The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-30
Especial TO the Advertiser.)

anu ~hednS AltS OCCAA
| hearing Cuban planters and others in
| terested in Cuban plantations as to the
reduction OF duty proposed. Although
| there is strong talk in the Senate of
| putting an amendment on the Philip
| pine tariff bill. that would give re-
| duction of 20 per cent or % per cent in
Cuban. tariffs, the Ways and Means
Committee is proceeding with consid-
Grafton of the topic AT noon today
the committee adjourned till next Tues
day. The remarks were almost entire
ly on Cuban sugar, with little refer
ence to Hawaii, except in indirect
ways Mr.. Edwin F. Atkins, of Bos-
ton, owner of one of the largest plan
tations in Cuba took up the reports of
the Eva plantation, Hawaii. to some
extent. Mr.. William Haywood was
present at the hearings, but. if he ad-
dresses the committee, il Will be later
next week.
Mr. Haywood said today he was al
together satisfied with the progress OF
the hearings, as they have brought out
nothing prejudicial to the Hawaiian
cause. On the other hand the Cubans
have made a presentation, not alto
gether strong for their side. 1t was
notable that strong petitions against
any reduction of the duty on sugar
were presented to the committee today
by beet sugar interests in the district
of Chairman Payne, whose district is in
Central New York. The Michigan del
egation is still of the opinion that
something can be done to prevent the
Ways and Means Committee from do
ing anything on the subject. 1t is
worth mentioning that Representative
Fordney of that State received IA tel
egrams by actual count yesterday from
one of the several counties he repre-
sents.
1t was hoped that the printed copies
of the hearings would be ready to for
ward by this mail, but it will be two
or three days yet before they are re-
ceived from the printer The interest
in the hearings is very keen. and both
sides have been watching sharply for
advantage However, after the first
hour or two, there was much rethresh-
ing of old straw on the part of the diff
ferent speakers.
The WAYS and Means Committee of
the House first took up the task of
hearing representatives of sugar indus
tries on the advisability of lower Gu
ban tariffs, on Wednesday, January 10.
There was a large gathering of men,
representing the various interests, bur
the two sessions of the day were chief
ly occupied with Mr.. Edwin F. Atkins.
of Boston, who owns a large planta-
ton in Cuba. Hugh Kelley of New
York and John F. Craig of Philadel-
phia were present for other American
interests in Cuba Mr.. William Hay
wood, of Honolulu, was present in be-
half of the Hawaiian sugar producers,
Mr. Henry T. OXnaru in behalf of the
beet sugar growers, and the Cuban
producers were further represented by
Mr.. Place, Mr.. Mendoza, Mr.. Dumois.
and Mr.. Francke for commercial or
CARNATIONS on the island.
Mr. Atkins told the committee that
he had been able to make a profit on
his plantation during the last year
only through economies of manage
ment, whereas the less fortunate Gu
ban planters, with less capital at COM
mand and compelled to deal with mid
dlemen, We're operating at loss. There
was an enormous overproduction of
sugar in the world. he declared. which
had created a crisis in the industry
There were millions of dollars worth
of cane in Cuba that would not be har-
vesteu this year. He declared that a
so per cent reduction Of duties was de-
sired on the various large products OF
the island. but in response to inquiries
from Mr.. Payne he said that the sugar
industry felt ii should have a 100 per
cent reduction.
Mr.. Atkins stated that the opposition
to cuban reciprocity came from several
sources, namely, the domestic beet-su-
gar industry, the Hawaiian planters.
and the sugar interests of Porto Rico
and Louisiana. aggregating 900 tons
10 licc1,ScaJ nf hrlr n n
of this production, its cost, etc, and in
this connection was questioned by Rep
resentative Robertson. of Louisiana, as
to the Louisiana product. and by vari-
Gus members of the committee on the
relations OF the Cuban crop to the
product elsewhere. To Mr. Payne he
stated that very large percentage of
the Cuban sugar industry was owned
by citizens of the United States.
Representative Metcalf of Colorado,
has taken a leading part in the fight,
and has done valuable work through
his position on the ways and means
committee. His Interrogation of Atkins
was keen. and resulted in Atkins max
ing many damaging admissions. Atkins
was forced to admit that he was the
owner of a. big plantation in Cuba, in
which President Havemeyer was inter
ested He admitted that labor was
scarce in Cuba, and all were employed
at good wages. He further admitted
that Spanish capitalists controlled
much of the foreign business Of Cuba.
and that such prejudice exists that
they would not buy in the United
States. other things being equal.
Atkins also admitted under Metcalf
examination that the price of sugar to
the consumer in this country would not
be less as the price, he claimed. would
be dictated. in any event, from Ham
burg Before Metcalf had finished with
Atkins. the Boston representative of
the sugar trust cut a sorry figure in
his advocacy OF the Cubans.
The whole thing is a sham. said
Representative Netcalf. Why, when
we got down to the meat of the thing,
they had nothing TO prove that the
people of Cuba demanded this conces
sion, or that the people of the United
States would be benefited by it in the
least. These people propose not only
to take away tn -ariff on sugar. but