The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-20


SAN FRANCISCO. January 1.-THE
Chronicle, in an editorial against the
/ granting to Cuba the remission of duty
on its sugar imported to this country
says that the United States benefited
{ nothing by admitting Hawaiian sugar
free, as the cost to the consumer was
! not lowered, and all the profits went to
/ the Hawaiian planters. The Chronicle
opposes favoring Cuba and points to Ha-
wall a dreadful example of benefits
conferred without return. 1t predicts
! that If Cuba gets the sugar bounty, 1t
; will inevitably lead to Cuba being an
nexed by Uncle Sam.
The Chronicles editorial is as follows:
1.-THE Boston Herald, which occasional
ly takes the liberty of asserting that the
Massachusetts Senators do not under
stand the rudiments of political econo-
my is warmly advocating the granting
to Cuba of certain commercial advan-
tases on the distinctly sentimental
ground that the United States, having
helped the Cubans to shake off the
Spanish yoke, is under obiiga ton to help
the people of the never faithful isle" TO
better bargain In dealing with US than
We are willing to make with any other
nation. Apart from the fact that it Is
preposterous to assume that an act of
friendship, like that performed by the
United States when 1T inferfered in the
affairs of Cuba, gives the benefciaries
perpetual claim on our benevolence,
i we wish to point out to our esteemed
! Boston contemporary, which prides it
, self on its economic knowledge, that 1t
is advocating distinctly uneconomic
plan when 1t urges that Cuba should be
given the preferential benefit which
reciprocity treaty would convey. 1t
would be cheaper to make outright
present to the Cubans of an amount
equal to that which would have to be
sacrificed by renting duties on sugar
and tobacco If such a convention were
entered into between the United States !
and Cuba.
EFFECT OF RECIPROCITY
'If the Herald has any doubts on this !
point We respectfully direct its attention |
to the experience of the United States !
which followed the contamination of
reciprocity treaty with the Hawaiian
Islands. Our Boston contemporary seems /
to think that IL Cuban sugar is admit I
ted free of duty the American consumer
will benefit. but II what happened as a
result of Hawaiian reciprocity may be
accepted as an Indication of what must 4
occur If Cuba gets preferential treat
ment, we may safely assume that the
price of sugar IN the American markets
will remain the worlds price, plus the !
duty. Every pound of sugar imported
into this country from Hawaii cost the
just as much as the sugar i'm
ported from other countries which paid
a duty. The amount RENTED went into :
the pockets of the sugar refiners and the 1
Hawaiian planters; the American people !
got no benefit from the remission
The Herald points out that imports Z
~
United States during the calendar year :
amounted to about 3.716, 126.24S pounds, of !
which quantity about 373, 669, 2G1 pounds :
came from Cuba. The duty on the Gu +
ban imports therefore amounted to s13.-
fs's5S Had there been a reciprocity :
treaty In force with Cuba giving that =
country free entrance to our markets, =
this amount would have been an abso- y
ute gilt to the Cuban planters, and the :.
American consumer would have continu-
ed to pay exactly the same amount foc :,
rs sugar, for the price of the remaining :
''.342, 4569S7 imported, and which paid :
iuty. would have determined The selling @
2lice Of the whole mass. :.
PLAYING TO THE TRUST. e
The Herald seeks to complicate the :
question by talking about renting the :
iuty on all raw sugar. but IT knows that .
here Is no such project mooted. The 81
rust 1t is assisting in carrying out an h
niquitous scheme is bitterly hostile to =
the duty on all other than :,
'uban sugar. 1t IS even responsible for :,
he anomaly involved in the imposition -
II tariff on domestic sugar, for its =
missarieS inspired the movement to :,
'iace Philippine sugar under the ban.
These being the facts the Herald, and
III the other free trade and protection
81 papers which unite in urging recf- o
'rocity treaty, are fairly chargeable W
With playing into the hands of the sugar q
rust. and by so doing they are certain T
o bring about a condition of affairs sim h
lar 10 that which existed before Hawaii pr
vas annexed TO the United States: and Ii;
he result will be the same as in the la
ase Of those islands, for We shall not le
omnit the incredible folly of making W
n annual present to the Cubans of "
wenty millions or more for any great W
tnsth or time without wanting to take &c
Ver the never faithful isle" g,
THE OPPOSITE VIEW. .,
me New York Journal of Commerce. ~
great commercial daily. takes the op- ict
osite view. The Journal says that there w
a moral obligation on the part of CT
he United States to admit Cuban sugar 81