe that within 10 years there will
, be as much meet sugar produced in the
/ United States as there viii be cane sugar,